Suffering their biggest loss yet in the previous episode, My Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 9 sees our heroes hit rock bottom. However, hope still remains. Let’s get right to the review!
My Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 9 Overview
If you haven’t at least heard of My Hero Academia, I hope that the rock that you’re living under provides plenty of space and sunlight for healthy living. My Hero Academia, or Boku No Hero Academia if you want to be all proper about it, is one of the most popular anime going on right now. The series returns to us after what is widely believed to be its weakest season yet, which you can read more about here. Also, click here to read the review of the previous episode of the season.
My Hero Academia is based on the manga series of the same name by Kouhei Horikoshi, and the anime is produced by Studio Bones, which is also is also known for working on anime like Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood and Mob Psycho, so you know that My Hero Academia is in outstanding company. Season 6 is directed by Kenji Nagasaki and Masahiro Mukai. The episode is also known in original Japanese as Boku no Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 9.
– Boku No Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 9 Review does not contain spoilers –
My Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 9 Review- Our Boys Grew Up
First things first, it seemed like the show was digging itself into a hole with this Eraserhead being the sole wall against Shigaraki destroying the whole damn planet, but that part of the plot resolved itself fabulously in My Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 9. So well, in fact, that this had to have been thought of years in advance. Kudos to Kouhei Horikoshi for being able to recognise what should be the main parts of a battle and making use of them in a way that the rest of the characters don’t feel misused or underused in any way as well.
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I’ve been waiting to talk about this for an episode where it fits the best, but it is finally time to talk about the parallels and connections between Shigaraki and Deku. Sometimes, the simplest writing is the best writing, and this is very much one of those situations. Theirs was the obvious story to tell, with Deku being the successor to All Might and Shigaraki being the same for All For One. Both young boys suffered a ton for their craft, except one grew up in a loving family, quirkless, whereas the other had one of the strongest untapped quirks ever and basically lived on the streets.
They were both always destined for collision on the crash course, but there was an issue. There was quite a huge discrepancy between their power levels from the start. Deku was a kid without control of One For All when they first fought, but Shigaraki recognised the intent to kill from the very start. Since then, Shigaraki has gotten much stronger and turned into a nuclear-level threat in the series, not even being able to be taken down by the strongest of heroes and killing many among their ranks. On the other hand, Deku was still a kid who had barely enough time to pass his exams, let alone grow as strong as Shigaraki.
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That was also a point of criticism for his character as a whole, as people called him “weak and pathetic” while he wasn’t even a 16-year-old. However, that all changed in My Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 9, as Deku proved his mantle of All Might’s successor by taking on Tomura Shigaraki and singlehandedly taking him on when he was at full strength, and managing to keep him at bay using the combined powers of One For All. The show also did a fantastic job of showcasing that Deku wasn’t just sitting on his ass, not helping while he was at school, and training with his friends.
Speaking of friends, Bakugo has also long been a maligned character in the show, his criticism being much more understandable than Deku’s. However, throughout the last two seasons, he has shown remarkable growth in his teamwork and appreciation of others, especially Deku. He has always been extraordinarily strong and capable, but growing up as a character has allowed these parts of him to shine a lot more. My Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 9 was named after Bakugo, and it is hard to say he didn’t deserve it after what happened at the end. This was a masterful episode.
Verdict
My Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 9 was one of the best episodes in this show’s storied history and was a masterclass in character writing and storytelling. This arc truly is turning out to be the show’s best.
Click here to read the review of the next episode!