I’ll be the first to admit that I’m still learning the greater lore of My Hero Academia. On the surface, it looks like a typical shonen superhero show. So, I was pleasantly surprised by the skin-crawling body horror that permeates every episode. Especially considering the younger demographic the show seemed to be aiming for.
After watching as many of the My Hero Academia movies as I could get my hands on last year, I started in on the show this year. Since I enjoyed where the characters were at during Heroes Rising, I picked season 4 to jump in. It’s backtracking a bit, but I needed the extra context. I’ll probably go back and watch the early seasons eventually, but right now, the “Shie Hassaikai” arc delivered plenty of action, character, and “did they really do that” moments.
Superheroes and Reality
All superhero stories have a measure of pushing the limits of the body; from heroes who can stretch their limbs, to shapeshifters. In a realistic setting, these powers are horrific and would likely cause their wielder immense pain, or at least psychological damage. A lot of comics shy away from that aspect. My Hero Academia not only faces it head on, it’s a feature.
A large part of My Hero Academia, at least in the movies and episodes I’ve seen so far, is about the cost of heroism and villainy. One of the most impactful ways to deliver that message is through the visuals of body horror. Potential Spoilers Ahead for anyone not familiar with the story.
The Horrific Fate of Heroes
All-Might suffers from his own crippling physical limitations due to his battles against villains. The use of his power to save people created a situation where he can now no longer use that ability. He sacrificed everything for his beliefs. Now, his damaged body looks and feels so different from the one he spent years training.
All-Might occasionally coughs up blood. The show frames it a joke, along with Deku’s horrified reactions. Timing is everything. Showing All- Might still suffering from One-for-All, while Deku works to become the next symbol its while inspiring, also heartbreaking. My Hero Academia is telling the viewer early that there will be a cost for Deku. I appreciate the warning.
He passed his power (Quirk), “One for All”, on to Deku because he believes that Deku can improve it and become society’s new Symbol of Justice. But, he also knows the cost. Would Superman send a middle-schooler out to fight Darkseid? Probably not, even if Batman would.
Deku
As for Deku, he constantly pushes himself to improve his Quirk to the point where he destroys his body in the process, smashing his limbs apart to be able to use a bit more power. It’s a brutal process, animated carefully to show the lasting impact on his scarred and broken body. More impactful is the fact that Deku is a child;not just because of his injuries, but because of his determination to accept them, and work through them.
In the various movies I’ve watched. I’d seen Deku break his limbs before unleashing his power, but nothing drove this point home like his final battle with Overhaul. With Eri strapped to his back, he’s able to push the limits of “One for All”, destroying his body, only to have her rewind it back to its original state so he can do it all over again. It’s a fantastic scene that highlights how far Deku will stretch his body and mind. Thankfully, the show moves quickly though this and makes the point that Eri is rewinding him almost faster than he can feel it.
Other Heroes
The “One for All” heroes aren’t the only ones with potentially crippling quirks. The entire world is a frightening, unsafe place. Young children with little discipline or self-control can unleash energy bolts. Kids can leak deadly lasers from their body due to incompatible quirks. Most horrifying of all, a flashback warns that the possibility exists of getting split in half if a quirk is used wrong. Every student of U.A. has a Quirk that, if used even slightly wrong, could cause death, dismemberment, or grievous bodily injury to themselves or bystanders.
There is a cost to being a hero, and even when that cost is played for laughs, the dark side of heroics isn’t ignored. Kaminari can’t push past his limits, or he will literally fry his brain and become a liability to his team. Togata’s “Permeation” requires immense control, focus, and training so he doesn’t suffocate himself. And then, there’s all the training he endured, just to have his Quirk lost, if only temporarily. Was any part of what he felt relief? Probably not, since he’s doing hero stuff in You’re Next, but it’s an interesting thought.
It’s About Intent
So many of the heroes’ quirks are only able to be used at great risk to themselves, they don’t feel heroic. That’s not a complaint; in fact, it’s one of the strongest narrative elements of My Hero Academia. There is no clear divide between good and bad powers. They’re all dangerous and some of them are even downright monstrous. It’s how the holder chooses to use them that makes the difference. Most of the hero’s quirks would not be out of place on a villain, and due to the damage they cause, their owners would make a lot of sense for a solid evil origin story.
Toga could be seen as the exception here, but I think it’s less the nature of her Quirk, and more how people perceived her Quirk, where things went wrong for her.
The Villains
While the heroes excel at using violent and brutal Quirks in noble ways, the villains seem to have much more symbolic Quirks. Their powers tie more directly to their desires to reshape the world to benefit themselves, as well as the lengths they will go to in order to accomplish it.
Dabi
Dabi’s “Blueflame” is the one that disturbs me the most, in the best way of course. The idea of setting yourself on fire to burn the world is so perfect for a villain. Granted, I don’t know much about him yet, but in a sea of horrific powers and interesting character designs, he continually stands out for me. The scars that cover his arms and face tell a lot about his backstory and the impact of his Quirk.
Overhaul
“Overhaul” is another Quirk that is both horrific when used on a human, and appropriately metaphorical. He’s able to break things down and restore them in the way he sees fit, perfect for someone trying to rebuild society the way he wants. It’s gruesome when he breaks down his underlings to turn himself into a monster. It’s much worse when he uses it on Eri so he can medically experiment on her to learn how her Quirk rewinds the injuries he causes, before restoring her and starting fresh.
This continuous cycle of torture, and the physical and emotional scars it leaves behind, is so harrowing that it’s almost worth it to see Shigaraki show up and end Overhaul’s ability to use his Quirk.
Shigaraki
Shigaraki is another good example of someone overwhelmed by the destructive nature of their Quirk. As well as the abusive environment he grew up in. His body shows the impact of “Decay,” both from inadvertently using it on himself and from the suffering that comes with possessing it. However, “Decay” is not his natural Quirk; All for One gave it to him. How a Quirk is acquired has little effect on how it’s used, or it’s compatibility with its owner.
In Shigaraki’s case, his Quirk is the cause of his family’s death and years of mental anguish. The weight of knowing that all your touch does is destroy, would be overwhelming without proper guidance and direction. The decay obvious on his own body in any other world would be a powerful metaphor for his mental state. In My Hero Academia, appearance is no indication of intent, and it more aligns with the physical cost.
I Love Toga
Toga Himiko is one more villain worth discussing. Her Quirk is one of the more extreme-sounding one, as she can shapeshift into anyone whose blood she has consumed. The combination of people’s natural aversion to blood with our paranoia and distrust of shapeshifters, mimics, and doppelgangers, and the implied and demonstrated violence needed for her to gather her materials, combines for one of the more interesting and compelling Quirks.
Her character is rounded out by her mental illnesses and obsessions. The characteristics she displays are fitting for anyone who spends time mimicking other people, taking on their appearance and personality and then shedding them with ease. At the same time, there is something truly tragic about her character, and while I do know how her story ends, I read parts of the last arc in the manga, I find it bittersweet and appropriate. She’s probably the one villain I would have given a redemption arc, and not just ‘cause she’s a cutie.
The Society
So much could go wrong in raising a child with a Quirk. In this setting, it makes sense that the majority of the population would have them. They would need to in order to have a society with the resources to support these citizens and not dissolve into pure bloody anarchy. This is, however, a society that is more than comfortable putting children in danger. No matter how many rules and regulations they claim to have in place, I can’t help but think of the many scenes that are shown of crowds of people standing around while Deku and company throw themselves in the line of fire.
Some of these scenes take place before he has his Quirk. 80% of these people have powers, and they are willing to let kids fight for them. That’s messed up. It’s also fantastic worldbuilding. This is not a perfect world, and that gives the villains a very reasonable point of view. Even if their methods are horrible and terrifying, the desire to make the world equitable is understandable given some of what we are shown.
Final Thoughts
My Hero Academia doesn’t linger on the body horror elements of Quirks, it is a show for teens, but they’re present all the same. As are the themes of societal imbalance, and choice over fate. I didn’t watch MHA when it first came out because of my own preconceptions and general superhero fatigue. While I can’t say that I regret that decision, I am glad I got into now. It is a shonen anime, but it’s a good one with more depth and danger then I ever expected. Also, there’s a bird guy with an evil shadow inside him; if that’s not horror, idk anymore.
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