Discussion Character development and Plot

[Koi Kage]

By now the series has been around for a while giving Horikoshi to expand on the plot and characters of MHA. Over the course of the series many things have changed for better or worse depending on who you ask and I thought that with the series 3rd season coming up in a few weeks it be good to discuss the changes the series has gone through from characters and their development the overall plot the good and the bad as well as where they might go in the near future.

 

[Franz]

Without doubt, the character that has progressed the most is Bakugo.

Izuku as well, but I would like to see more self-esteem and less insecurity begin in the future. The fact that he was forced to renounce the One for All should not be repeated.

I enjoyed Kirishima's growth, while Iida and Ochacko slightly lagged behind. Ditto for Todoroki.

 

[mugen]

I’m sorry but how come no one has gotten irritated by the fact that Deku hasn’t yet branched out from being an All Might copycat. I mean, character development, hello?!

Seriously, everything he’s done, thus far, has been an imitation of All Might. Born quirckless, I understand.
But after the whole, going through his sidekick and previous mentor, Gran Torino, I’m just hopping he’ll branch out, soon.

I could be completely wrong and the mangaka’s intention throughout the whole series may have just been using Deku as a plot device to show how All Might (someone smiliar to Deku in some aspects) rose to be the number one Hero. I hope not, because otherwise, it would dehumanize Deku and never break the parallels between Deku and All Might.

Although, it would be somewhat comical if what I say is true, that Bakugou is also a plot device, in this case being Endevour as a youth. That is to say, someone that was born with talent but was beaten out by perseverance and a little luck (or a lot of luck in the case of the one for all quirk). If this is the case, then perhaps we can see some parallels beginning to break whereas we have seen throughout the whole series that Deku (like Naruto) never hates his rival but always strives to connect and establish a friendship with his rival, Bakugou (Sasuke).

This wouldn’t be te first time Boku No hero academia has copied from Naruto. I mean, Aizawa Sensei.... lazy aloof teacher with a doujin power... com’n.

 

[Demonspeed]

I’m sorry but how come no one has gotten irritated by the fact that Deku hasn’t yet branched out from being an All Might copycat. I mean, character development, hello?!

Seriously, everything he’s done, thus far, has been an imitation of All Might. Born quirckless, I understand.
But after the whole, going through his sidekick and previous mentor, Gran Torino, I’m just hopping he’ll branch out, soon.

I could be completely wrong and the mangaka’s intention throughout the whole series may have just been using Deku as a plot device to show how All Might (someone smiliar to Deku in some aspects) rose to be the number one Hero. I hope not, because otherwise, it would dehumanize Deku and never break the parallels between Deku and All Might.

Although, it would be somewhat comical if what I say is true, that Bakugou is also a plot device, in this case being Endevour as a youth. That is to say, someone that was born with talent but was beaten out by perseverance and a little luck (or a lot of luck in the case of the one for all quirk). If this is the case, then perhaps we can see some parallels beginning to break whereas we have seen throughout the whole series that Deku (like Naruto) never hates his rival but always strives to connect and establish a friendship with his rival, Bakugou (Sasuke).

This wouldn’t be te first time Boku No hero academia has copied from Naruto. I mean, Aizawa Sensei.... lazy aloof teacher with a doujin power... com’n.

There are parallels but Deku is very different from All Might, and his style is being different since his Shoot Style, gadgets and stuff. What more can you expect? Deku has rescue at his core because he was won over by the side of All Might who was saving people with his smile, Bakugou was won over by the side of All Might who was always winning his battles. The Endeavor parallels are with his son, that became very obvious in the Provisional License arc especially and what they say about their looks. Even the recent chapter had one with the scars(Shouto is very different from his dad too, and he has also been inspired by an aspect of All Might).

Deku wasn't really trying hard to become friends again with Bakugou and same for the latter. They were avoiding each others. Their relationship is starting to get better since their last battle and obviously things can only get better from now on.

There are definitely similarities between Aizawa and Kakashi, but is that really a problem? Horikoshi isn't trying to copy Naruto and it's not like Kishimoto didn't get inspiration from other works as well.

Anyway, Deku and many others have grown a lot. How do you want him to behave exactly?

 

[mugen]

It’s not that I hate that there are parallels but how can they not be salient?!

I mean, again, it is hard for Deku to develop an identity when every rite of passage comes through a connection of sorts to All Might. Again, this isn’t a problem per se but it is quite salient. And again, if that’s the sole intention of the mangaka, then so be it.

Not to sound pedantic but Shōnen mangas have quite for some time become mundane for me. Just trying to keep that stimulation going for me.

 

[Demonspeed]

It’s not that I hate that there are parallels but how can they not be salient?!

I mean, again, it is hard for Deku to develop an identity when every rite of passage comes through a connection of sorts to All Might. Again, this isn’t a problem per se but it is quite salient. And again, if that’s the sole intention of the mangaka, then so be it.

Not to sound pedantic but Shōnen mangas have quite for some time become mundane for me. Just trying to keep that stimulation going for me.

You mean you want him to work with people who have no relationships with All Might?

 

[mugen]

Pretty much, but more than anything, it just too much All Might connected. And not that I’m mad at that per se but I’m just paying devils advocate. Making an argument for Deku’s development outside of All Might’s influence.

 

[Kariya]

There are parallels but Deku is very different from All Might, and his style is being different since his Shoot Style, gadgets and stuff. What more can you expect? Deku has rescue at his core because he was won over by the side of All Might who was saving people with his smile, Bakugou was won over by the side of All Might who was always winning his battles. The Endeavor parallels are with his son, that became very obvious in the Provisional License arc especially and what they say about their looks. Even the recent chapter had one with the scars(Shouto is very different from his dad too, and he has also been inspired by an aspect of All Might).

Deku wasn't really trying hard to become friends again with Bakugou and same for the latter. They were avoiding each others. Their relationship is starting to get better since their last battle and obviously things can only get better from now on.

There are definitely similarities between Aizawa and Kakashi, but is that really a problem? Horikoshi isn't trying to copy Naruto and it's not like Kishimoto didn't get inspiration from other works as well.

Anyway, Deku and many others have grown a lot. How do you want him to behave exactly?

tbh the parallel between Shoto and Endeavor is forced as hell, and was pretty stupid in the Provisional License arc. There is like 0 similarity be between the 2 not counting superficial things, like whoa, Shoto was a bit dickish at some point which is totally Endeavor, and now both has scars around their left eye. Shoto is a good guy, not very expressive but doesnt have any of Endeavors old crap in him, even his pre-Deku self was nothing like Endeavor, just a bit more cold and grumpy.

I agree Bakugou as a character is much more similar to Endeavor than Shoto, especially the complexes.

about character development, I think its a shame it feels like the author gave everyone a thing, it got solved more or less and now feels like he dont know where to develop them. Like I feel like last time Shoto had any REAL development was when his fight against Deku. the whole Inasa thing was pretty stupid imo and now giving his father a chance to redeem himself is nice and all, but I feel like its more about Endeavor than Shoto. it shouldnt affect his character unless he is specifically with Endeavor. he is pretty much the same since the Stain arc.
Iida didnt get development since Stain either.. something something "I will stop you from acting rash cause thats what I did and you stopped me and I care" and some lines about rivalry and how he is doing his best to keep up with Deku - which is not exactly new.
Bakugou, we got to keep dealing with his complexes all the time him getting act like a normal person slowly, guess thats a big development for him given his character was all about buttrage at the beginning and now he is ok now, more or less, but not the development I'd have preferred to spend this much time on.. I guess I just didnt like what his character is about from the get go, and it feels like he got developed from an asshole to decent and it took a looot of screentime.
and Ochako, like the worst of all, barely any change (not counting the usual determination and doing best stuff everyone has), just that horrible crush on Deku which feels very forced and going nowhere. had like 0 role.. like pretty much all females.

Out of the students Kirishima was like the last person who got any real development in the Overhaul arc.

And a lot of good side characters had barely any development at all.. like Jirou, whose biggest thing was her talent for music and the School Festival performance.really wasted imo.

I get it its hard to comer up with more issues for the characters after they had been established, but with focusing on characters like the big 3 while its been forever since the most of the core cast did anything relevant and some of them absent for arcs I feel like Hori is not even trying much.

Im hoping for some arc they'd have to deal with some moral issues that could give them the potential to show new sides. like killing a villain when there is no other option, or fighting opponents less obviously evil and more morally gray, like anti-heroes who would kill villains, maybe Destros quirk liberation army, or something that would divide them.. just things more morally complex and less of the usual heroic stuff.

 

[Thandi]

I think this manga has a hard time with having such a large cast of characters to potentially focus on and develop even if we are just talking about class A-1. It has a hard time coming back to all of them. At the end of the day, the story is not a particularly broad one so not all of them need development or are that relevant as much as I would like for guys like Sato and even Kouda to get some limelight. The mythology of the series IMO is all about All Might and the message of the story is going to be about influence. The influences of All Might, Midoriya, All For One, and etc.

The characters who have gotten development; Midoriya himself, Bokugo, Todoroki, and I would argue Momo were all influenced by All Might. Iida and Ochako were influenced by Midoriya. You also have Aizawa, Gran Torino, Endeavor, Mirio, and now Hawks having gotten some development to finally start to broaden the message about how much good and how much harm in world influences are doing. All these characters have and will rotate to get focus at various times in the story. I would personally like to see Midoriya and Bokugo leading a sentai like a team of heroes when all is said and done. I think Ochako and Iida fit perfectly as the remaining two teammates since the other four with a six ranger are obvious to me.