On the other hand, MHA / BnHA tries its best to employ other character’s quirks to solve a problem, overcome an obstacle, or assist in an operation so it’s not only the main character who is the sole savior of the day.
Disclaimer: This post contains spoilers for both the manga and anime versions of MHA / BnHA. Featured image is from Hip2Save.
Welcome back guys to Part 6 of our series: 14 Reasons Why Fans Love My Hero Academia (MHA) / Boku No Hero Academia (BnHA).
Here’s a recap of everything, the first 8 reasons:
- Shounen Trope Killer
- Inspirational Quotes
- Motivational Moments
- Epic Soundtrack/Music
- Multi-Dimensional & Simultaneously Developing Villains
- Rising Stakes as the Series Progresses
- Comedy
- Characters & Relationships
You can click on each reason to go to their respective post.
In this post, we’ll cover Reasons #9 to #12 and this will be the second-to-last post of this series of posts.
Let’s dive right in!
9) No Insane Power Boosts
Image from Tenor
Shounen series such as Fairytail, One Piece, Naruto, and Dragon Ball Z are incredibly imaginative when it comes to their cast of characters all wielding various kinds of unique powers. However, these characters sometimes get an insane and unrealistic power boost that oftentimes makes the story lose its credibility and reasonableness factor even if it feels amazingly cathartic and cool.
Image from Tenor
In MHA / BnHA, there is a delicate and beautiful balance between powerful advantages and understandable setbacks for each quirk (the superpower a character wields in MHA/BnHA). A few notable examples are Denki Kaminari having his brain fried when he uses his Indiscriminate Discharge/Electrification move; Katsuki Bakugou who creates explosion from mixing nitroglycerin with his sweat which means he does not do well battling in the cold; Yuga Aoyama who can shoot lasers from his navel, but for only a short amount of time before becoming ill. In addition, Ochaco Uraraka can touch any object and make it float into the air (zero gravity), but only at a limited weight and time or else she becomes nauseas. Furthermore, Shota Aizawa can cancel other people’s quirks, but only by staring at them, so his eyes does go dry often.
Even the bad guys have a trade off to their powers as well with Kai Chisaki (a.k.a. Overhaul) having to cover his hands in gloves or risk accidentally restructing/reassembling people. Dabi is another villain who can produce large amounts of hot, blue flames; regardless, his body can utilize them for long and is also susceptible to the flames’ damage. Finally, Tomura Shigaraki, the powerful leader of the League of Villains, has the quirk of decay. This ability allows him to disintegrate any thing that he touches, but is only successful when all five fingers are employed.
Image from Giphy
NOTE: Shigaraki undergoes a Quirk Awakening in the manga that evolves his power.
***Spoilers (!)***: he can now use two fingers to destroy anything he touches, although at a slower pace.
10) Cool Powers & Costume Designs
Some of the powers are extremely well thought out and incredibly cool and creative in the MHA/BnHA universe. For instance, Katsuki Bakugou has the ability to fly with the explosions produced from his hands; Tsuyu Asui has all of the qualities of a frog; and Mirio Togata being able to move through objects via his Permeation quirk.
Image from Gfycat
The costume designs are also fantastic! Again, Katsuki Bakugou‘s is one of creator Kohei Horikoshi‘s favorite. The hero gear also smartly matches the personalities of the characters, as well. For example, Shoto Todoroki is a simple, not-so-glamorous kind of guy; therefore, his suit is just a device on his back that helps him monitor the two contrasting temperatures of the two halves of his quirk over a plain blue jump suit. Momo Yaoyorozu‘s suit is aesthetically awesome while also maximizing the amount of skin on display to help her Creation quirk.
Here’s a look of Episode 6 when Class 1A gets to first don on their hero gear before the Battle Trials Arc.
Image from the Boku No Hero Academia Fandom page
Here’s a look at each individual Class 1A student’s costume designs from multiple angles.
Image from Reddit
11) No Over-Dramatic Sob Stories
Image from Wattpad
As the audience, we love to cheer for the underdog or for characters who we connect with on a personal level. Sad back stories are a great way to pull at our heart strings and sometimes help motivate us to root for a character even more passionately. However, some creators can overdo the sob stories to the point where it just becomes almost ridiculous, stupid, and disingenuous. One example is Naruto where it appears that every character has a horrible sad story.
Sakura, I have a big forehead, too.
In MHA / BnHA, while there are, of course, some sad background stories such as Midoriya not having a quirk in the beginning and wanting to be a hero; Todoroki being distant from his mom who poured scalding water on his face; and Eijirou Kirishima who has low self-esteem, not every character has a horrible life tainted with sadness, bullying, and abuse. Momo Yaoyorozu lives a good, rich girl life while Kyoka Jirou connects with her musically attuned father really well.
This balance of sad and good histories for Horikoshi’s cast of characters allows him to write a relatable and most importantly, realistic story and world that is more believable rather than one where everyone has a boo-hoo story.
12) No Chosen One Syndrome
Image from Pinterest
The main character is the only one capable of saving the world.
While that is probably the reason why the main character is the main person we’re following for a story, it should not be the only attribute that makes him/her the focus of the story.
For instance, while yes, the Harry Potter series is about Harry and how he defeats Voldemort because of (*spoiler*) his mother’s unique, unconditional, unselfish love–something that makes him unique over the other characters, this plot device is used so often, it’s overdone and boring. For Naruto to be the only one who possesses Sage Jutsu/Mode to pass his NineTail’s protection to everyone–one has to mentally rub their head several times to accept the credibility of that. Look, Naruto is already the Child of Prophecy. Now, he is the ONLY one who can be that useful in the final battle against a reincarnated Madara? Get out of here.
On the other hand, MHA / BnHA tries its best to employ other character’s quirks to solve a problem, overcome an obstacle, or assist in an operation so it’s not only the main character who is the sole savior of the day. For instance, while Midoriya and his friends are trying to save Bakugou from being kidnapped by the League of Villains Vanguard Action Squad in the forest of the Summer Training Camp, Ochaco Uraraka made the boys all light enough for Tsuyu Asui to toss them after the villains with just her tongue.
We see other, more clear examples of this throughout the series. This is important because it doesn’t mean that other characters who are present with the main character in times of crises bow out of the spotlight just for the main character to have his moment. The supporting cast have a reason to be in the scene and they demonstrate it to the audience by their quirks and abilities in assisting the main character with his goals and aspirations.
Image from Eastern Minute
Moreover, Horikoshi displays WHY Midoriya is our main character or why All Might is the Number One Pro Hero by highlighting the flaws in other characters — not by just telling or showing us that these two characters are just special or are his favorites. Of course, Midoriya and All Might are extraordinary with their abilities to use supernatural human strength that has gotten stronger each time it has been inherited from one user to the next. However, as an audience, we can see why Bakugou is not the main character because following an arrogant, cranky student isn’t as motivational or inspiring, nor does it match the tone Horikoshi is going for if he’s trying to write an uplifting story about heroes saving the day and being gracious and kind to others.
Midoriya is that person. Especially when he narrates the story.
Imagine Bakugou narrating the series and trying to say something uplifting. We wouldn’t connect and Horikoshi’s overarching message would clash with the moral of his series and this particular character.
Furthermore, with All Might, we see why he’s the Number One Hero because he’s always so jolly and so ready to help others and not only save their lives, but cheer up their day. His grandiose smile and chuckle is what makes him charming and together, those qualities create this atmosphere of safety and peace of mind.
Horikoshi doesn’t stop there. He doesn’t just show fans All Might’s good features to display why he’s the Number One. Horikoshi also contrasts the gap between the Number One and the Number Two Pro-Heroes.
Endeavor is Number Two not because he isn’t as strong as All Might or that he hasn’t saved enough people or that he lacks ability or talent; it’s that his arrogance, demeanor, and presence doesn’t exactly bring comfort to those he saves.
Image from Tumblr
In Season 4, without spoiling the greatness and content of the conversation between the two Pro-Heroes, we get a glimpse into both their mindsets and what their different philosophies has ultimately resulted in. With the rise of each of their individual status as the Number One Hero, a different society has emerged from their unique reign.
Questions such as…
- What does it mean to be the Symbol of Peace?
- Why are we having an uprising of crime now that the Number One Hero has retired?
…need to be answered.
Anyway, let’s dive into the several examples of why MHA / BnHA does not have the Chosen One Syndrome.
Example One: Midoriya, as the protagonist, does not always save everyone. For example, during the Provisional Hero License Exam, Denki Kaminari was the one who saves Bakugou and Kirishima from the Shiketsu High School student, Seiju Shishikura.
Example Two: Yuga Aoyama is the one who helps the stragglers of Class 1A pass the first round of the Provisional Hero License Exam.
Example Three: Midoriya also does not lecture everyone like a certain famous Shounen character always does. He’s not the only one learning the important life lessons and then passing it on to the other characters. The other supporting cast are obviously influenced by him, but they learn their own lessons and pass it on, too.
A great instance demonstrating this is when Todoroki is the one asking Tenya Iida what kind of hero he wants to be when Iida is ashamed of himself for not living up to his brother’s legacy. This happens while Todoroki and Midoriya are fighting off Stein/Stain, the Hero Killer. Todoroki was influenced though by Midoriya who had told him that his quirk is his alone, even if it was inherited from his despicable father. However, Todoroki is the character talking sense to Iida, NOT Midoriya.
Image from Boku No Hero Academia Fandom
All the other characters have moments to also lift each other up, not just the protagonist. For Kyoka Jirou and Koji Koda‘s Final Exam, Midoriya had no influence over their eventual success against Present Mic. Moreover, in the anime (only), for the Provisional Hero License Exam, Tsuyu Asui, Kyoka Jirou, and Mezo Shoji returned to help Momo Yaoyorozu after she selflessly sacrificed herself for them all to safely escape, not because of Midoriya, but because Class 1A all love and support each other as a class.
In Season 4, ***SPOILERS:*** Bakugou inspires Kirishima when he is off on his work studies with Fatgum fighting the blade villain (when he had his Quirk Awakening Unbreakable moment; see video below). While Kirishima is battling that thug guy, wondering if he is special and going to be a good Pro-Hero one day, a flashback of his conversation with Bakugou over a game of cards with Hanta Sero and Kirishima shows BAKUGOU — out of all people — giving a few encouraging words to Kirishima to motivate him to unlock his potential: the Unbreakable power move. So moving and adorable!
Video from YouTube
That wraps up part 6 of 14 Reasons Why Fans Love My Hero Academia (MHA) / Boku No Hero Academia (BnHA). The last and final part — part 7 is now out! If you have not read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, or Part 5, click on the links to keep up-to-date with this series. Thank you guys for reading and keeping up with this! I appreciate your time and dedication to my work. As always, happy reading! 🙂