Ani-Me #41: The Hawkish Highs of MY HERO ACADEMIA (Ep. 1-25) (Patreon)

Surprise! I’ve been watching My Hero Academia!!! Which is to say I’ve been quietly engaging with both this show and a number of other Battle Shonen since my last forays into the genre (FullMetal Alchemist, Kill La Kill, etc). And I’ve been doing this quietly for a simple reason…

I don’t know if it’s my thing?

And whenever I put these big shows into the voting polls I feel pretty duty bound to deliver on what you’ve asked, but then I’ll sometimes hit certain walls with it. So I figured with the next bunch of battle shows I would just wade in and see what I liked (and hey, wouldn’t it be a nice surprise if one of them worked out). But why have I had a problem with Battle Shonen so far? At first I thought I was just really getting tripped up on a lot of the pacing issues, the constant retroactive explanations, or even the emphasis of withdrawn hyper-masculine ideals (and to be clear, I was). But I’ve realized it’s actually not actually some big trope thing. To wit, I thought I would just eat up a lot of Shojo by comparison, but I ran into similar core issues with a lot of them, too. Which has all led me to slap my forehead with such an obvious bit of self-understanding I should have known since the beginning. Because with my general taste I don’t have genres I like or dislike. Like, at all. So why would that suddenly apply to anime? No, the simple and obvious fact that I like ANY kind of show…

That understands how to write a dramatic construct.

That really is just it. No matter what genre, or how subtle or overblown or silly or thematically resonant it is trying to be, it’s always that crux: can the show ground me in character A wants X / character B wants Y - and then find the way to make me emote over the way those clashes lead to consequence / plot / catharsis.  And it’s one of those mechanical writing things that I’ve come to see with more and more clarity with each and every story I watch. You learn to spot the shows that can do and those that can’t instantly. For instance, I gave a quick try to this season's rom com anime Skip and Loafer, which is filled with genuinely nice sentiment, embarrassing funny moments, and lots of warm characterization, which is all nice! But when you zoom into the dramatic construct of every single scene there is, like, nothing going on. Forget consequences leading to more scenes, there is no leaning into what characters are wanting and feeling in a given moment, you have to wait until they tell you afterwards. Which means there’s nothing actually being played at the moment. It’s just demonstration. Which means there’s nothing for you to lean into with anticipation as a viewer. And I swear on everything I have, as nice as some demonstration can feel, as nice as it is to sit back and let things happen, the thing that genuinely makes us connect with stories is the ability to lean into a given moment. This is the heart of the dramatic construct.

And with Battle Shonen, specifically? It’s often so easy to get lost in the bells and whistles of the action or the fake outs, but really it depends on the following questions: what is this all grounded in? What’s at stake for the character BEYOND the result of a win or loss? What are they really fighting for? And ultimately, what does it MEAN? And let me tell you that I’m kind of shocked…

Because My Hero Academia does all that pretty darn well?

* * *

Someone was recently asking me what my favorite Battle Shonen was and it was hard to answer them in the way I think they were asking. Like, Food Wars and Haikyuu! are both about “battles” and perfect examples of dramatic constructions, but they’re both grounded in sporting competitions. Meanwhile, Neon Genesis Evangelion remains my absolute favorite anime that I’ve seen, but it’s technically this big Kaiju show. Moreover, it’s after something so much more internal, metaphysical, and ultimately abstract. Which is not to say I think it “elevates” the genre or some shit. In fact, I think it speaks to the deepest things that go on below the surface of “battle” itself. It’s about the existential horrors of violence and erosion of selfhood in an ugly world. The same goes for how Chainsaw Man handles similar subjects of demon-hood. But at their core, they’re de-powering fantasies in a way that really strikes me as both deeply important and pretty contrary to the fun and games appeal that the genre has for most kids. As I understand it, the heroes that popularized a lot of battle shonen and made up a lot of your childhoods are after something a bit more empowering (though I hear that Dragonball Z, Naruto, etc. have their surprising moments of pathos, this is just about the deeper modus operandi).

However, My Hero Academia really feels like the more traditional and pulpy effort that I’ve been looking to glom onto. It’s kind of like X-Men, but much more about the ubiquity of a world full “quirks” (read: mutations) and thus more about looking to stand out in for “the trials of student life.” I’ll be honest, at first, I wasn’t sure about the animation style. And it was starting to display the common problems of delayed pacing, retro active explanations, and also espousing withdrawn hyper-masculine ideals. But even though it was, at times, achingly simple, it also knew exactly what it wanted. Every early dramatic construct was drawn with perfect clarity. Sure, most of the time there’s this kind of two dimensional character interactions, but they always worked. And then when the show went on, and those constructs actually tap into something complex? Then you can see the way the show sometimes soars right into something the kinds of moments that feel transcendent (I mean, there was a reason I was told to get to episode 25 was to finish the tournament arc, which really seems to highlight the best of what the show can be). But everything about Deku’s origin, training, and integration works as a rock solid foundation. And it even digs into the essence of an important thematic question:

What is a gift?

You always hear that expression with certain kids, that they’re gifted! Or they’ve been given a gift! It’s this idea that they’ve inherited some intrinsic power or ability that they must make great use of. But the thing is, psychologically speaking, they don’t understand the nature of the gift. For many of them, it’s something they’re born with or develop super early in a way that they’re not really cognizant of its creation. Thus, it feels like normalcy. Which means it also feels like something that they can’t see from the outside, along with it being something that feels like it is inherently THEIRS. It could be a good athletic frame, or height, or, hey, especially wealth itself. But to them the gifts don’t feel like gifts. They feel like a given existence. And they must progress along the path of what they have already been. But what I like about My Hero Academia is that, for all the fun and games, it understands this fundamental ugliness. In a world where 80% of people have quirks, there is a relentless normalcy of it, perhaps highlighting the pain of what happens when you’re “outside” of it all together.

To be clear, Deku is, for the first 25 episodes at least, not that complex a character. He starts as a quirkless sad boy who desperately wants to be a hero. There is basically little else going on. And yet, it’s a genuine thing. And the way this combines with work ethic and how he’s always writing in his notebook / studying, etc is the kind of extension that actually breathes life into the simple goal. Which is not to say that having a chip on your shoulder is inherently a good thing. Often such chips can be used to stoke a lot of crappy beliefs about the world itself. But the moment he dives into danger (for his bully nonetheless) speaks to something that actually manages to tap into some of the simple, but genuine meanings behind heroism itself (the “feet moving” line especially). And ultimately, the secret is that All Might is not some grand Superhero from another planet. He is a quirkless man who was given a gift. And here, he can transfer his power in turn. And Deku is a deserving soul. For all his simplicity, the main mechanic of what Deku does his power is not about “getting” bad buys or whatever. It’s actually getting people to understand the value of that which they have been given. And it pays off in some big ways we’ll get to later. But it’s really important to see how much this works as the dramatic operandi of the entire show… Which means, of course, it’s not just about him...

* * *

Instead of some big analysis, let’s go through the slew of supporting characters!

All Might - Sort of talked about him enough in the section above, but I’m curious. Is the rabbit ears a thing that has some specific cultural significance? Just feel like I’m missing something, but the relationship between him and Deku is, like, really, really good. Also, did they dramatically cut down on how many hours All-Might can be active too soon? I mean, I feel like he spends way too much of his hero time at pep rallies, but hey, that’s where the story needs him.

Uraraka AKA Anti-Gravity Girl - There's a moment early on where Deku only identifies her as “nice person!” and as much as they start tapping into a few things later on with her, that sort of sums up Uraraka’s early run on the show. She’s nice to Deku! So, like, you know… that’s the only thing that should make her note worthy and deserving of our affection! Yeah yeah, there’s some beats where we see her pluck and work ethic I guess, but overall it’s like she reflects the AGGRESSIVE hetero-normativity (along with the Madonna / whore complex) of the show’s general ethos. But the end of the run does give some promise! I particularly love her amazing beat of her almost beating Bakugo with a feint of keeping all the rocks in the air while he’s not looking. Moreover, we finally get some motivational backstory with her home life. Granted, it’s literally telling us “daddy issues” in the most explicit terms possible, but hey it’s at least… something? I genuinely hope more good comes of all this.

Bakugo AKA Boom Boy - Well, hey, it’s apparently everybody’s favorite problematic angry boy? I’ve been told he’s kind of a fan favorite and I’m like, “has this guy NOT yelled a single line of dialogue so far?” I get that there’s “bad boy with an edge” but this is cartoonishly veering into “clearly unhinged psychopath who keeps threatening to literally kill people.” I dunno, maybe that’s the appeal then? Either way, I knew too many rage-only Bakugo types so I just can’t with this dude. Granted, I’m also sure it’s all going somewhere, but it will wholly depend on the WHERE for me to get anything out of this set-up with him.

Ida AKA Leg Engine Speedy Boy - So I like this super stern fuddy duddy boy scout because he genuinely does seem to care about integrity and not just appearance. But boy howdy, I DO NOT like the holes in his calves. It seriously triggers trypophobia (do not google) and I’ll be honest but there’s a bunch of other garish designs in this show that trigger a weird feeling in my gut that I can’t quite explain otherwise. But I like his character and it's fine when he wears the hero outfit so that helps.

Tokoyami AKA Dark Shadow - This moody bird boy is cool as hell. I like him a lot… That’s kinda all I got on him right now, but sometimes that’s enough.

Tsuyu AKA Frog Girl - If you put a character who constantly has their tongue out as they’re being silly I will like them. It’s just SCIENCE. But more importantly I feel like she gets a few nice beats in the first 25 episodes and I hope there’s more.

Yuga Laser Belly Button Boy - Hmmmmmm. Okay, I will put this simply: I do not know how much this character is a worthy addition to the LGBTQ cause and landscape because (insert wide eyed UH OH emoji). Oof.

Momo Creation Girl - I mostly have 9 billion questions. What can’t she create exactly? Like, you could take this down the road of a million logical (and deeply ethical) questions and I just, like, dont even know where to start… I like her hair though so I guess I’ll star there..

Brainwashing Boy - Okay, this random guy seems kinda OP’d!?!?!! Seriously, like… Have they seen that season of Jessica Jones or no???? Cause this guy could get up to serious no good.

Eraser Head - Homeroom Teach is my surly Trent Reznor daddy. I love him.

Cementoss - But I LOVE HIM MORE. Just an incredible bit of odd design. Plus, the gag where we keep seeing him fix the battle arena is hilarious.

Principal Polar Bear - NO, I LOVE HIM MOST. Will he drink cocoa with me as we do crosswords together? PLEASE???? I’ll ask ever so nicely.

Midnight The R-Rated Hero - Another Hmmmmmmm, but I think this highlights the importance of tongue in cheek characterization and also giving characters like this more to do. But there is still something inherently funny about the “r-rated” verbiage in her name and putting it in this totally pg-13 show. There are so many genuinely fun things they could do here, but naturally, I fear the character will end up punished for their sexuality because of course that would happen in a show like this. But then… there are some characters however, that are not just “one of those things” and well, let’s just get to it…

Mineta AKA Fuck You, Viewer - I almost ended this column with the following comment, but it’s just too dark and flippant a note to end on. But I mean it sincerely when I say “this entire show would be worth nope-ing out of existence AND never existing just so that the character of Mineta was never brought into the world.” Like this is COMIC RELIEF?!?!? I know people frequently make the joke “is japan okay???” when it comes to some horny anime characters, but if this is supposed to be some sort of comedic baseline goof then… I don’t know what to say. I seriously cannot remember the last time I have seen such a fucking gross, horrible thing get passed along like this in an otherwise not-nearly-as bad show. To the point that it makes me cast aspersions on this entire show and any good intention it has. Like even fuck this entire column if this guy is “a goof” to be pushed aside. I know it’s so easy to go “yeah, yeah, yeah” and pass things along like this, but it’s time for a “no, no, no.” I mean, who even likes this? Every single second he says ANYTHING requires such immense cognitive dissonance that I swear to gosh that this show’s existence might be a net negative. I mean that… It’s just… Good granola… Anyway, on the exact opposite end of the spectrum…

Let’s talk about a character of incredible substance.

Todoroki AKA Icy / Hot - So this is when the show hits its undeniable high. I mean, did I suddenly expect a random tough boy character to become the most interesting thing about the show? Did I expect his fire and ice power set to turn out to be the most loaded possible thematic issue to explore? No, no I did not. But please understand, it’s not just the fact that the show is suddenly taking on “serious subject matter.” There’s plenty of shows that bat around these kinds of serious issues in a way that feels wholly usury, or they do them in a fumbling, uncaring manner. But here in My Hero Academia of all things, it’s not that it’s a completely laser-focused take, but they really do kind of get it? Or at least, they get the complicated feelings of having to live with it?

To be clear, they are poking at HUGE trauma. Todoroki has an abusive fire dad who is the big number two “hero” in this world - and will fight for more standing at any cost. To wit, he literally set his sights on Todoroki’s mom and her contrary powers in an arranged marriage. It’s all to “be number 1 and surpass all-might” of course, but it touches the third rail of every horrible eugenics thought running through your head. And does so knowingly. We then see the way Todoroki’s mother is a respite and source of love for him, which is why he hates the way she suffers under dad’s abuse. But the way it ends up going is all the more complex. Because she’s terrified of what she sees in him (which is largely literal and not his actual behavior). She fears his very existence perpetuating a cycle. Which makes the abusive moment from her in turn (the burning of his face) feel all the more of a betrayal. For Todoroki, it’s all understandably conflated for him. He resents them both so completely in different ways. And now he’s stuck in this place where he will only use her power set and never the flame (because the flame represents the pattern of such abuse). In short, it’s kind of a lot to wrestle with.

And Deku is there to help him.

Look, let’s be clear: no one should be addressing these kinds of things aggressively like this, but it’s an ACTION show which means it’s you (hopefully) turn all the aggression and fighting itself into a kind of metaphor. As much as Deku is trying to bring the “fire” out of him in a pretty combative way, he’s clearly not doing so in malice, nor so that Todoroki can wreak further havoc. He’s doing it so that Todoroki can find his passion and even consecrate these traumas of the two sides of himself. He tells him “it’s your power, too” and that “you don’t have to be a prisoner of your blood,” something he learned in his own quirkless way. It’s understanding that our parents give us gifts and curses in equal measure, ones which often overlap and we have to sort it out in our own complex way. Upon finally unleashing the flame, he’s met by his happy abusive dad afterward, but Todoroki immediately strikes it down using the greatest possible verbiage to this story (and the moment I knew they landed the characterization / theme). Todoroki says “I forgot about you.” Because that’s the real release of freedom from a cycle. And it’s the start of him being his own person. But what I love is that even when the flame does come out, it’s not over and done with. Because beating Deku causes Todoroki to sink even further afterwards. He has deeper work to do before he can tap in again. He even tells us “this is my starting line” and the scene of him going to his mother at the end of this to restart the relationship and healing? It’s such a radically mature and thoughtful conclusion to a storyline I never expected to get anywhere close to this.

It all represents the exact kind of complex conflict I love to see shows that are supposedly about “fighting.” It characterizes the way that battles are so rarely about the wins and loses. No, they’re often about the way you can win and lose at the same time. And I love the way that even Deku wrestles with the aftermath. Should he have gotten involved? After all, it’s a lot to poke and prod at people’s inner lives, but as All Might says, “meddling when you don’t need to is the essence of a hero.” And it was born from a place of empathy. So when Deku wanted to stand tall atop the podium to make All-Might proud, it showed once again that it was Deku’s caring, consideration, and connection that actually did the one bit of real tangible good that was achieved in all the “games” that were offered… Put it all together and it’s an incredibly meaningful piece of storytelling.

And, whether it’s true or not, I hear the show never quite hits the same high? Or perhaps I should say depth? That it gets stuck in some operatics and repetitions and delays and such? Whatever it is, I’m okay with that. And I’ll listen to your general advice on how far to go with this one, but for right now I’m just struck by the things that My Hero Academia does so well, even if there’s often this high / low dichotomy surrounding them. For instance, there will be this near constant objectification from certain characters and yet the second season end credits song features all the female characters sharing joys and kinship in such a heartfelt earnest way - but it’s still one that I wish showed up more in the actual show. And there’s something equally concerning about the hawkish battling that permeates everything. For it seems that everyone’s ready to throw down at a moment's notice, always fighting through it all with barely a second thought. But it is in every one of those second thoughts where the show finds these grand moments of depth, all brought to life with the kind of functional dramatic constructs I wish I saw more of in shows like it. I must say that I went into My Hero Academia with my guard up…

But I’m weirdly thankful I found it.

<3HULK