Something that not many people notice is that the permanent injury Midoriya sustains to his hand actually affects his handwriting. When he's presenting his hero name to the rest of his class you can see how his writing is really messy, which contrasts the neatly written notes in his "hero diary".
One of the things I immediately noticed about the series was that the permanent injuries the older characters have, or receive, tend to effectively shorten their careers. Deku is inheriting All Might's power because EVEN WITH THAT POWER he was injured so badly being a hero that his career is ending earlier than it might. Eraser Head's injury explicitly weakens him as a hero, permanently. Ingenium's injury is career ending. Even Deku already has an injury which will, in a small way, permanently impair him as a hero. The show emphasizes, without ever saying explicitly, that heroes are something that the world USES UP. Being a hero means that even if you don't actually die, you will, almost inevitably, use up your body and your health until you are broken and unable to continue. And that's just such an integral part of the world that nobody really comments on it, they just accept it. Deku knows, on at least some level, that his life's wish to become the Symbol of Peace, will, eventually, destroy him. Its just how things are.
That is one of the things I love most about this series. Especially given how the author handles Izuku's mother. The portrayal of her raw emotion at knowing her child's dream has been crushed. Despite that she still never tried to dissuade him from his dream despite the rest of the world doing so. Her guilt over not believing in him more and how they grew closer because of it with Izuku choosing to wear an outfit they made together instead of anything that could supplement his quirk. How its shown that its emotionally destroying her to support him in something that seems more and more likely will physically cripple if not kill him outright while at the same time being ashamed of her self wishing that his quirk never developed so he would live a safer life. It makes her character all the more compelling considering how parents are often portrayed in Shonen. She isn't regulated to a background object, she isn't purely comic relief, she isn't secretly or openly OP, and she isn't absent. She is just a normal caring mother with actual plot relevance.
And then comes the Endeavor arc we'll get in season 5. I won't talk about it because spoilers for the anime-only but there's again some heavy symbolism in this arc.
what I also love about this motive is that scars and wounds don't magically dissapear after the battles are done like in most shonen. they stay there, heal very slowly and have truly lasting consequences. furthermore the anime doesn't praise recklessness, it condemns it. absolute self sacrifice is not a noble thing in hero aca. but being selfless and working together with others for the greater good is. it presents a good balance between morality, the importane of a community and self care in other words. it tells you that you can't keep fighting if you exhaust yourself pointlessly.
I'm actually a burn victim with some very severe scarring on my legs, and it is something that I have to think about and consider constantly. So rarely do people ever actually discuss the roles of scars in media, and even more rarely do they do so in a respectful and intelligent way. I really appreciated this video. Thank you.
I've gone through parental abuse and it's still a mess in my head to some degree, even after I've learned what Todoroki did and had some years of processing what it means to move on. Legit choked up during that section. Great video as always!
That's probably because of the slower pacing the author decided to take. It also doesn't help that we have to wait weekly for only 20 pages. This arc would be perfect for the anime. EDIT: recent chapters have been amazing and some of the best in the series imo.
Watching this made me realize that Deku's powered up form with all the red marks across his body kind of look like scars. Especially the red X on his forehead. I wonder if its more then just a cool power up animation and is actually intentional symbolism for the future scars he will acquire on his journey to becoming the greatest hero.
Speaking about thumbnails, you should put something like your avatar on the side or somewhere so we know It's one of your videos, because only a screenshot of a scene and the like just makes it less unique and I often find out it was yours days later, and me here thinking where the fuck are your videos and there's like 3 new ones that I ignored in my feed all along I love your videos man!
I dont get it how can you come off as a classic literature/art kinda guy when you are praising this cliche story in which MC is probably the most boring character of the show. I dont get why people like an anime with such a horribly boring MC. He has no special features whatsoever. Guy is blank. He has nothing really and he wouldnt have been anything had he not encountered almight. Its as if he needs help from the skies every time, he cant do it on his own and also, that power is probably the most boringh thing I have ever seen in a manga. Everyone can become strong if they train. he needed 100 chapters to figure out he could kick people instead of punching them and breaking his fists. Her is weak, he isnt smart, he doesnt have unique moral standing. This is 14 year old level show.
TIAN That’s the entire point? This show made me tear up episode one because they show you the brutal reality that not everyone can be a hero and not everyone can reach their dreams. Deku is essentially the embodiment of the normal person given a once in a lifetime chance to be unique and different, something that not everyone else gets to do.
It's so nice to have a show that doesn't use the scars trope in such a cliche way. Most leave it at, "These are the scars of my past. They remind me of the price I paid and of the inner demons that will never go away *insert dramatic rain here*" But Academia uses them as reminders that you can do anything if you set your mind to it, but not immediately. That we are not at fault for all of our pasts, but we don't have to continuously assume the role of victim. I think Iida, out of his idealized sense of duty, has artificially limited himself by refusing help and keeping a wound (rather than a scar) just to remind him of his past and in a self-defeating way. It would be interesting to do an analysis of Iida and Midori's senses of duty. Iida's is a classic but self-punishing way, and Midori's is in an empowering way. Midori does what he has to do because he wants to make himself strong enough to inherit One For All and give others the strength to overcome their own hurdles. His fight against Todoroki is the most evident of this; he didn't let Todoroki win by going easy on him, but rather strengthened him so that he could fight without the restraints that could make him fail. Iida's style is "Stand aside. Let me protect you," and "This is my mess; I will clean it up." To help people, he must take the brunt for them. I'm working through Jed A Blue's analysis of Madoka Magica, "The Very Soil". He compares the theme of help throughout the show. All of the characters choose the knight-going-after-the-dragon-plighting-the-kingdom style where they sacrifice their happiness, energy, and very selves for the sake of others' happiness. However, the way they do it dis-empowers the individual they are trying to help. Madoka is a passive character for the entire series in large part because every other character (except maybe Kyoko) helped her in a way where she could only sit around and watch (especially Homura.) Most didn't even ask the person they wanted to help what they wanted, and often paid handsomely for the wrong thing (which turns it into a tragic, one-sided Gift of the Magi situation.) Madoka's mother even tells her that sometimes we have to make mistakes for our friends so they don't have to make it themselves. It is when Madoka's mom helps her by *placing her trust in her* that Madoka finally unlocks her strength and becomes the strongest character in the show. The battle versus Stain is a clear juxtaposition of Iida and Deku's philosophies of helping friends/loved ones and their corresponding outcomes. Iida parallels Kyoko, who did not consult her father before making her wish and lost her father's happiness she made her wish for. Iida doesn't even ask his brother if he wants him to take revenge, and I doubt his brother would be very happy about the news. Deku puts his faith in Todoroki and works with him, giving him strength. The Japanese word for "I want to support you" is "anata no chikara ni naritai", which literally translates to "I want to become your strength". I love this phrasing - and the way we phrase things and what we call things is crucial to our understanding of it - because it reminds me of how my business mentor trains me; he often says to "borrow" his confidence, basically for his strength to become mine. He's not going to go out and do the work for me; that takes away my strength (although every day I wish he could do that so I could hide in my office and do something easy like make plans I never have to fulfill.) And also why I hate learning how to cook from my dad- he always just does everything for me and I learn nothing XD I think Iida's understanding of duty will eventually destroy him (I haven't read the manga, so I don't know for sure) and Deku's will be the reason he becomes the #1 hero. Especially now that he LIMITED HIS MOBILITY BECAUSE OF AN EMO PHASE >_> It may be my inner practicality speaking, but for a hero who has a daily habit of high-speed parkour to consciously limit his arm's mobility is like a violinist choosing to play with only four strings because of something he did to a close friend in the past. I think he needs to listen to "Here Comes a Thought" a few times and have a nice little reminder that the things he has done and his thoughts are not synonymous with him himself and that he is stronger to overcome his emotions than to consistently remind himself that he has them and punish himself for it. People who never forgive themselves are more likely to more harshly judge others, so he is walking closer along the hero-villain line. He needs to rework his expectations of himself and what a hero does and have a bowl of ice cream or something, and ask for forgiveness from his brother and his friends (and be willing to accept it!) I hope he follows the Tohru Honda doormat-to-dynamic story arc a little more closely than Sasuke's. Iida kept a wound, not a scar. And that wound will heal improperly, turning itself into an even bigger, deeper scar. Side thought- do you think Midoriya is a cross between green (midori) and victory in Latin (vitoria)?
Awesome video! I never noticed all of these symbols throughout the show. Though this is really really minor, Kirishima also has a prominent scar over his eye. He got it from when his quirk first manifested and he accidentally rubbed his eye. If you read the manga, you learn that he hated his quirk and did feel really insecure about it not being flashy or strong enough. But as he trained harder and harder, got better and better. I think the permanent scar shows that though you cannot change what quirk you are given, you can make the most out of it. Maybe I'm over thinking it.
Great video, PedRo. I feel like I could watch people talking about this show for hours, and your video is an entirely fresh discussion for me. Some of those scars are the effects of some battle, which besides the thematic importance you talked about, also reminds us that every victory has a price.
This a really cool take on this series man! I never thought too deeply about this stuff even if I noticed them, especially Deku's. It also makes me think of the scars I've acquired from my surgery that I always try to hide, and you've changed my perspective on it. I'll wear them proudly now. Fuck yeah, you're the man dude.
Excellent, video, man. Easily, one of your best. One thing that I really do appreciate in MHA(anime and the manga) is how the idea of scars isn't just a thematic message of representing a hardship of a character, but also their failings and mortality. I love Shonen action series, but I acknowledge that the genre can be flawed in that it a lot of shows rarely focus on mortality and consequences. It revels in its style and the fights as well as characterization which isn't bad, but I argue is a missed opportunity. And yes, we got the AOTs out there that blur the line with Seinen, but really even then it snaps back to its roots whenever the main characters are involved in any major loss. But for MHA, these scars clearly are used to great effect as they are consequences of actions. Deku wanting to be a hero; Todoroki and his family/ desire to separate, Ilda's vengeance, All Might's commitment to peace. They are there to remind us that these characters aren't gods. That while they aspire to their goals, failure and consequences are a thing. And they can in turn just make their goals a lot harder to achieve. And MHA gets this because it respects the fact that as extraordinary as these people are, they like us can fall short and in turn must go through life with those consequences in mind.
Oh boy, this was an interesting topic and I'm glad you covered it. That said, there's some other scars worth mentioning, minor manga spoilers so beware. The scars you mention are such a prevalent part of the series that the more you think about it the longer the list gets. We've got the little scar that Kirishima gave himself when he first discovered his quirk, and the importance of how it ties in with his self consciousness and disdain towards a quirk he doesn't find very remarkable. Then there's Twice and the scar on his forehead that he tries to keep under wraps because it triggers his split personality disorder and makes him a more unstable person. Also there's whatever the hell is up with Dabi. I'm personally on board with the theory that it has something to do with Endeavor.
[MANGA SPOILERS] Kirishima also has a scar over his right eye. He made it to himself when he first discovered his quirk. Yet, his backstory revolves around courage, fear, and never backing down from a fight. What does any of that have to do with his scar?
Mierda-kun His scar doesn't represent anything because he didn't' get it from a fight or anything like that. He got it because he woke up in the middle of the night needing to pee and then was rubbing his eyes because he was tired. It doesn't represent anything.
it represents his hatred of himself and his own quirk. notice how he always says it isn't flashy enough and how he's always criticizing himself. hell in that chapter he says how he always hated his quirk as a child
I can almost never relate to analysis videos because the shows that are worthy of analysis aren't always my favourite genres. Don't get me wrong I can appreciate shows like "Sangatsu no lion," or "A silent voice," but I would prefer to watch two guys punching each other or a light hearted comedy. Even though those types of shows don't usually have a lot of heavy themes to talk about, meaning they are not talked about. That's why I love it when a show with a premise I love (My Hero Academia), has interesting themes. While almost every season you will get some type of romantic drama or tragedy anime that are essentially overflowing wells of discussion, you barely see any battle anime or comedy with that much depth, unless I am mistaken. This was pretty much just an unnecessarily long-winded way of saying: good video, pls do moar like dis.
ThePedanticRomantic Amen to that! I just hope good Shonen type shows don't stop here. I have heard some good shit about Dr. Stone, fingers crossed for an adaptation in future.
It represents how MHA is changing the game when it comes to Shonen battle series. It is a series that on the surface comes off as a generic(and I do not mean to insult Shonen battle series, they are fun. But most follow a template), but really has a lot of depth and nuance to it. And I really credit Horikoshi for that because, in many ways, the willingness to give that added depth of themes and motifs and how they add to the characterization and the world is refreshing. It very much reminds me of FMA(my favorite anime. Both series) in that willingness. Obviously, both are very different and I'd be stupid to say that they are similar. But really, I am happy that this series has gotten such a phenomenal adaptation. Because, out of all the big Shonen series, outside OP, this series I argue should be the one to bring in new anime fans and be the "Next" Naruto in terms of western appeal. Though, I argue we will never have a "Next" Naruto because the way in which we consume anime and the paradigm shifts of what consumers want of anime has changed. But that is okay.
Watch Hunter x Hunter if you haven't already! It's a shounen anime with so much subversion and deep psychology and ideology and almost all of the discussions on it are very interesting!
@Collins Ongaya indeed, you are correct lol. Youll definitely see the naruto-hxh inspiration that takes place as you watch the show. How far along are you?
This is what i like about the quirks in MHA, they don't look too powerful, they have strengths and weaknesses and limits, even useless quirks/handicapped quirks (aizawa, shinso, mirio) are used to its full potential via close combat or refinement. I mean look at sir nighteye, he's got the most abusive quirk he can use, but it has limits and restrains.
WalkingGirlKoi True. Kinda sad Eyepatch Wolf isn't a fan of the series cause it's so good at blending classic superhero and shonen tropes while making it feel fresh and new.
so glad you at least touched on the real main conflict in the series so far. and that's the issue of self sacrifice and the lack of it causing the corruption of the term hero within the series
There's also Ectoplasm who literally has two prosthetic legs... He's literally a disabled person still working as a hero... :-P In a sense, they also did the same with Luffy (and some other characters) in One Piece, where he got scars through his failings...
Great analysis again, but I must single out the sheer bulk of the amount of names of your supporters you credited at the end. It may not be much effort, but the fact you did it speaks volumes of how you value your audience. Keep up the great work.
This is such a good analysis! Good job! I love that you highlight such little details like scars and explain them as metaphor of a character's mental state. Thanks for sharing!
God freaken dammit. I've been avoiding this series for so long and then you have to make a really inspiring video about it and make me watch it. Dammit.
I love watching your videos because it helps me better understand why I love the shows I do and gives me more appreciation for them! This one put into words why I relate to Deku so much. I'm an entrepreneur, training under someone similar to All Might (minus the bombastic personality, though ^_^*) But self-improvement has been a theme of my life for the last full year, and seeing these themes iterated in a mainstream anime makes me so happy.
I would hope others have already told you, but -- the messages you are bringing to light in the media you examine with these videos are things that many people need to hear (or perhaps need some help to hear, as most of them are in the source material, albeit sometimes not easy to pick out). You're doing a lot of good on this channel; I'll be rooting for your success - and thank you for doing what you do! ^^
Y'know, there's a Finnish word that is sort of "long-term grit and resolve to the 2nd power". It's _sisu_. An exemplary example of sisu would be Simo Häyhä, a sniper who shot seven hundred Russians during the Winter War, without a scope, in temperatures down to minus 40 degrees celsius. The Russians were so afraid of him that they called him The White Death. When he was shot to the face with an anti-tank explosive round, he, with half his jaw missing, shot his would-be killer, and, though disfigured for the rest of his life, lived on (died at 96 yoa in 2001, if I remember right).
The lack of scarring or any signs of damage was easily my least favorite thing about Diamond is Unbreakable. The amount of bloodloss and injuries Josuke sustains over the season are non-existent in the final scene before they transition to part 5. Even after getting stabbed in the face by rohan throwing sharp objects at him, he still retains the cutesy aesthetic when waving bye-bye to Papa Joseph.
5 years after you uploaded this video, what you said about Bakugo learning something through the gain of a scar gave me CHILLS!!! gurl you totally called it
Thank you for putting this up I know realize that my scars that I got from being abused (even thou mental ones) Doesn't have to stop me that I can use that to remind me to keep moving forward so thank you very much
Late comment lmao but I really appreciate this video for confirming and agreeing with many of my thoughts on the show. I've been scared by my own sports of powerlifting and martial arts and Izuku's scarring of his hands really get to me. I can cry by just thinking about it. My own hands are fucked and it serves as an impediment toward the things I centrally identify myself with and am identified by. The fear and anxiety that Izuku has sorrounding the use of his power and his willingness to push past these obstacles, work around them and do whatever he can to be a hero is something I relate to so strongly. Scarring as a major theme works so well, I think, because whether they be physical or not it's something so many people can relate to. All of us have scars and our own baggage. Hero Aca is a cartoon but it deals with extremely real, directly relatable issues in nuanced, subtle ways. This is one of the great strengths of scars as motif.
Awesome video! You have a new sub! ^^ I also like how Stain's scar, a reminder of his self-mutilation, can also be seen as a physical expression about how much further he has taken the kind of selflessness Deku and All Might represent, going so far as to intentionally harm himself rather than it be an unfortunate byproduct of getting involved in heroic battles and so on. Stain, quite literally, cut off his nose to spite his face. He mutilated himself and trained his mind and body for the sole purpose of killing, effectively destroying his childhood dreams of becoming a hero like All Might, for the greater good. As far as I know (being still pretty new to the series) no other hero who shares his ideal of selfless heroism has, to put it crudely, fucked themselves up like Stain has - mentally and physically - for the greater good. I think Stain's scar is a physical warning to Deku and heroes like him especially about what happens when you utterly abandon all self care for others. In that way he's the reverse of what Iida, who was consumed by selfishness which had a negative effect on both himself and others. Stain's extreme selflessness negatively impacted both himself and others both long and short-term. His act of cutting off his nose symbolises a, if not the, giant flaw in his approach - his utter lack of nuance. Once he becomes possessed by a belief or conviction he follows it through without any regard for himself (beyond keeping fit for purpose/alive) or those who oppose him. His selflessness is self-destructive, and a warning to Deku and other heroes to gain better control of both their powers and their mental strength so they don't destroy themselves in the process of becoming heroes.
Knuckle Duster made Stain look silly. Plus he has a scar on his face that has yet to be explained. Probably my favorite character in the whole universe so far.
There is a saying: A coward has no scars. Perhaps it will be some time yet before Bakugo gets his scars. But when he does it will be proof of his transition to being a true hero.
This is amazing!!! Tho I will admit I’m a little surprised there’s nothing about Kirishima because he also has a scar that impacted him and his growth involving his quirk and what not.
I feel that this show holds your hand quite a bit when it comes to "hey that move did that!". I did notice the injuries though on my own but didn't think so much about it aside from "everyone is learning stuff". Nice analysis!
I honestly cannot wait till the manga gets to around chapter 116, there's so much to discuss about what happens afterwards and what not. And very glad you got your channel back!
another good video, and good to see you got your channel back. If I had one complaint to level, it's the use of the sub and not the dub, but that's mostly due to the fact I keep videos like this running as a replacement for the sound track of what ever I'm playing. Mostly FF14 (like I am now.) So, ya know I can't always direct my attention to said subtitles. Though, I also under stand this is not always possible, or even desirable.
I don't think Deku will have his scars for much longer. An opportunity to forget his responsibility to himself. I think that will play into the darkness Sir talks about inside him. After all, our madman needs more opportunities to sacrifice himself. He can't be a hero if he can't use his arms.
The great thing about mha Is that there is either physical or emotional consequences for their actions in a fight. Which a few of anime kinda throws away. Oh you got really badly injured a few bandages some time later they are either good as new or better no consequence.
Do you think that uraraka will get a visible scar? It would kinda go against every shonen rule to do so, but it would fit her resolve to become a great hero.
That's really on point. I never think in that situation jn MHA. I don't know if is written to be particular relevant for the narrative but it's a detail very interesting. Congratulations
I really want deku use a Detroit smash and fucc up his arm so bad that be has to amputate it. It'll make a cool dynamic and how it's just another obstacle he has to come over
How come Todoroki can generate fire to almost destroy a stadium without a single scratch, but when boiling water is thrown on his face, it permanently damages him.
Something that not many people notice is that the permanent injury Midoriya sustains to his hand actually affects his handwriting. When he's presenting his hero name to the rest of his class you can see how his writing is really messy, which contrasts the neatly written notes in his "hero diary".
One of the things I immediately noticed about the series was that the permanent injuries the older characters have, or receive, tend to effectively shorten their careers. Deku is inheriting All Might's power because EVEN WITH THAT POWER he was injured so badly being a hero that his career is ending earlier than it might. Eraser Head's injury explicitly weakens him as a hero, permanently. Ingenium's injury is career ending. Even Deku already has an injury which will, in a small way, permanently impair him as a hero.
The show emphasizes, without ever saying explicitly, that heroes are something that the world USES UP. Being a hero means that even if you don't actually die, you will, almost inevitably, use up your body and your health until you are broken and unable to continue. And that's just such an integral part of the world that nobody really comments on it, they just accept it. Deku knows, on at least some level, that his life's wish to become the Symbol of Peace, will, eventually, destroy him. Its just how things are.
Patrick Hickey Damn, that's dark (but true)
That is one of the things I love most about this series. Especially given how the author handles Izuku's mother.
The portrayal of her raw emotion at knowing her child's dream has been crushed. Despite that she still never tried to dissuade him from his dream despite the rest of the world doing so.
Her guilt over not believing in him more and how they grew closer because of it with Izuku choosing to wear an outfit they made together instead of anything that could supplement his quirk.
How its shown that its emotionally destroying her to support him in something that seems more and more likely will physically cripple if not kill him outright while at the same time being ashamed of her self wishing that his quirk never developed so he would live a safer life.
It makes her character all the more compelling considering how parents are often portrayed in Shonen. She isn't regulated to a background object, she isn't purely comic relief, she isn't secretly or openly OP, and she isn't absent. She is just a normal caring mother with actual plot relevance.
See also: All of the All Might vs All For One battle.
And then comes the Endeavor arc we'll get in season 5. I won't talk about it because spoilers for the anime-only but there's again some heavy symbolism in this arc.
The tone shifts in this video are on point. Congrats on getting the channel back! :D
what I also love about this motive is that scars and wounds don't magically dissapear after the battles are done like in most shonen. they stay there, heal very slowly and have truly lasting consequences. furthermore the anime doesn't praise recklessness, it condemns it.
absolute self sacrifice is not a noble thing in hero aca. but being selfless and working together with others for the greater good is. it presents a good balance between morality, the importane of a community and self care in other words. it tells you that you can't keep fighting if you exhaust yourself pointlessly.
I'm actually a burn victim with some very severe scarring on my legs, and it is something that I have to think about and consider constantly. So rarely do people ever actually discuss the roles of scars in media, and even more rarely do they do so in a respectful and intelligent way. I really appreciated this video. Thank you.
I've gone through parental abuse and it's still a mess in my head to some degree, even after I've learned what Todoroki did and had some years of processing what it means to move on. Legit choked up during that section.
Great video as always!
The manga is amazing right now, the current arc, our boy Mirio, the feels, it's just so good.
that guy is a true hero
As much as I love the shit out of Mirio, this are is just really boring to me.
That's probably because of the slower pacing the author decided to take. It also doesn't help that we have to wait weekly for only 20 pages. This arc would be perfect for the anime.
EDIT: recent chapters have been amazing and some of the best in the series imo.
Durzo edits of the manga make it not boring in any sense of the word.
"Is not even my final form." If you get it.
Pedantic Romantic - How This Simple, Insightful AniTuber Made Me Cry
Pablo360able and made me like skirts on bois
Watching this made me realize that Deku's powered up form with all the red marks across his body kind of look like scars. Especially the red X on his forehead.
I wonder if its more then just a cool power up animation and is actually intentional symbolism for the future scars he will acquire on his journey to becoming the greatest hero.
wait, when was that talked about? i am caught up to the manga and i don't remember there being an explanation for it
Amin Mokhtari same...never heard about that...
hmmm this thumbnail looks familiar
Speaking about thumbnails, you should put something like your avatar on the side or somewhere so we know It's one of your videos, because only a screenshot of a scene and the like just makes it less unique and I often find out it was yours days later, and me here thinking where the fuck are your videos and there's like 3 new ones that I ignored in my feed all along
I love your videos man!
Altough, i will not subscribe to your channel for personal reasons, I have to say: great video and i hope the hacker problem you had got better.
The guy in the thumbnail is sexy af.
IMMM GAAY
I dont get it how can you come off as a classic literature/art kinda guy when you are praising this cliche story in which MC is probably the most boring character of the show. I dont get why people like an anime with such a horribly boring MC. He has no special features whatsoever. Guy is blank. He has nothing really and he wouldnt have been anything had he not encountered almight. Its as if he needs help from the skies every time, he cant do it on his own and also, that power is probably the most boringh thing I have ever seen in a manga. Everyone can become strong if they train. he needed 100 chapters to figure out he could kick people instead of punching them and breaking his fists. Her is weak, he isnt smart, he doesnt have unique moral standing. This is 14 year old level show.
TIAN That’s the entire point? This show made me tear up episode one because they show you the brutal reality that not everyone can be a hero and not everyone can reach their dreams. Deku is essentially the embodiment of the normal person given a once in a lifetime chance to be unique and different, something that not everyone else gets to do.
It's so nice to have a show that doesn't use the scars trope in such a cliche way. Most leave it at, "These are the scars of my past. They remind me of the price I paid and of the inner demons that will never go away *insert dramatic rain here*" But Academia uses them as reminders that you can do anything if you set your mind to it, but not immediately. That we are not at fault for all of our pasts, but we don't have to continuously assume the role of victim.
I think Iida, out of his idealized sense of duty, has artificially limited himself by refusing help and keeping a wound (rather than a scar) just to remind him of his past and in a self-defeating way. It would be interesting to do an analysis of Iida and Midori's senses of duty. Iida's is a classic but self-punishing way, and Midori's is in an empowering way. Midori does what he has to do because he wants to make himself strong enough to inherit One For All and give others the strength to overcome their own hurdles. His fight against Todoroki is the most evident of this; he didn't let Todoroki win by going easy on him, but rather strengthened him so that he could fight without the restraints that could make him fail. Iida's style is "Stand aside. Let me protect you," and "This is my mess; I will clean it up." To help people, he must take the brunt for them.
I'm working through Jed A Blue's analysis of Madoka Magica, "The Very Soil". He compares the theme of help throughout the show. All of the characters choose the knight-going-after-the-dragon-plighting-the-kingdom style where they sacrifice their happiness, energy, and very selves for the sake of others' happiness. However, the way they do it dis-empowers the individual they are trying to help. Madoka is a passive character for the entire series in large part because every other character (except maybe Kyoko) helped her in a way where she could only sit around and watch (especially Homura.) Most didn't even ask the person they wanted to help what they wanted, and often paid handsomely for the wrong thing (which turns it into a tragic, one-sided Gift of the Magi situation.) Madoka's mother even tells her that sometimes we have to make mistakes for our friends so they don't have to make it themselves. It is when Madoka's mom helps her by *placing her trust in her* that Madoka finally unlocks her strength and becomes the strongest character in the show.
The battle versus Stain is a clear juxtaposition of Iida and Deku's philosophies of helping friends/loved ones and their corresponding outcomes. Iida parallels Kyoko, who did not consult her father before making her wish and lost her father's happiness she made her wish for. Iida doesn't even ask his brother if he wants him to take revenge, and I doubt his brother would be very happy about the news. Deku puts his faith in Todoroki and works with him, giving him strength. The Japanese word for "I want to support you" is "anata no chikara ni naritai", which literally translates to "I want to become your strength". I love this phrasing - and the way we phrase things and what we call things is crucial to our understanding of it - because it reminds me of how my business mentor trains me; he often says to "borrow" his confidence, basically for his strength to become mine. He's not going to go out and do the work for me; that takes away my strength (although every day I wish he could do that so I could hide in my office and do something easy like make plans I never have to fulfill.) And also why I hate learning how to cook from my dad- he always just does everything for me and I learn nothing XD
I think Iida's understanding of duty will eventually destroy him (I haven't read the manga, so I don't know for sure) and Deku's will be the reason he becomes the #1 hero. Especially now that he LIMITED HIS MOBILITY BECAUSE OF AN EMO PHASE >_> It may be my inner practicality speaking, but for a hero who has a daily habit of high-speed parkour to consciously limit his arm's mobility is like a violinist choosing to play with only four strings because of something he did to a close friend in the past. I think he needs to listen to "Here Comes a Thought" a few times and have a nice little reminder that the things he has done and his thoughts are not synonymous with him himself and that he is stronger to overcome his emotions than to consistently remind himself that he has them and punish himself for it. People who never forgive themselves are more likely to more harshly judge others, so he is walking closer along the hero-villain line. He needs to rework his expectations of himself and what a hero does and have a bowl of ice cream or something, and ask for forgiveness from his brother and his friends (and be willing to accept it!) I hope he follows the Tohru Honda doormat-to-dynamic story arc a little more closely than Sasuke's.
Iida kept a wound, not a scar. And that wound will heal improperly, turning itself into an even bigger, deeper scar.
Side thought- do you think Midoriya is a cross between green (midori) and victory in Latin (vitoria)?
Doodle Dabble interesting about the latin
Were you trying to submit your essay in the comment section?
impressively lame waste of time
You could get some views yourself by doing an analytical video of your own. I'd subscribe for it.
It took a while to read. But your analysis and opinion are very interesting. I dont think there are many people willing to read it tho. No offense
A beautiful essay. I could really relate. Thanks for this.
ThePedanticRomantic *you're
Uh oh
Awesome video! I never noticed all of these symbols throughout the show. Though this is really really minor, Kirishima also has a prominent scar over his eye. He got it from when his quirk first manifested and he accidentally rubbed his eye. If you read the manga, you learn that he hated his quirk and did feel really insecure about it not being flashy or strong enough. But as he trained harder and harder, got better and better. I think the permanent scar shows that though you cannot change what quirk you are given, you can make the most out of it. Maybe I'm over thinking it.
Great video, PedRo. I feel like I could watch people talking about this show for hours, and your video is an entirely fresh discussion for me.
Some of those scars are the effects of some battle, which besides the thematic importance you talked about, also reminds us that every victory has a price.
flu3b93 pedrofile
CopyCatCat what?
Plumpuss pedantic romantic= pedro-file...I was reaching, I know
the idea of bakugo getting rekt is pretty satisfying to me. that way he has to carry his mistakes with him always as a reminder of how flawed he is.
Something along the lines of that concept happens later in the manga for Bakugo, and it is done really well.
This a really cool take on this series man! I never thought too deeply about this stuff even if I noticed them, especially Deku's.
It also makes me think of the scars I've acquired from my surgery that I always try to hide, and you've changed my perspective on it. I'll wear them proudly now. Fuck yeah, you're the man dude.
Excellent, video, man. Easily, one of your best. One thing that I really do appreciate in MHA(anime and the manga) is how the idea of scars isn't just a thematic message of representing a hardship of a character, but also their failings and mortality. I love Shonen action series, but I acknowledge that the genre can be flawed in that it a lot of shows rarely focus on mortality and consequences. It revels in its style and the fights as well as characterization which isn't bad, but I argue is a missed opportunity. And yes, we got the AOTs out there that blur the line with Seinen, but really even then it snaps back to its roots whenever the main characters are involved in any major loss. But for MHA, these scars clearly are used to great effect as they are consequences of actions. Deku wanting to be a hero; Todoroki and his family/ desire to separate, Ilda's vengeance, All Might's commitment to peace.
They are there to remind us that these characters aren't gods. That while they aspire to their goals, failure and consequences are a thing. And they can in turn just make their goals a lot harder to achieve. And MHA gets this because it respects the fact that as extraordinary as these people are, they like us can fall short and in turn must go through life with those consequences in mind.
Oh boy, this was an interesting topic and I'm glad you covered it. That said, there's some other scars worth mentioning, minor manga spoilers so beware. The scars you mention are such a prevalent part of the series that the more you think about it the longer the list gets.
We've got the little scar that Kirishima gave himself when he first discovered his quirk, and the importance of how it ties in with his self consciousness and disdain towards a quirk he doesn't find very remarkable.
Then there's Twice and the scar on his forehead that he tries to keep under wraps because it triggers his split personality disorder and makes him a more unstable person.
Also there's whatever the hell is up with Dabi. I'm personally on board with the theory that it has something to do with Endeavor.
[MANGA SPOILERS]
Kirishima also has a scar over his right eye. He made it to himself when he first discovered his quirk. Yet, his backstory revolves around courage, fear, and never backing down from a fight.
What does any of that have to do with his scar?
Mierda-kun never backing down = not stopping after getting hurt from his quirk
Mierda-kun His scar doesn't represent anything because he didn't' get it from a fight or anything like that. He got it because he woke up in the middle of the night needing to pee and then was rubbing his eyes because he was tired. It doesn't represent anything.
it represents his hatred of himself and his own quirk. notice how he always says it isn't flashy enough and how he's always criticizing himself. hell in that chapter he says how he always hated his quirk as a child
Oh wow.. your channel was hacked into? Damn.. Glad you got it back!
I can almost never relate to analysis videos because the shows that are worthy of analysis aren't always my favourite genres. Don't get me wrong I can appreciate shows like "Sangatsu no lion," or "A silent voice," but I would prefer to watch two guys punching each other or a light hearted comedy. Even though those types of shows don't usually have a lot of heavy themes to talk about, meaning they are not talked about. That's why I love it when a show with a premise I love (My Hero Academia), has interesting themes. While almost every season you will get some type of romantic drama or tragedy anime that are essentially overflowing wells of discussion, you barely see any battle anime or comedy with that much depth, unless I am mistaken.
This was pretty much just an unnecessarily long-winded way of saying: good video, pls do moar like dis.
ThePedanticRomantic Amen to that! I just hope good Shonen type shows don't stop here. I have heard some good shit about Dr. Stone, fingers crossed for an adaptation in future.
It represents how MHA is changing the game when it comes to Shonen battle series. It is a series that on the surface comes off as a generic(and I do not mean to insult Shonen battle series, they are fun. But most follow a template), but really has a lot of depth and nuance to it. And I really credit Horikoshi for that because, in many ways, the willingness to give that added depth of themes and motifs and how they add to the characterization and the world is refreshing. It very much reminds me of FMA(my favorite anime. Both series) in that willingness. Obviously, both are very different and I'd be stupid to say that they are similar. But really, I am happy that this series has gotten such a phenomenal adaptation. Because, out of all the big Shonen series, outside OP, this series I argue should be the one to bring in new anime fans and be the "Next" Naruto in terms of western appeal. Though, I argue we will never have a "Next" Naruto because the way in which we consume anime and the paradigm shifts of what consumers want of anime has changed.
But that is okay.
Then you need to watch FMA Brotberhood. If you have not already.
Watch Hunter x Hunter if you haven't already! It's a shounen anime with so much subversion and deep psychology and ideology and almost all of the discussions on it are very interesting!
@Collins Ongaya indeed, you are correct lol. Youll definitely see the naruto-hxh inspiration that takes place as you watch the show. How far along are you?
This is what i like about the quirks in MHA, they don't look too powerful, they have strengths and weaknesses and limits, even useless quirks/handicapped quirks (aizawa, shinso, mirio) are used to its full potential via close combat or refinement.
I mean look at sir nighteye, he's got the most abusive quirk he can use, but it has limits and restrains.
last chapter proved your point so much
Wh..What's this? A heart? Thank you dude? i've been loving your videos for a long time
Thank you man. You're genuinely nice
Latest chapter was fantastic but I liked the one before it a bit better.
wait what, how ?
It was all mirio doing stuff last chapter
"No views"
Woah. I was about to watch something else but I've never seen that before in my 8 years of RUclips.
I place the responsibility on Pedantic Romantic and Eyepatch Wolf for me loving anime videos on battle shonen series.
WalkingGirlKoi True. Kinda sad Eyepatch Wolf isn't a fan of the series cause it's so good at blending classic superhero and shonen tropes while making it feel fresh and new.
Why wouldn't you love anime videos on battle shonen series? They're awesome.
Moroccan hackers, huh? I'll admit, that's a new one.
99% chance its just a moroccan proxy
Feels like every anime RUclipsr is making My Hero Academia videos
There's a reason for that.
It's because it has amazing writing probably
they do it because it is the biggest thing right now. Same happened with Yuri on ice, Re:Zero and Erased.
agreed
TheUglyBarnacle it's good yo
so glad you at least touched on the real main conflict in the series so far. and that's the issue of self sacrifice and the lack of it causing the corruption of the term hero within the series
One BHA video from you, and two more in the works from ExP... MAN I love this show, and those who present commentary on it.
There's also Ectoplasm who literally has two prosthetic legs... He's literally a disabled person still working as a hero... :-P
In a sense, they also did the same with Luffy (and some other characters) in One Piece, where he got scars through his failings...
This is so well made ❤ thank you, and welcome back!
Moroccan hackers? Seriously? Don't they have, like, way bigger channels they can profit from rather than a middle class anime reviewer?
Pajarraco top class*** but yah we know what you mean lol
Pajarraco they see potential in Pedro
Great video on a motif that was staring me right in the face all this time.
This series just got five times more awesome.
Great analysis again, but I must single out the sheer bulk of the amount of names of your supporters you credited at the end. It may not be much effort, but the fact you did it speaks volumes of how you value your audience. Keep up the great work.
This is such a good analysis! Good job! I love that you highlight such little details like scars and explain them as metaphor of a character's mental state. Thanks for sharing!
god that image of Todoroki's left side flaring up as he's just overwhelmed with emotion, it gives me goosebumps every time.
God freaken dammit. I've been avoiding this series for so long and then you have to make a really inspiring video about it and make me watch it. Dammit.
I absolutely love your writing, you're always spot on in this realm. Keep it up. Maybe I'll become a patron once I start making enough for myself.
Oh wow. I thought you were taking a lil research break what a crazy thing to happen! Great to have you back, great video as always.
I love watching your videos because it helps me better understand why I love the shows I do and gives me more appreciation for them! This one put into words why I relate to Deku so much. I'm an entrepreneur, training under someone similar to All Might (minus the bombastic personality, though ^_^*) But self-improvement has been a theme of my life for the last full year, and seeing these themes iterated in a mainstream anime makes me so happy.
I would hope others have already told you, but -- the messages you are bringing to light in the media you examine with these videos are things that many people need to hear (or perhaps need some help to hear, as most of them are in the source material, albeit sometimes not easy to pick out). You're doing a lot of good on this channel; I'll be rooting for your success - and thank you for doing what you do! ^^
Y'know, there's a Finnish word that is sort of "long-term grit and resolve to the 2nd power". It's _sisu_. An exemplary example of sisu would be Simo Häyhä, a sniper who shot seven hundred Russians during the Winter War, without a scope, in temperatures down to minus 40 degrees celsius. The Russians were so afraid of him that they called him The White Death. When he was shot to the face with an anti-tank explosive round, he, with half his jaw missing, shot his would-be killer, and, though disfigured for the rest of his life, lived on (died at 96 yoa in 2001, if I remember right).
The lack of scarring or any signs of damage was easily my least favorite thing about Diamond is Unbreakable. The amount of bloodloss and injuries Josuke sustains over the season are non-existent in the final scene before they transition to part 5. Even after getting stabbed in the face by rohan throwing sharp objects at him, he still retains the cutesy aesthetic when waving bye-bye to Papa Joseph.
5 years after you uploaded this video, what you said about Bakugo learning something through the gain of a scar gave me CHILLS!!! gurl you totally called it
Thank you for putting this up I know realize that my scars that I got from being abused (even thou mental ones) Doesn't have to stop me that I can use that to remind me to keep moving forward so thank you very much
Late comment lmao but I really appreciate this video for confirming and agreeing with many of my thoughts on the show. I've been scared by my own sports of powerlifting and martial arts and Izuku's scarring of his hands really get to me. I can cry by just thinking about it. My own hands are fucked and it serves as an impediment toward the things I centrally identify myself with and am identified by. The fear and anxiety that Izuku has sorrounding the use of his power and his willingness to push past these obstacles, work around them and do whatever he can to be a hero is something I relate to so strongly.
Scarring as a major theme works so well, I think, because whether they be physical or not it's something so many people can relate to. All of us have scars and our own baggage. Hero Aca is a cartoon but it deals with extremely real, directly relatable issues in nuanced, subtle ways. This is one of the great strengths of scars as motif.
Wow I didn't thought about this scar theme that much, but that's pretty interesting. Keep up the good work!
Awesome video! You have a new sub! ^^ I also like how Stain's scar, a reminder of his self-mutilation, can also be seen as a physical expression about how much further he has taken the kind of selflessness Deku and All Might represent, going so far as to intentionally harm himself rather than it be an unfortunate byproduct of getting involved in heroic battles and so on.
Stain, quite literally, cut off his nose to spite his face. He mutilated himself and trained his mind and body for the sole purpose of killing, effectively destroying his childhood dreams of becoming a hero like All Might, for the greater good. As far as I know (being still pretty new to the series) no other hero who shares his ideal of selfless heroism has, to put it crudely, fucked themselves up like Stain has - mentally and physically - for the greater good.
I think Stain's scar is a physical warning to Deku and heroes like him especially about what happens when you utterly abandon all self care for others. In that way he's the reverse of what Iida, who was consumed by selfishness which had a negative effect on both himself and others. Stain's extreme selflessness negatively impacted both himself and others both long and short-term.
His act of cutting off his nose symbolises a, if not the, giant flaw in his approach - his utter lack of nuance. Once he becomes possessed by a belief or conviction he follows it through without any regard for himself (beyond keeping fit for purpose/alive) or those who oppose him. His selflessness is self-destructive, and a warning to Deku and other heroes to gain better control of both their powers and their mental strength so they don't destroy themselves in the process of becoming heroes.
Knuckle Duster made Stain look silly. Plus he has a scar on his face that has yet to be explained. Probably my favorite character in the whole universe so far.
So, in summary, Boku no Hero Academia is great and it's mangaka deserves every bit of praise for it
M Y H E R O A C A D E M I A V I D S E V E R Y W H E R E
Duwang Is Unbreakable like you apparently XD (also profile pic source?)
There is a saying: A coward has no scars.
Perhaps it will be some time yet before Bakugo gets his scars. But when he does it will be proof of his transition to being a true hero.
My dad said this in a really good way: "There's definitely a sense of inner strength throughout the entire series."
This is amazing!!!
Tho I will admit I’m a little surprised there’s nothing about Kirishima because he also has a scar that impacted him and his growth involving his quirk and what not.
I feel that this show holds your hand quite a bit when it comes to "hey that move did that!". I did notice the injuries though on my own but didn't think so much about it aside from "everyone is learning stuff". Nice analysis!
Awesome analysis - never realised the deeper meaning behind the scars!
I honestly cannot wait till the manga gets to around chapter 116, there's so much to discuss about what happens afterwards and what not. And very glad you got your channel back!
Do you mean when the anime gets to that point?
*YuudiHoshi* yea sorry my english isn't that good
I've never thought about it before, such a great analysis!
I bet if anyone is watching this with a scar, they're thinking about how it might represent them somehow. I know I am.
another good video, and good to see you got your channel back.
If I had one complaint to level, it's the use of the sub and not the dub, but that's mostly due to the fact I keep videos like this running as a replacement for the sound track of what ever I'm playing. Mostly FF14 (like I am now.) So, ya know I can't always direct my attention to said subtitles.
Though, I also under stand this is not always possible, or even desirable.
Your videos are on fucking fire
Keep your work coming bro, well put together...
"What dosent kill you will leave a horrible scar."
This video is amazing :) Keep it going!
loved hearing your thoughts on this theme. I subscribed and will check out your other vids.
bruh the scars are soooo deep. you described them so eloquently.
I don't think Deku will have his scars for much longer. An opportunity to forget his responsibility to himself. I think that will play into the darkness Sir talks about inside him. After all, our madman needs more opportunities to sacrifice himself. He can't be a hero if he can't use his arms.
Wait so Stain's face looks like that cause He cut it up??? O_o Jezus that shit is way more Dark than what I thought it came from ×_×
The great thing about mha
Is that there is either physical or emotional consequences for their actions in a fight.
Which a few of anime kinda throws away.
Oh you got really badly injured a few bandages some time later they are either good as new or better no consequence.
Congrats, this vid finally got me interested in watching Hero Aca.
Stop it Pedro you're gonna make me cry
Do you think that uraraka will get a visible scar? It would kinda go against every shonen rule to do so, but it would fit her resolve to become a great hero.
this was a good description of the theme
Dope work, man.
I really love your content m8. Pls keep it up.
That's really on point. I never think in that situation jn MHA. I don't know if is written to be particular relevant for the narrative but it's a detail very interesting. Congratulations
He will always be Lemillion (Breaks down and cries)
Somehow the scars are part of the learning process, cant wait till endavour gets his scar moment with todoroki.
Best video yet you earned this like
[Spoiler]
And now Mirio also has a scar...losing his quirk :(
didn't he also have scars on his arms?
0:02 the brown haired girl Todoroki's great great something grandmother
HOLY SHIT HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THIS WTF GENIUS PLUS ULTRA/10 SUBSCRIBED AGAIN! (with backup channel since I'm already subbed here)
I always took the scars as being a bit of realism. Like, how many other anime have every injury inflicted on the characters stay with them?
2:27 uhhh hey man you could like stop and take a breath there that was a pretty dramatic shift
This man literally talked about scars anime characters have represent their wounds
subtle fatality in my her academia
I really want deku use a Detroit smash and fucc up his arm so bad that be has to amputate it. It'll make a cool dynamic and how it's just another obstacle he has to come over
That sudden tone shift at 1:06 tho
Glad you're back man
At 2:23 with subtitles...dick ooze...
I laughed way harder than I'd like to admit
Meanwhile Kirishima got his scar from rubbing his eyes with a hardened hand
Man i was hoping the next video youd post would be a Made in Abyss video 3: Oh well this is pretty good too
Wait so stain cut his nose off?!
Tournament Ark episode 3:Plot twist it was actually explanation point who hacked you, to make himself even more appealing to the sponsor agencies
kfjffd i fucking love all your analysis videos
Ffs I'm trying to put together a kinder surprise toy together
I can't fucking do it
You boys read the latest chapter today? ;]
TESFAYE yup
That was... beautiful.
Haven't seen the new episode yet. Thanks.
How come Todoroki can generate fire to almost destroy a stadium without a single scratch, but when boiling water is thrown on his face, it permanently damages him.