If you are a fan of My Hero Academia, you should know these facts to enjoy the big hit anime more and deeper!
1 Deku's quote in the beginning of final arc
“That’s a giant villain.”
Anime season 1 episode 1, Manga episode 1, Comic no.1 p6
In the manga episode 306, Deku gained several quirks from ex O.F.A. successors and decided to leave U.A. high school to find and defeat Tomura Shigaraki; the final arc has begun here. In the beginning of the arc, Deku sat on a high place looking down the ground and muttered “That’s a giant villain.” Do you remember he said exactly the same line before? Yes, he said it at the very beginning of the story (Anime season 1 episode 1, Manga episode 1, Comic no.1 p6). The author Kohei Horikoshi sensei must have made Deku say this line on purpose for comparing and the comparison is interesting. In the first episode, Deku was innocent, excited and was just one of mobs crowding to see Hero’s cool work. However, In the episode 306, he looked so serious, down to the Earth and was to be the one who defeats villains to bring the peace back to the society.
Left: Source: Kohei Horikoshi 『My Hero Academia』vol.1, p6
2 The doctor who examined little Deku was the collaborator of A.F.O.
Left: Kyudai Garaki (Source: Horikoshi 『My Hero Academia』vol.25, p178
In the world of MHA, most people have some kind of quirks and the quirk is supposed to appear by around 4 years old. But Deku didn’t get any sign of quirk so that his mom took him to doctor. He was examined “quirkless” there (Anime season 1 episode 1, Manga episode 1, Comic no.1 p23). Surprisingly, the doctor was the same guy who developed Nomu and collaborates A.F.O. His name was Kyudai Garaki (Manga episode 259, Comic no.27 p8) and I think we’ll get to see Heroes’ battle against him and A.F.O. in the future stories!
3 The nomu with wings was Deku’s childhood friend?
After the battle against Stain, the Hero killer, in Hosu city, a nomu with wings came from the sky, He grabbed Deku and tried to kidnap him (Stain stopped them though). Do you remember the nomu (Anime season 2 episode 30, Manga episode 55, Comic no.7 p44)? And do you remember the big kid with wings standing next to Bakugo when they were little? They might be the same person. Horikoshi sensei mentioned it in the comic no.6 though he didn’t say it clearly and just gave us a hint. The kid was explained in the official character book “ULTRA ARCHIVES”, too. According to the book, he was the grandson of the doctor who examined little Deku. The doctor is the one who created nome! So, that means he made his grand son turn into…. No way!
4 Japanese school year and entrance exam
In Japan, a school year starts from April and 9-year education is mandatory (6 years in elementary school and 3 years in junior high school). If you want to enter high school after the compulsory education, you need to take an exam by the high school you would like to enroll. These exams usually take place in winter (around January and February). So, many students decide which high school to go early in the 3rd year of junior high school. Deku had the 10-month training with All Might for the U.A. entrance exam. That means he first met All Might in April or May.
5 Ochako has a slight western accent.
U.A High School is the No.1 school as a Hero academy in Japan so that talented students gather from all over Japan to be Heroes. Its location is not clear but, it should be somewhere around Shizuoka prefecture Deku lives 40 minutes away from school by train and his home is in Shizuoka prefecture according to his official profile. Also, Ochako’s officail profile says that she is from Mie prefecture located in the western Japan. Therefore, she speaks with a slight western accent and that makes how she talks even cuter. She is only student with an accent among the class 1-A. Since Ochako’s home is far from U.A., she lives by herself. By the way, Fatgum, the pro hero has his office in Osaka, and he speaks with a strong Osaka accent.
6 The tea All Might made for Deku has a chabashira.
In the anime series season 1 episode 14 (Manga ep 22, Comic no.3 p102), All Might made a cup of Japanese tea for Deku. Did you notice something was in the tea? It’s not a peace of dust but a tea stalk and it’s called “Chabashira (茶柱 ちゃばしら)” in Japanese. It’s said that having a tea stalk floating erect in your tea is a sign of good luck. The best hero makes even a cup of tea “PLUS ULTRA”!
7 Sports day and School festival
Japanese school usually has a sports day and school festival every year. On the sports day, you enjoy many kinds of sports or dances and compete individually or by class. In the school festival, you can enjoy various activities: cooking and selling food, dancing, playing misic, exhibiting art works, etc. Both events are big events for Japanese students and of course for U.A. students, too!
8 Giri choco
When All Might explained how to transfer OFA to another one(Anime season 2 episode 21, Manga episode 59, Comic no.7 p 115), he compared it to a giri choco (義理チョコ ぎりちょこ). In Japan, girls give chocolates to ones who they like on Valentine’s day. Sometimes, they give chocolates to their male friends or coworkers just as a present. These chocolates are called “giri choco” (Giri means courtesy).
9 Mahoro created the illusion of Shisa.
Mahoro Shimano is a cute little girl who cares her little brother Katsuma from MHA’s second film “Hero’s Rising”. When the cruel villain Nine was about to take Katsuma’s quirk away, Mahoro tried to protect him by creating a big animal-like illusion (Her quirk is “Hologram”). The animal is Shisa (シーサー しーさー), an imaginary animal which is treated as a guardian god in Okinawa prefecture. “Nabu island” in the film doesn’t exist but is based on Okinawa prefecture located in the southern Japan.
My Hero Academia is getting heated up more than before. The 5th season for anime has started and the 3rd film in coming out. Can’t wait!