My Hero Academia

Episode 103

You know, you've gotta hand it to Endeavor*. He may be an unprosecuted domestic abuser who ruined his family's lives in a deeply myopic and selfish eugenics plan, but none of that prevents him from being a proficient cop.

I joke, but I do think it's worth putting my cards on the table as MHA once more delves into the complicated and incredibly sensitive topic that is the new #1 Hero. I said back in season 4 that Endeavor trying to change is overall a good thing – shitty people making an earnest effort to stop being shitty and take responsibility for their past actions is something both the media landscape and the real world could use more of. But just because he's making an effort doesn't mean either the characters or the audience should be expected to forget – let alone forgive – the very things he's trying to make up for.

To this series' credit, I don't think it's trying to ask for that, as even this episode gives the man a blunt reminder that Shoto's only working with him because Endeavor's the best place to learn more about his quirk. But just because a story is trying to be nuanced about the topic doesn't mean the audience always picks up on that, and I can tell you from experience with the manga that there are fans who are very, very quick to forgive this flaming turd's crimes – if not outright deny they ever happened. Not to tell people how to watch cartoons, but that strikes me as both a misguided approach to analysis and a means to cheapen the story itself. Endeavor and his 747's worth of baggage are compelling because MHA isn't trying to deny or soften any of it, and is dealing with this all in as emotionally grounded a way as I've ever seen from shonen storytelling. This character, his story, and their place in the larger world and themes of this franchise require him to suck ass to have any actual conflict, and if the show is going to earnestly confront those ideas then any discussion of them needs to do the same.

That's a lot of words for what takes up a relatively minor amount of screen time this episode – the rest of it mostly entails Deku and The Boys getting a crash course in top-level Hero work – but what's always made MHA compelling to me is its ability to weave sincere character drama into its more basic shonen staples. It's all well and good to see these kids learn new moves or get into cool fights, but those moments only have impact when they're contextualized as pivotal junctures in their ongoing personal journeys. That's something that was frustratingly sparse during the Joint Training arc, but it's back with a vengeance in “One Thing at a Time” this week, and the show is immediately better for it. For our trio of students, this work study isn't just a chance to get stronger, but to better understand their faults and recognize what they have to do before they can shoulder the responsibility of being a day-to-day hero.

And so far, things are going pretty well. Like I said, Endeavor may suck as a person but he's clearly spent his decades as a pro honing his skills. He acts on emergencies without a second thought, and manages to do it while also lecturing younglings. He's both tactical and forward-thinking when he's on the field, but you also see why he had such a harsh reputation before the High-End Nomu fight. Yes, he saves some people from nearly getting hit by a truck, but it's telling that Deku is the first to act in checking on everyone involved and comforting the would-be victim. Endeavor's good at the mechanics of Pro Hero work, but he's not the ever-reassuring beacon that All Might personified, even as he's trying to grow. It's a remarkably efficient bit of writing, actually, and the kind of subtle touch that's been missing from much of the season so far. I especially enjoy the emphasis placed on responsibility here: being a superhero is a near-universal power fantasy, but MHA is quick to remind both viewer and students that it's a task where lives hang in the balance – especially with what's brewing behind the scenes.

That brings us to whatever the hell Hawks has gotten himself into. Like last week, we only get to dip our toes into the dark waters Endeavor's Wingman is diving headfirst into, but we get a few things confirmed. The League of Villains are indeed involved with this Meta Liberation Army – in charge of it, even –and the conspicuously absent Tomura Shigaraki is doing something to, if Toga's to be believed, destroy Japan outright. How in the world any of this came about is still a total mystery, but it all seems to stem from the destruction of Deika City. Thinking on it, this is actually kind of unusual for MHA – we haven't always known what the villains were up to, but we've generally been kept abreast of their current situation and immediate goals. Not so here, where seismic shifts look to have occurred far from the heroes' prying eyes, and even the most informed spy in the country is still piecing together what they're up to. It's an interesting break from the series' usual writing style, and while it threatens to be frustrating if we're kept in the dark too much longer, I'd be lying if I said I don't appreciate the ever-building dread of it all.

So yeah, I'd say this current arc is off to a strong start. While things have yet to really kick off, this is a return to MHA's thematic and character strengths, and the tidbits of the larger conflict continue to be engrossing.

*Note: You do not, in fact, gotta hand anything to Endeavor.

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My Hero Academia is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.