MHA – 86-88 [School Festival, Hero Billboard Chart, and HIS START]

MHA flexed hard with this finale.  Most other shows bring out some fanservice or flashy action – no, MHA made a legitimate MINIATURE MOVIE as their finale (why it gets all caps in the title). You’re thinking, oh sure, they had some action, blah blah – no.  This was in-theater-movie animation quality.  For a single season finale.  Try to top that, Attack on Titan and your basement.

Before that, we need some closure on Deku’s youthful school festival.  Broadly speaking, I’m happy to see Eri feeling better and getting some sense of normal life back – makes good sense that Mirio will watch her (plus he stands to gain the most if she gets her power sorted out).  Jiro’s song was pretty good – I wouldn’t say it was Alchemy by GirlsDeadMo or anything, but it was a nice high-energy rock ballad – the lyrics pretty well fit with Midoriya’s origin story too, so nice tie in.  Did anyone else notice that poor Kirishima had to carry the snow machine, because he could harden his hands?  Poor guy.  Also, good looking out with the candy apple, Midoriya.  

I feel like episodes 87 and 88 really should be treated separately from the rest of the season.  They’re simply a cut above any other pair of episodes we’ve seen recently.  Using the awards to introduce the next gen heroes (and many fan favorites) was a masterstroke – bringing back the already-seen  Wild Wild Pussycats as the lead-in was superb.  It’s these small narrative details like that which makes this show flow together so well – I’m just continually impressed. 

I just recently saw Hawks in the Heroes Rising movie, but he didn’t really do much but fly around.  His speech at the awards ceremony was just incredible – his whole character is the antithesis of Endeavor.  Hawks is the ultimate local-boy, smooth, knows everyone – and hilariously underpowered in the Nomus fight.  I’m really excited to see him around.

But, let’s be honest, these two episodes are about our NUMBER ONE BURNEY BOI.  No, not Bernie Sanders (joke for you Americans – does anyone even do political jokes in the time of Chronovirus?).  Seeing the broken family and Endeavor’s small attempts to apologize despite being psychologically unable to do so hit pretty hard.  It’s these moments that make even the most egregious characters human.  MHA is superior in animation, we already know that – it’s tiny expressions, glimpses behind the curtain that puts this show in a class of its own.

“His Start” is one of the best episodes of MHA so far.  OFA vs AFO is a great fight because it’s a battle of two cosmic forces; Endeveour vs Smart Nomu is special because it’s the up and comers, the would-be-contenders.  Endeveour comes away victorious, holding the same pose as All Might’s final victory.  Except this isn’t his final fight, it’s his first as number one. Let’s not forget that Nomus are no joke – All Might (albeit on his decline) struggled heavily vs one in UA.  

All that to say – if you’re not hyped by this episode, you’re watching the wrong show!

As for the afterstory, we meet the first one for all – interesting how it looks like All For One took his quirk.  I guess what AFO was saying about being able to give the quirks back is probably true then?  Can AFO also transfer his own quirk?  We’ll have to see!

Stay tuned for this season’s review coming up.  Spoiler: “His Start” definitely changed the score.

2 thoughts on “MHA – 86-88 [School Festival, Hero Billboard Chart, and HIS START]

  1. I should mention, Kirishima wasn’t holding a snow machine. He was holding a block of ice, and shaving it with his arms, cause he is a human cheese grater. Makes for a funnier gag imo.

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