My Hero Academia II - A true Hero

Robby

Representation matters.

GOOD representation matter more.

Just having a character be X doesn't matter if they're an awful character, or a horrific stereotype, and make that entire group look bad.

Like in One Piece. Compare the horrific transvestite giant headed stubbly monsters that chase Sanji. That's gross and rapey and if that's your first and only exposure to the idea, you're going ot think THAT is what all trans folks are like. And that's just… eww. But the series has Bon Kurei, Ivanokov, Inazuma, and more recently Kiku and Yamato. if THOSE are your first exposure to the idea, not so bad.

media has DECADES of very particular gay stereotypes to overcome. (And asian stereotyhpes. And black stereotypes. And...) Even super progressive Star Trek didn't get around to having main gay characters until like two years ago, when they could have been doing that in the 90's.

If Mineta was canonnically gay, he'd be the only confirmed gay character in the series, and he's awful and gross and wears a diaper and is a groper that mistreats women and just... ick. Straight men don't want that awful worst character in the series representing them, why would gay men?

MDL

@Jabberwok:

The core idea that hero society failed the ones who become villains is present in nearly every League of Villains member's backstory.

Yep. That aspect of them is what makes them compelling to me.

Instead of being cookie cutter "I'm just evil, I dunno. Fuck humanity lol" saturday morning villains,
they're broken people who fell through the cracks of a flawed system,
and their relationship as a group quickly turned into a "found family" situation.
This was shown most effectively through Twice, which is why his death and Toga's reaction to it were so powerful to me.

It's literally inspired me to start writing my own "found family" style novel,
involving a girl with powers who gets forced by the government into infiltrating/betraying criminal gangs,
but one gang treats her really well and gives her a feeling of belonging,
and she starts contemplating committing to the gang and ditching her masters.
A moral crossroads story of "you say these are the bad guys, but they treat me better than you do".

JulieYBM

@Jabberwok:

Hey bud, what manga are you reading instead? The core idea that hero society failed the ones who become villains is present in nearly every League of Villains member's backstory. It's arguably the main point of the whole series! I've never once gotten the impression that Twice, Toga, Shigaraki, or even Dabi would have been a normal well-adjusted person if they'd only tried harder themselves. As much as MHA has classic shonen training themes, the students of UA are all fortunate to be where they are, with mostly-safe quirks and in an institution that supports and trains them.

Anyways, it's almost certainly merely an unusual translation choice and nothing more. Though MHA and Jump in general could definitely use more LGBTQ+ representation. That's why I headcanon Kirishima as bi.

Please do not call me 'bud'. That makes me as dysphoric as 'sir'.

Robby already made a solid post but I need to underscore that yeah, framing all of your queer characters as antagonists is a big issue. If the LoSV were the actual protagonists I think that we'd be in a different place…but we're not.

Jabberwok

@JulieYBM:

Please do not call me 'bud'. That makes me as dysphoric as 'sir'.

Apologies! I use bud, dude, and mate as non-gendered terms among my friends so I assure you I meant no offense at all by it. But I'll make a mental note of it.

Robby already made a solid post but I need to underscore that yeah, framing all of your queer characters as antagonists is a big issue. If the LoSV were the actual protagonists I think that we'd be in a different place…but we're not.

Positive representation is definitely important. Horikoshi gets a little bit of credit for making a cool transgender hero with Tiger, but even that is countered by the villain Magne and the way transgender women are more stigmatized than transgender men. Yet the same time, the LoV were fiercely defensive of Magne and her pronouns, which was maybe the first flash of sympathetic characterization the League got.

And bi characters in particular could use more positive representation given how frequently bi or genderfluid characters are depicted as duplicitous. Mineta's certainly not positive.

JulieYBM

Toga and friends being defensive of Magne-nee was nice! Where my criticism as a trans women comes in is the even cishet allies need to be criticized for what they do and for that I am indeed going to criticize Horikoshi. As an fan I love Toga and Magne-nee but that's why I need to be critical of how they are portrayed. If I were writing HeroAca I wouldn't mind at all making some antagonists bi (I'm the sort of weirdo who would make every character meant to be likable bi). I don think I'd have as many criticisms if the only queer characters were openly, well, extremely written.

Also, I would have done THAT to Magne-nee…

Cyclone_Baroness

322 spoilers

! Oh wow. Anti-Bakugo's aren't gonna have any solid reasons to keep hating on him. Best character development in the series so far. Also this definitely makes him better than Sasuke for actually apologizing verbally, not just using actions and long stares. This is how I've wanted the asshat rivals to actually behave.

pariston_hill

@Cyclone_Baroness:

322 spoilers

! Oh wow. Anti-Bakugo's aren't gonna have any solid reasons to keep hating on him. Best character development in the series so far. Also this definitely makes him better than Sasuke for actually apologizing verbally, not just using actions and long stares. This is how I've wanted the asshat rivals to actually behave.

! He is still a harsh ass, but he is indeed a well developed harsh ass.

JulieYBM

Bakugou has never sat well with me as a character. At the very least there was something sexy about Sasuke being an asshole. Bakugou was just a bland asshole the entire time.

kevo_koma

@JulieYBM:

Bakugou has never sat well with me as a character. At the very least there was something sexy about Sasuke being an asshole. Bakugou was just a bland asshole the entire time.

Lol, really?

What makes Sasuke bland emo bullshit sexy?

At least Bakugou is always direct about his emotions and thoughts. Everything about him is straightforward. He's not out to please anyone but himself and he has never hidden that from anyone.

Cyclone_Baroness

Anti Bakugo's already proving me right.

! Folks complaining that his apology to Deku was all about himself. And isn't good enough. The fandom is so annoying lol.

Zar

! I'm over the moon with this chapter. I love Bakugo's character. Looking forward to the translation.
It's nice that the manga is returning to it's roots for a bit. The Izuku/Bakugo dynamic along with all the class are the core of this manga. I hope we keep focusing on them until the end.

JulieYBM

@kevo_koma:

Lol, really?

What makes Sasuke bland emo bullshit sexy?

At least Bakugou is always direct about his emotions and thoughts. Everything about him is straightforward. He's not out to please anyone but himself and he has never hidden that from anyone.

Well, his fucked up childhood, for one. Then there's his tsundere attitude, how he hides his weakness from Sakura and the increasingly melodramatic additions that drive him to his final battle with Naruto.

Bakugou is just an asshole with normal parents and no adults who really confront why he's an asshole. He's just boring. At least with Sasuke there's some poison a silly fangirl can eroticize.

Like, I know that you're using 'emo' dismissively like it's still 2003 or whatever but dang, I don't have any pride in this game and neither does the fictional character.

kevo_koma

@JulieYBM:

Well, his fucked up childhood, for one. Then there's his tsundere attitude, how he hides his weakness from Sakura and the increasingly melodramatic additions that drive him to his final battle with Naruto.

Bakugou is just an asshole with normal parents and no adults who really confront why he's an asshole. He's just boring. At least with Sasuke there's some poison a silly fangirl can eroticize.

Like, I know that you're using 'emo' dismissively like it's still 2003 or whatever but dang, I don't have any pride in this game and neither does the fictional character.

I actually wasn't using it dismisively at all. He is the definition of Emo. Heck the way you just described fits the bill.

But I understand, we enjoy the characters we enjoy.

I was just surprised to see someone who enjoyed Sasuke enough to call his character Sexy(outside his looks)

JulieYBM

@kevo_koma:

I actually wasn't using it dismisively at all. He is the definition of Emo. Heck the way you just described fits the bill.

But I understand, we enjoy the characters we enjoy.

I was just surprised to see someone who enjoyed Sasuke enough to call his character Sasuke(outside his looks)

The duality of Julie: being attracted to Daddy Naruto and Sasuke.

Cyclone_Baroness

I dunno. I find it refreshing that he didn't have a tragic backstory for being a butt. He was a kid that was naturally good at everything and received praise from adults, kids and pros. And wasn't punished because that was a flaw in society that the quirkless were just seen as less than. Bakugo wasn't the only one mocking Izuku in the 1st chapter.

Sasuke having the tragic backstory didn't necessarily mean he had rights to be an ass. He decided to go with the villains because he got pissy about the "loser" becoming stronger. And then in the end he never really seemed to face any of his consequences because everyone loved him. It was frustrating to read that.

JulieYBM

Well, I get becoming irrational and driven by nothing but irrational hatred. I've been there, which is a kernel of realism that makes it easier to understand the extremes that a mentally ill kid with superpowers would go to. This is why I love Ikari Shinji, after all (also, Shinji is so obviously bisexual and trans girl-coded).

Maybe I'd latch on Bakugou more if his parents were more involved. Otherwise all he has going for him is his romance with Kirishima, which, as a fujoshi, I ship all the way.

Jabberwok

Bakushima is maybe the only ship that I've ever genuinely wanted. Their relationship is very cute.

I think one of the things that makes Bakugo (and in a similar vein, Endeavor) less attractive to people is that his shittiness is actually tangible. He doesn't have some melodramatic tortured past, he's a talented kid who got spoiled by society and normalized to the aggression of his mother. Likewise, the stuff he's done wrong is mostly just bullying, not murdering people or enacting some grand plan. It's a bit ironic but it's the grounded and more relatable nature of his flaws that make him harder for some people to like.

Also, and maybe this is just me, but Bakugo and most of the other male MHA characters don't have that more sexualized bishonen look about them that draws in fangirls/boys/people.

Cyclone_Baroness

I saw a TodoBaku and I can't back to KiriBaku. Todobaku just cracks me up.

Yeah I feel like a lot of the folks that are most vocal about hating Bakugo and Endeavor seem to all have a too close to home feel. So Anything they do will be unforgivable.

pariston_hill

The apology we've been waiting
https://mangaplus.shueisha.co.jp/viewer/1009660

Zar

Things did feel a bit duller upon re-read, though it may be because I'm tired. Still, I love that the manga got all the way here. The class is back, Bakugo apologized and maybe Deku will get some character development finally. The montage of seeing Deku and Bakugo grow up as he apologized was pretty.

But something about the pace bugs me. Maybe it'll read better in volume format, but Deku losing his way happened so fast it doesn't feel like we've been able to see the consequences of it. He's definitely been nudged this way for the last past arcs, but it's like something missing in-between. Like if you took Robin's character arc but went straight from Foxy to Enies Lobby and skipped Water 7. But at the same time dragging it out has problems too and it definitely feels like Horikoshi wants to wrap up this series.

So… it's alright. The emotional impact is there, but if paced just a little better it could've been one hell of a chapter.

Robby

I think Deku's running away would have felt more natural if more of his friends got hurt in the previous big fight. yeah Bakugo took some damage but… it just doesn't feel like enough of an inciting incident to lead where we've been for the last dozen chapters.

(Yeah, obviously Deku being desperate to stop it tracks, but just deciding to abandon everyone to protect them, not so much.)

DestinyDogma

Pretty cool chapter, I really liked how Midoriya and Bakugo went from their early childhood until their current selves during the speech, it was a nice touch. The apology was nice and really needed, but it makes me wonder about how Bakugo will act from now on.

Overall I really liked this arc, but Hori could have used a few more chapters on the aftermatch of the War arc and then some more for class A (without Deku) around, in the middle of the Dark Deku´s arc. That said, it was a good arc, looking foward to Uraraka´s moment next chapter.

Cyclone_Baroness

Deku will probably be mopey for a bit. He went out trying to lure out AFO and Shiggy, got henchmen thrown at him. Started just beating the crap out of them. Became a feared cryptoid. Now a smelly castout. The Civilians are assholes. So what if AFO is after Deku, you guys are okay with kicking out a 16 year old kid? Where is his mom!?

onemoment

I just noticed it when Invisible Girl got a line this chapter, but did she not say anything during that entire sequence when they chased Deku? That's kind of weird, seeing as I think literally everyone else had a moment, even people with minimal interaction with Deku so far. Both Seto and Sero gone one, yet Invisible Girl only speaks up when they get back to the school. I just find that odd.

Otherwise, this was a beautiful scene spread out over a few chapters. Now, it looks like Ochako's to stand tall, and that's nice too. You show that random protesting crowd who's boss.

Satsuki

Your friends are awesome, but people suck.

Nectar

Glad Bakugo apologized, and in front of the entire class too. Nice. Horikoshi did a good job making him gradually like him over the years.

Here's hoping the people Deku saved sticks up for him next chapter, especially that Giant Fox Woman.

@onemoment:

I just noticed it when Invisible Girl got a line this chapter, but did she not say anything during that entire sequence when they chased Deku? That's kind of weird, seeing as I think literally everyone else had a moment, even people with minimal interaction with Deku so far. Both Seto and Sero gone one, yet Invisible Girl only speaks up when they get back to the school. I just find that odd.

Otherwise, this was a beautiful scene spread out over a few chapters. Now, it looks like Ochako's to stand tall, and that's nice too. You show that random protesting crowd who's boss.

Oh! I didn't catch that.
checks chapters
Looks like her and Aoyama are the only ones that didn't get to have a moment. Interesting…

TLC

While it's nice to see Bakugou give some manner of apology, I guess I'm gonna be that guy and nitpick it but giving an apology in the form of "I'm sorry for everything." sure is a very convenient, blanket way of trying to sweep things under the rug. The word "everything" is doing a lot of heavy lifting. How about "Deku, I am sorry for telling you to kill yourself because I was a stupid, petty shit and garbage person?" Now I don't expect Bakugou to make a huge list because they'd be at it all day but at least top three grievances would be nice one of which I would hope would be the attempted bullying into suicide.

And like Robby said, it would really help things if the inciting incident for all this didn't feel so forced.

Now to see if the class will stay relevant for three chapters or if Horikoshi is going to get bored and dump them again.

zeltrax225

Yeah, I mean I really did enjoyed the last few chapters. It feels good, especially Ochako's line in this chapter. It was something that Horikoshi brought up a few times, that even the best of us gets into depravity if there's no one there for us, which he seems to want to address with this new generation.
Unfortunately, whether he does goes ahead with actually properly utilizing the class members is something that I do not exactly have faith in considering how he's handled them all these years.
We'll see.

pariston_hill

vigilantes 107

! Koichi is doing it on subconscious reflex and damn what a creepy transformation.

Cockycent

Shinsuke Sato (Bleach, Kingdom 1 and 2) will be directing the MHA film.

It says it will be his "English language film debut".

https://deadline.com/2021/08/my-hero-academia-live-action-movie-shinsuke-sato-director-1234814520/

JulieYBM

Oh wow, n Japanese director being allowed to direct an English film?

Time for me to double check those Bleach fight scenes.

Nectar

~Vig Talk~

I'm fine with Koichi defending against Number 6 subconsciously. It's almost like his body leveled up despite his kind nature. Years of training and constant real-world experience using his quirk has turned him into a battle monster, whether he realized it or not.
With how tactical we learn Iwao is, I wonder just how much he planned on Koichi becoming the perfect Overclock counter.

pariston_hill

@Nectar:

With how tactical we learn Iwao is, I wonder just how much he planned on Koichi becoming the perfect Overclock counter.

Virgin AFO plays 4D chess vs CHAD Mr. Oguro playing 6D interdimensional Chess

akagami7

RIP chapter 220 as well as many scenes in the surrounding chapters. What a weird season.

pariston_hill

RIP the MVA arc. Long live the speed run.

MDL

Waiting patiently for previously faithful anime adaptations to fully adapt my favourite parts of the manga
Both times they decided to take a hard left and fuck with it

First was Promised Neverland,
now it's this

Just…..why

Nobodyman

@MDL:

Waiting patiently for previously faithful anime adaptations to fully adapt my favourite parts of the manga
Both times they decided to take a hard left and fuck with it

First was Promised Neverland,
now it's this

Just…..why

pariston_hill

Someone on Bones reaaaaally hates the villains. Without his original introduction Redestro is gonna look even more bleh in the War Arc.

Nectar

It's a shame. Looks like all they care about is having the villains fight. But it's the build up that makes it more interesting. SEEING the LOV broke and at their lowest point only to be given the opportunity to turn it all around was a great start to MVA. Seeing the kind of person Re-Destro is in public compared to his true self gave him depth. And, seeing Giran resist the MLA and give the audience a reason to care about the League saving him helped push the arc forward. The 3rd movie really screwed over this arc.

pariston_hill

And apparently they want 10. Because the movies return cash like crazy. The main problem is Bones trying to do a season and a movie in parallel production.

MDL

A part of me thinks (though I hope it's not the case) that they feared kids sympathizing "too much" with the villains during their struggle,
and somehow getting some kind of "spooky bad influence", or however those fogeys in the boardroom might think

I just can't shake that kind of feeling.

At least they can't get out of Twice's eventual death and the impact it makes on Toga's and Hawk's characters.

Jabberwok

We're SUPPOSED to sympathize with the LoV to a certain degree. The series makes it clear from the very beginning that the current hero society is flawed, something that's quickly reinforced again in the Stain arc. The member of the LoV are almost all people who society has failed in one way or another; obviously their methods are wrong, but the backstories and growth are woven in expertly so we should be able to understand where they're coming from. It's part of what makes SPOILERS Twice's death END SPOILERS so sad, because he was a pretty decent and likeable guy who was killed by someone he thought was his friend. It's understandable from Hawks's perspective but it's still failing Twice.

MHA is fundamentally a critique of superficial cultures and societies that would suppress their citizens' individualities in the name of equality.

DestinyDogma

Well, that´s a pity, you can see that Hori put a lot of effort in all the details they cut off. Things like Spinner´s showing empathy towards Shiggy after doubting him, Redestro´s joker-like commercial or the Sushi´s joke were all good parts of this arc, that sucks.

Also, the existence of that racist sect on the MHA´s universe was also an important part of wouldbuilding, something that MHA really needs.

akagami7

@pariston_hill:

And apparently they want 10. Because the movies return cash like crazy. The main problem is Bones trying to do a season and a movie in parallel production.

Same thing happened last season, but at least they didn't reorder arcs, slow the pacing, add filler and skip content so that the season builds up to the movie. The only reason MVA was crammed at the end of the season was to finish setting up the movie setting just in time for the theatrical release.

pariston_hill

Hero of Heroes
https://mangaplus.shueisha.co.jp/viewer/1009661

zeltrax225

One of the best chapters in the series

MDL

@Jabberwok:

We're SUPPOSED to sympathize with the LoV to a certain degree..

Yep, that's my point.
I have this weird nagging conspiracy theory at the back of my mind that some geezers in charge of the anime adaptation were like
"um, I don't think so. Don't let the kids see too much of that. Keep the villains villains in the eyes of the kids"

Like the people in charge want to defy the original intent.

EDIT: Also, yes. Uraraka ftw! Really glad she called out the selfish logic of the crowd.
You want him to stay away for YOUR protection? He's got himself fucked up by doing exactly that.
At this point demanding him to stay away for longer is pure selfish prickery, and it deserves to be called out.

puffing.cinema

Really good chapter, Hori-kun has been delivering these few past chapters.

The framing seems to indicate that Uraraka is the one that would be the perfect hero lol. I’d love that twist for her

Nectar

I really want to see Nezu's backstory.

maxterdexter

Ya know, if her power evolves the same way that shiggy did and allows her to float things that she isn’t directly touching, she could float shiggy and at least stop one desintegration blast.