Key findings

• My Hero Academia finally confronts the oppression that heteromorphs face and shows the fierce fight for justice in episode 152.
• Shoji’s backstory reveals the deep-rooted issues that come with heteromorphism and contrasts with Spinner’s tragic transformation.
• The episode’s focus on marginalized heteromorphs adds an exciting layer to the series and sheds light on social injustices and the characters’ motivations.

The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia episode 152, “Together with Shoji,” now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Since the beginning My Hero AcademiaThe existence of heteromorphs is a widely accepted norm, but the oppression they face is often greatly underestimated in the plot. At least the Was This has been the case through the last few seasons, and as if to make up for lost time, this week’s episode was an emotional and gripping reckoning with how this plight went unnoticed.

Throughout the season, the heroes engage in a fierce battle of attrition with All for One and his forces after using a copy of Kurogiri’s warp ability to divide the villains across Japan. Meanwhile, a group of Heteromorphs led by Spinner fight to free the imprisoned Kurogiri from the Central Hospital, where fellow Heteromorphs Shoji and Koda are waiting to stop them.

Facing the truth of being a heteromorph

Since season 2 My Hero AcademiaThe narrative was about exposing the flaws of society and using them to challenge the idea of ​​being a hero in such a broken world. None of this is new, and yet after seeing how this episode dealt with the oppression of heteromorphs and the desire for justice it engendered, it’s like this show has barely scratched the surface so far. And while that’s not true, the sentiment itself speaks to how powerful the execution was here.

This is not just a battle between the police – who represent the maintenance of current society – and the heteromorphs – who embody how that society has failed in the most fundamental ways. It is a battle between Shoji and Spinner, two heteromorphs on opposite sides of a war that will affect not only their marginalized group, but the fate of Japan and the world.

Why does Shoji fight for those who fear him?

At the beginning of the episode, the worst side of humanity is immediately shown, as rocks are thrown through the windows of a heteromorph country house on a dull, rainy day. Due to the direction, any viewer not paying attention might think this flashback is about weirdos, but it isn’t. As we learn not even halfway through the episode, this is Shoji’s backstory. He understands better than anyone what it means to be heteromorphic in this world.

But the ominous shot of Spinner’s face before the opening theme plays isn’t just a misdirection. It shows that Shoji could easily have become like him if things had been just a little different. Through Shoji’s painful memories My Hero Academia asks how someone who has so many reasons to hate the world can dedicate his life to being a hero in it. The answer is not particularly original, but it is delivered with sincerity and feeling.

After saving someone’s life at a young age, Shoji decided that the joy he felt from helping people far outweighed any satisfaction he could get from seeking revenge. Just as dwelling on that event saved him from the pain of all his other memories, he wants to be a hero who can give the children of tomorrow many more beautiful memories. As such, he hopes that the next generation can continue to fight hatred.

The tragic arming of Spinner

If Shoji’s story was a triumph, Spinner’s was a tragedy. He has always been a fascinating character because he exists as an imitation of an icon. He took his cue from Stain, inspired to fight back against a broken world, only to become an icon himself for other heteromorphs. But instead of standing up as a leader of a movement, his transformation causes him to lose his individuality and become a giant puppet serving the ambitions of All for One.

It really ramps up the tension of the fight between him and Shoji because it’s no longer just about stopping Spinner. It’s about how much of him is left, whether the rioters are victorious or not. The nameless spider-like heteromorph preaching from the roof is a great villain, twisting Spinner’s few coherent words to incite the crowd. It’s painful because Spinner, like many of the League’s best villains, isn’t entirely unlikable and now needs saving too.

Why this episode works so well

There is an important reason why the focus on the plight of heteromorphs is so effective Now than before, and it’s spelled out in this very episode. As viewers, we’ve viewed this society – both the good and the bad – primarily through the lens of the setting; a densely populated and diverse city. The strides that have been made to be more progressive and accepting of heteromorphs are clear to see. They hold key positions in schools and government institutions throughout the series.

And what’s interesting is that most anime viewers probably never saw this as “progress,” but simply the norm. It’s only after the characters through whose young eyes we follow this story do we learn that the world is not as peaceful as it seems. Outside of the big cities, life is still dangerous for heteromorphs, and the aggression against them, whether microscopic or macroscopic, has only piled up until violence is inevitable.

Koda’s time to shine (literally)

Shoji stole the show this week, but it would be a crime not to acknowledge how great Koda was. The flashback where his mom tells him to be angry “when people laugh at someone you care about” and be an adult who can “get really angry” was the icing on the cake. It conveys such a wholesome message about defending others and cuts through the cynicism of the story through the sheer force of Koda’s adorable positivity, complete with a sick transformation.

The long-awaited fight last week was great, but as cool as Deku is and as gripping as the conflict against All for One can be, episodes like this will always My Hero Academiais the best. When this series started, the number of characters in Class 1-A was almost overwhelming, but years later, the series has rarely failed to make each of them a great character. With any luck, it will do so many more times before the anime comes to an end.