Aoyama sparkles his way into the spotlight
What They Say:
The provisional license has shown us that the future of quirk society rests on the shoulders of children, as their powers grow stronger with each generation. But a boat without a paddle has no direction, so the current generation has to step up and lead them down the right path!
Later on, the focus shifts to one of the lesser-known members of class 1-A, the naval-laser nobleman, Aoyama. He’s taken a…‘peculiar’ interest in Midoriya. This lighthearted episode offers plenty of laughs before we get to the meat of this next arc.
The Review
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
On the last episode of Gakuen Babysitters we… wait, *checks script*. What I meant to say was, on the last episode of My Hero Academia, the students of Masegaki Primary School were ready to throw down with the license examinees. Their powerful and distinct quirks catch everyone off guard, as Shishikura from Shiketsu High School gives us an interesting observation from the sidelines. He mentions something called the ‘Quirk Doomsday theory”, which basically boils down to the genetic acceleration and continued mutation of quirks as they get passed from generation to generation. It’s a small bit of world-building, but the theory itself is a great bit of padding for the show’s overarching themes. With the turbulence brought by All Might’s retirement, we’ve already seen society shifting its opinion on quirks, and that dilemma will only get more pronounced as time goes on. Leaving those darker motifs aside, we’ve gotta focus on the NOW and give these kids the tools they need to carve out their futures!
Rather than fight the kids head-on, Todoroki, Bakugou, Camie, and Inasa give them space to flaunt their quirks all while encouraging them along the way. Then, by combining their powers along with the children, they create a wondrous quirk-fueled amusement park for them all to enjoy. As All Might, Endeavor and the rest of the pro heroes look on, the exam has become an important lesson for everyone – what does power mean in a quirk-based society? It doesn’t simply mean overwhelming an opponent. True power helps bring out the best of everyone and their abilities.
After the exam, we get a small encounter between Shoto and Endeavor. Their interaction starts cold, but Endeavor is determined to make up for his failures as a father. He tells Shoto that not only is he proud of him, but he wants to become a hero that Shoto can be proud of as well. These two often have trouble getting their feelings across, but this interaction was a clear step forward. Having seen their interaction for himself, Inasa drops his jaded attitude toward Endeavor and once again passionately lends him his support. The provisional exam mini-arc wraps up on that extremely wholesome note.
Back at U.A., things take a strange turn when Midoriya is swept up by the presence of his classmate Yuga Aoyama. The elegant Aoyama-kun has been nothing more than a gag character up to this point, so his sudden interest in Midoriya leaves him bewildered. Midoriya becomes the victim of horror-movie-levels of stalking, but Aoyama’s cheese messages and persistent gaudiness left me in stitches.
The two find some alone time during class and Midoriya confronts Aoyama about his recent behavior. Aoyama’s “I know” message left a foreboding feeling in Midoriya, but the intent of the message was much more endearing. While he’s always kind of kept to himself, Aoyama has had his eye on Midoriya from the very beginning. Aoyama’s naval laser always messes with his stomach, so he’s grown up thinking his body and his quirk weren’t attuned. But when he saw Midoriya breaking bones during the entrance exams and training, he felt that they were in the same boat. Two kids with quirks that destroy their own bodies, and doctor’s telling them they aren’t compatible. Aoyama saw an intrinsic bond between him and Midoriya and so he sought companionship, in his own silly way. I remember this chapter caught me off-guard when I read it in the manga, especially because it doesn’t serve any larger purpose, but it’s still nice to see one of the lesser talked about students get some heartwarming development with our main man Midoriya.
As a side note, Bakugou had some great development in this episode. When he approaches the ring leader of the Masegaki kids, he tells him, “If you keep looking down on everyone, then you won’t notice your own weaknesses.” Bakugou has learned to face his own weaknesses, and it’s thanks to his classmates that he’s been able to realize that. We see him interact with Deku later on, even if it’s in his own tsundere way, he’s still acknowledging Deku as an equal. Bakugou’s development continues to make him one of the best characters in this series.
In Summary:
Todoroki and Bakugou win the hearts of the Masegaki children and Midoriya gains an unlikely comrade in Aoyama. The lighthearted atmosphere still feels pretty jarring coming off the heels of the heavy Overhaul arc, but I think it’s a much-welcomed change of pace. With these side plots wrapped up, we’ll soon be headed into the Festival arc.
Grade: B
Streamed By: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu
