Tomura Shigaraki is born anew
What They Say:
My Villain Academia reaches its cataclysmic climax. A new wave of quirk users is on the horizon – one that goes beyond the bounds of terms like “hero” and “villain”. Liberate yourself from that which constrains you – all that awaits is destruction. Tomura Shigaraki has awakened.
The Review
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Tenko Shimura died that day along with his family. Broken and alone, the husk of that child wandered the streets as passerby’s were reluctant to help, certain that a hero would come along and save the day. No hero came to Tenko’s aid. Instead, it was All For One who extended his hand, cultivating the boy who would share his namesake and his desire for destruction. Tenko Shimura was no more –Tomura Shigaraki was born.
The reemergence of Shigaraki’s memories were a catalyst for his revitalization. Those traumatic memories brewed beneath his subconscious like a burning itch, just waiting to be scratched. It’s only when he came to accept his lust for destruction that the shackles of his quirk were finally unleashed. His destructive power increased ten-fold, obliterating everything that Re-Destro threw at him. Witnessing Shigaraki’s rebirth stirred something within Re-Destro. The two of them really aren’t so different. Both were raised as successors to grand visions, but the burden of their predecessors weighed on them differently. Amidst their battle, Re-Destro realizes the hubris of his mission and how his Stress power had ironically conflicted with his own ideals. Destro’s goal was to liberate people from their meta-abilities, giving them the freedom to use them without the constrains of society’s labels. Re-Destro united an army of people under that vision, but in the end, he was still a slave to his own quirk. On the other hand, Shigaraki was truly free. The difference in their convictions determined the outcome. Shigaraki had triumphed over Re-Destro.
Rather than abolish the Meta Liberation Army, they would join forces with the League of Villains and created a new organization under the banner of Tomura Shigaraki. Re-Destro realized that Shigaraki truly embodied the spirit of Destro and the second coming of his ideals could only be fulfilled through him. With their combined forces, a terrifyingly powerful group was established – the Paranormal Liberation Front. Shigaraki dropped the “villain” moniker to signify a new age. Society could no longer tow the line of hero and villain; of black and white. The world will be covered in grey ash.
What an incredible finale to My Villain Academia. Studio Bones really pulled out all the stops and delivered a spectacle that lived up to the hype. A lot of incredible talent helped bring this episode to fruition; from Takashi Kawabata’s captivating storyboards to a plethora of key animation highlights from the likes of Yukina Kosaka, Keiichiro Honjo, and Shun Shibata to name a few. There was plenty to be worried about leading up to this arc’s finale, but the last stretch of episodes proved to be a stunning effort from the staff.
In Summary:
Despite production issues throughout the season and a rocky start to MVA, it’s reassuring that Studio Bones was able to end things on a high note. We return to the heroes’ perspective for the finale, but the tone has been set for My Hero Academia’s 6th season.
Grade: A
Streamed By: Crunchyroll, Funimation
