Review: My Hero Academia Ep. 23 – Shoto Todoroki: Origin

Midoriya and Todoroki’s battle soars to dizzying heights, turning into one of best climaxes of My Hero Academia.

I said last time that this episode was going to be epic and it was that times 10! Needless to say, if you haven’t seen this episode yet, do that now before reading any further. A great balance between action and character development make this match even more engaging to watch. I hardly even noticed that 20 minutes had passed until the end credits rolled.

I will admit it was difficult to see Midoriya hurt himself using “One-For-All” at 100%. It was more extensive than the first time he used the quirk during the entrance exam because he used his fingers to channel the power not once but twice, and the second time around those fingers were already broken. I mentioned before in “Cavalry Battle Finale” that I hope Midoriya will be able to use “One-For-All” without hurting himself in the future, because if this keeps up, I doubt his body can withstand the rate of injuries he is sustaining.

As the title of the episode suggests, there are flashbacks to Todoroki’s childhood which was one of isolation as his father pushed him from the age of five to control and utilize his quirk in combat. His mother although supportive and a more positive role model in his life, had a mental breakdown due to the abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband. This ultimately ended with Todoroki’s left side of his face being scarred from having boiling water thrown at him. Admittedly she shouldn’t have taken it out on her son, but considering her mental state it is forgivable which is more than I can say for Endeavor. No wonder Todoroki went to such lengths to use his ice power exclusively over his fire power.

But I love that Midoriya pushed Todoroki to give his best and not hold back. He reminded him that it was his power and not his father’s and  that it is how you use your power that makes a difference. This prompts Todoroki to use his left side and from there leads into the most epic fight animation that I have ever seen, and that is no exaggeration. While it was disappointing that Midoriya lost (even though I knew that he was not making it to the final round), this was the best way he could have gone. Honestly, words alone do not give it justice, which why this episode should be viewed rather than described.

Rating: