Shoji is the MVP this week in My Hero Academia

Since the beginning of my hero academiaThe existence of heteromorphs has been a widely accepted norm, however, the oppression they face has often been greatly underplayed in the plot. At least that was The case until more recent seasons, and as if to make up for lost time, this week’s episode was an emotional and fascinating examination of how this difficult situation has gone unnoticed.

Throughout the season, the heroes have pledged themselves to All for One. and his forces in a fierce battle of attrition after using a copy of Kurogiri’s warp ability to split up villains across Japan. Meanwhile, a group of heteromorphs led by Spinner are fighting to free the imprisoned Kurogiri from Central Hospital, where his fellow heteromorphs Shoji and Koda are waiting to stop them.

Facing the truth about being heteromorphic

Since season 2, my hero academiaHis narrative has been about exposing the flaws of his society and using them to challenge the idea of ​​being a hero in such a broken world. None of this is new, and yet, after seeing how this episode tackled heteromorph oppression and the longing for justice it generated, it’s like this show has barely scratched the surface so far. And while that’s not true, the feeling itself speaks to how powerful the execution was here.

This is not just a fight between the police, who represent the support of today’s society, and the heteromorphs, who represent how that society has failed more significantly in the most basic ways. It is about the fight between Shoji and Spinner, two heteromorphs on opposite sides of a war that will not only affect their marginalized group but also the destiny of Japan and the world.

Why does Shoji fight for those who fear him?

As the episode begins, it wastes no time showing the worst of humanity as rocks are thrown through the windows of a heteromorph’s rural house on a gloomy, rainy day. The way it’s directed, any viewer who didn’t know might have thought this flashback was about Spinner, but it’s not. As we learn not even halfway through the episode, it’s Shoji’s backstory. He understands more than anyone what it means to be a heteromorph in this world.

But the ominous shot of Spinner’s face before the opening theme hits isn’t just misdirection. It represents that Shoji could have easily become like him if things were a little different. Through Shoji’s painful memories, my hero academia He reflects on how someone with so many reasons to harbor hatred for the world would dedicate his life to serving as a hero within it. The response is not particularly original, but it is expressed with seriousness and a lot of emotion.

After saving someone’s life when he was young, Shoji decided that the joy he received from helping people far outweighed any satisfaction he could receive from seeking revenge. Just as thinking about that event saved him from the pain of all the other memories of it, he wants to be a hero who can give the children of tomorrow many more pleasant memories. Therefore, he hopes that the next generation can combat hate even more.

Spinner’s Tragic Armament

If Shoji’s story was a triumph, Spinner’s was a tragedy. He has always been a fascinating character because he exists as an imitation of an icon. He was inspired by Stain, inspired to fight a broken world, only to become an icon to other heteromorphs. But instead of standing as the leader of a movement, his transformation sees him stripped of his individuality and turned into an outsized puppet serving the ambitions of All for One.

It greatly increases the tension of the fight between him and Shoji because it’s no longer just about stopping Spinner. It’s about how much of him will be left, regardless of whether the rioters emerge victorious or not. The anonymous spider-type heteromorph preaching from the rooftop is a great villain because of how he twists Spinner’s few coherent words to rile up the crowd. He’s painful because, like many of the league’s best villains, Spinner isn’t entirely unlikable and now he, too, needs saving.

Why this episode works so well

There’s a big reason why focusing on the plight of heteromorphs is so effective now instead of before, and it is talked about in this same episode. As viewers, we have seen this society, both good and bad, primarily through the lens of the setting; a densely populated and diverse city. The progress that has been made to be more progressive and accepting of heteromorphs is clear to see. They occupy key positions of power in schools and government institutions throughout the entire series.

And the interesting thing is that most anime viewers probably never thought of it as “progress”, but simply the norm. Only after the characters, through whose young eyes we follow this story, do we learn that the world is not as peaceful as it seems. Outside of big cities, life remains dangerous for heteromorphs, and aggressions against them, whether micro or macro, have only accumulated until violence is inevitable.

Koda’s Time to Shine (Literally)

Shoji stole the show this week, but it would be a crime not to acknowledge how amazing Koda was. The flashback of his mother telling him to get angry “when people laugh at someone important to you” and him being an adult who could “get angry properly” was the icing on the cake. He delivers such a wholesome message about standing up for others and cuts through the cynicism of the story through the sheer force of Koda’s lovable positivity, complete with a sick transformation.

Last week’s long-awaited fight was great, but as cool as Deku is and as exciting as the conflict against All for One can be, episodes like this will never stop being so. my hero academiaIt’s the best. When this series began, the number of characters in Class 1-A was almost overwhelming, but years later, the series has rarely managed to make each of them a great character. With any luck, he’ll do it again many times before the anime ends.