hey guys, sorry for the random unannounced hiatus. not gonna get super into detail, but I basically had to take a break for mental and physical health reasons. I’ve been dealing with a lot of stress which was starting to manifest in the form of insomnia, which meant my worn-out brain was very much notup to the task of handling work, school (recently had to start taking courses for the career path I’m on now, which is the first time I’ve had to worry about school stuff in more than a decade and it sucks so hard oh my god), real life obligations, and fandom. so I put fandom on the backburner since it was the only one of the four where that was really an option. I should have made an update post at some point, but tbh I’m also kind of glad I didn’t because my ADHD brain consistently fails at estimating how much time is needed for something, and so if I had posted an update I’m positive I would have made a bunch of promises on a return date and then repeatedly had to walk those back. and that would have just led to more stress.
anyway but having said that, I’m pretty sure I’ll be ready to start catching up in the next few days. my brain feels like it has gotten used to the current workload and has finally had enough rest to get up to speed again. and more importantly, being four chapters behind on BnHA makes me feel like I’m stepping into a potential minefield of spoilers any time I open up tumblr lol. Horikoshi’s pacing is kind of wildly inconsistent as of late, and so it feels like anything could have happened in the interim here. maybe he’s spent the last month doing more side character tribute chapters. or maybe the final battle is already halfway done and Deku and Kacchan have already had their Cathartic Hug Chapter and we found out who OFA Two was and Tomura has powered up yet again and is walking around with long Sesshoumaru hair. please don’t spoil me either way if you would be so kind (in fact I would prefer no comments about BnHA at all so I can read those chapters free of expectations), but I’m looking forward to finding out, hopefully shortly.
anyway so yeah, that’s my update and I am sorry for vanishing for three weeks with no explanation! hope everyone is doing well. and that tumblr hasn’t made any more wacky changes like banning tags entirely or introducing Tumblr Shorts or any other weird shit lol.
this is mostly just to go along with the Deku post since I got all swept up in it now lol.
so if you’re not familiar with the Enneagram System, it’s basically a system of personality classification in the same vein as Myers-Briggs. the key differences from MBTI are as follows:
while MBTI sorts people into sixteen different personality types based on how you recharge emotionally, how you make decisions, and how you perceive the world, Enneagram uses just nine personality types, and the criteria for figuring out one’s personality type is based on uncovering your greatest needs/desires, as well as your greatest fears.
a key aspect of the Enneagram system is the fact that each personality type has different Wings (basically a second/complimentary side to your personality), and different Levels (e.g. it takes into account that we behave in different ways depending on our current emotional state and level of personal growth). so really there are more like 27 personality types, and each type has nine different levels which can vary drastically in terms of how people behave in each one. it all stems from the same place, however – those same base desires and fears.
the nine types also have a weird relationship chart thing going on where each type shares similarities with other types and the whole thing forms a sort of intricate interconnected pattern lol. I’m not gonna bother getting into that here because it’s not super important, but it isinteresting, and that’s basically where the whole “enneagram” name comes from in the first place; it’s this alchemic-looking pattern with the nine types arranged on a circle with little triangles drawn between each one. somehow it all works out, apparently. it’s pseudoscience of course, just like MBTI is, but it’s fun pseudoscience lol.
anyway, so I’ve often found Enneagram to be pretty spot-on in summarizing personalities once you pinpoint a person or character’s type, and Kacchan happens to be a particularly great example of this. it’s seriously one of the most perfect descriptions of his character you’ll ever come across.
THE CHALLENGER Enneagram Type Eight The Powerful, Dominating Type: Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational
Eights are self-confident, strong, and assertive.Protective, resourceful, straight-talking, and decisive, but can also be ego-centric and domineering. Eights feel they must control their environment, especially people, sometimes becoming confrontational and intimidating. Eights typically have problems with their tempers and with allowing themselves to be vulnerable. At their Best: self- mastering, they use their strength to improve others’ lives, becoming heroic, magnanimous, and inspiring.
Basic Fear: Of being harmed or controlled by others
Basic Desire: To protect themselves (to be in control of their own life and destiny)
Key Motivations: Want to be self-reliant, to prove their strength and resist weakness, to be important in their world, to dominate the environment, and to stay in control of their situation.
The Meaning of the Arrows (in brief) When moving in their Direction of Disintegration (stress), self-confident Eights suddenly become secretive and fearful at Five. However, when moving in their Direction of Integration (growth), lustful, controlling Eights become more open-hearted and caring, like healthy Twos.
the Arrow stuff relates to the relationship chart stuff I was talking about in that third bullet point. type Two just so happens to be Deku’s type, btw. so basically the more that Katsuki grows as a person, the more he’ll continue to take on the best of Deku’s traits. (and conversely, unhealthy Twos often take on some Eight traits, which is absolutely hilarious to me when I think about how Deku takes on Kacchan’s speech patterns and starts cursing people out when he gets especially pissed off lmao.)
anyway so I am just going to more or less copy/paste the entire rest of the type Eight profile underneath the cut while periodically stopping to gush about how well it fits him lol.
Type Eight Overview
We have named personality type Eight “The Challenger” because, of all the types, Eights enjoy taking on challengesthemselves as well as giving others opportunities that challenge them to exceed themselves in some way. Eights are charismatic and have the physical and psychological capacities to persuade others to follow them into all kinds of endeavors—from starting a company, to rebuilding a city, to running a household, to waging war, to making peace.
or to fight battles against villains. yeah, pretty much everything here is stuff we’ve known since the Sports Festival if not even earlier than that. charismatic, effortlessly gets people to follow him, and is always looking to climb that next wall.
Eights have enormous willpower and vitality, and they feel most alive when they are exercising these capacities in the world. They use their abundant energy to effect changes in their environment—to “leave their mark" on it—but also to keep the environment, and especially other people, from hurting them and those they care about. At an early age, Eights understand that this requires strength, will, persistence, and endurance—qualities that they develop in themselves and which they look for in others.
determination from an early age, and a desire to become not only a hero, but the greatest hero who ever lived.
Eights do not want to be controlled or to allow others to have power over them (their Basic Fear), whether the power is psychological, sexual, social, or financial. Much of their behavior is involved with making sure that they retain and increase whatever power they have for as long as possible. An Eight may be a general or a gardener, a small businessman or a mogul, the mother of a family or the superior of a religious community. No matter: being “in charge” and leaving their imprint on their sphere is uniquely characteristic of them.
I don’t think I need to add anything to this. being in charge, lol.
Eights are the true “rugged individualists” of the Enneagram. More than any other type, they stand alone. They want to be independent, and resist being indebted to anyone. They often refuse to “give in” to social convention, and they can defy fear, shame, and concern about the consequences of their actions. Although they are usually aware of what people think of them, they do not let the opinions of others sway them. They go about their business with a steely determination that can be awe inspiring, even intimidating to others.
again, not much to add. Katsuki’s insistence on doing everything alone was for a long time the predominant weakness that he needed to overcome. even now he remains very independent, though he’s finally come around to the “teamwork makes the dream work” point of view thanks to his classmates.
Although, to some extent, Eights fear physical harm, far more important is their fear of being disempowered or controlled in some way. Eights are extraordinarily tough and can absorb a great deal of physical punishment without complaint—a double-edged blessing since they often take their health and stamina for granted and overlook the health and well-being of others as well. Yet they are desperately afraid of being hurt emotionally and will use their physical strength to protect their feelings and keep others at a safe emotional distance. Beneath the tough façade is vulnerability, although it has been covered over by layer of emotional armor.
basically the biggest reason why Katsuki had so much trouble wrapping his head around the “save” part of Win And Save was because he was so independent that he couldn’t relate to the idea of other people actually wanting and needing to be rescued. the fact that this paragraph predicts that specific bizarre behavior so casually kind of blows my mind tbh.
and then of course we get to the fear of vulnerability, which I’ve long maintained is at the core of pretty much every single one of Katsuki’s actions. he practically invented emotional distancing, and it’s 100% because of what happened between him and Izuku when they were kids (which was his own dumb fault of course, but even that just goes to show how accurate this actually is). deep down under all those layers of gremlin he is shockingly emotional, possibly themost emotional character in the entire series.
Thus, Eights are often extremely industrious, but at the price of losing emotional contact with many of the people in their lives. Those close to them may become increasingly dissatisfied with this state of affairs, which confounds Eights. (“I don’t understand what my family is complaining about. I bust my hump to provide for them. Why are they disappointed with me?”)
When this happens, Eights feel misunderstood and may distance themselves further. In fact, beneath their imposing exterior, Eights often feel hurt and rejected, although this is something they seldom talk about because they have trouble admitting their vulnerability to themselves, let alone to anyone else. Because they fear that they will be rejected (divorced, humiliated, criticized, fired, or harmed in some way), Eights attempt to defend themselves by rejecting others first. The result is that average Eights become blocked in their ability to connect with people or to love since love gives the other power over them, reawakening their Basic Fear.
emotional distancing, trouble admitting vulnerability, fear of being rejected, and misguided attempts to protect themselves from rejection by rejecting others first. someone should just send Katsuki the link to this entire profile so he can read it and come to a few long-overdue realizations about himself. then again he pretty much already has by this point. but he did it the hard way lol.
The more Eights build up their egos in order to protect themselves, the more sensitive they become to any real or imaginary slight to their self-respect, authority, or preeminence. The more they attempt to make themselves impervious to hurt or pain (whether physical or emotional), the more they “shut down” emotionally to become hardened and rock-like.
haaaaaaaaaah?! lol I can’t.
When Eights are emotionally healthy, however, they have a resourceful, “can-do” attitude as well as a steady inner drive. They take the initiative and make things happen with a great passion for life. They are honorable and authoritative—natural leaders who have a solid, commanding presence. Their groundedness gives them abundant “common sense” as well as the ability to be decisive. Eights are willing to “take the heat,” knowing that any decision cannot please everyone. But as much as possible, they want to look after the interests of the people in their charge without playing favorites. They use their talents and fortitude to construct a better world for everyone in their lives.
damned if this doesn’t lay it all out there perfectly though. Katsuki at his best is a passionate, driven person and a natural leader. everything from the emphasis on being honorable to the willingness to take responsibility for unpopular decisions is absolutely spot on.
okay, so the next section is the part with the different levels of development, and I’m going to list these in the reverse order from how they’re listed on the site, because I want to start with the unhealthiest levels and then build up to the healthy ones. we’re about to go on a spectacular journey of character development lol.
Type Eight—Levels of Development
Unhealthy Levels
Level 9: If they get in danger, they may brutally destroy everything that has not conformed to their will rather than surrender to anyone else. Vengeful, barbaric, murderous. Sociopathic tendencies. Generally corresponds to the Antisocial Personality Disorder.
so in Katsuki’s case, the “danger” being referred to is the perceived emotional danger of being hurt and controlled by others, specifically Deku. unfortunately we already know exactly how accurate this description is, because this is exactly what Katsuki did and who he was at the start of the series. he destroyed his and Izuku’s friendship and tried his best to snuff out Izuku himself (or tried to snuff out his spirit at the very least). needless to say it was not pretty. not his finest hour, or his finest decade for that matter.
Level 8: Develop delusional ideas about their power, invincibility, and ability to prevail: megalomania, feeling omnipotent, invulnerable. Recklessly over-extending self.
props to Izuku for putting a stop to this shit almost immediately in chapters 8 through 11 lol. otherwise he might have really become insufferable. thankfully he had that wakeup call by getting beaten so spectacularly, and took that moment and actually learned from it.
Level 7: Defying any attempt to control them, become completely ruthless, dictatorial, “might makes right.” The criminal and outlaw, renegade, and con-artist. Hard-hearted, immoral and potentially violent.
again, this attitude thankfully got stomped out very early on in the series. he actually is a surprising stickler for the rules most of the time, although he still bristles at any kind of perceived effort to control him. but his reactions to said efforts have chilled the fuck out, for which we can be grateful.
Average Levels
Level 6:Become highly combative and intimidating to get their way: confrontational, belligerent, creating adversarial relationships. Everything a test of wills, and they will not back down. Use threats and reprisals to get obedience from others, to keep others off balance and insecure. However, unjust treatment makes others fear and resent them, possibly also band together against them.
this is pretty much Katsuki’s baseline from the sludge incident up to Kamino. “creating adversarial relationships” and how, lol. seeing everything as a test or a challenge, and using threats to keep other people off balance. it’s all true sob. this profile truly is coming straight at him and pulling no punches.
Level 5:Begin to dominate their environment, including others: want to feel that others are behind them, supporting their efforts. Swaggering, boastful, forceful, and expansive: the "boss” whose word is law. Proud, egocentric, want to impose their will and vision on everything, not seeing others as equals or treating them with respect.
finally learns how to work with others, but still insists on calling them extras lol. the swagger and pride are probably things he’ll always maintain, but thankfully he actually has learned to treat others as equals at long last. once again, it fucking kills me how impossibly on-the-money these descriptions are though, lol. the boss whose word is law.
Level 4: Self-sufficiency, financial independence, and having enough resources are important concerns: become enterprising, pragmatic, “rugged individualists,” wheeler-dealers. Risk-taking, hardworking, denying own emotional needs.
this is probably the least Katsuki-like of all the descriptions, but it still applies; you just have to remove the “business” vibes and insert some pro-hero vibes there instead. basically this is him being capable and hardworking. it even addresses the “denying own emotional needs” part, which is surprising. that’s something Horikoshi hasn’t even gotten to yet (hint hint, Horikoshi, I’m just saying).
Healthy Levels
Level 3: Decisive, authoritative, and commanding: the natural leader others look up to. Take initiative, make things happen: champion people, provider, protective, and honorable, carrying others with their strength.
the Kacchan of chapter 319. ‘nuff said.
Level 2: Self-assertive, self-confident, and strong: have learned to stand up for what they need and want. A resourceful, “can do” attitude and passionate inner drive.
we are getting so close now to what I think Katsuki will have fully become by the end of the series, and what I think he is already well on his way to becoming. this is the Katsuki who has finally overcome all of his doubts and left them all behind. he is literally one meaningful conversation with Deku away from this becoming a reality imo.
Level 1 (At Their Best): Become self-restrained and magnanimous, merciful and forbearing, mastering self through their self-surrender to a higher authority. Courageous, willing to put self in serious jeopardy to achieve their vision and have a lasting influence. May achieve true heroism and historical greatness.
you can see here where the whole thing with healthy type Eights mirroring type Twos comes into play. willing to put self in serious jeopardy to achieve their vision. chapter 285 anyone?
but yeah. true heroism and historical greatness. again, it’s almost like this was literally written about him, it’s so uncanny. that’s his dream, exactly. and he is more than capable of achieving it as this shows. I don’t think he’s ever going to become a completely sanitized, wholesome role model version of himself lol, but these qualities – courageous, heroic, and even merciful and magnanimous – are already things he possesses now. they’re mixed in with all of the ego puffing and thug posturing, but I think we all know that stuff is basically just for show now. this, right here, is Katsuki’s endgame. we literally got to watch him go all the way from level 9 up to level 1 over the course of the series, and that’s fucking incredible.
I’m gonna end this post with the “personal growth recommendations” section, which I skipped over in the Deku post, but which I can’t bring myself to do in this one because I started reading them and gave myself an extreme case of feels lol.
Personal Growth Recommendations for Enneagram Type Eights
- It goes against the grain, but act with self-restraint. You show true power when you forbear from asserting your will with others, even when you could. Your real power lies in your ability to inspire and uplift people. You are at your best when you take charge and help everyone through a crisis. Few will take advantage of you when you are caring, and you will do more to secure the loyalty and devotion of others by showing the greatness of your heart than you ever could by displays of raw power.
- It is difficult for Eights, but learn to yield to others, at least occasionally. Often, little is really at stake, and you can allow others to have their way without fear of sacrificing your power, or your real needs. The desire to dominate everyone all the time is a sign that your ego is beginning to inflate—a danger signal that more serious conflicts with others are inevitable.
-Remember that the world is not against you. Many people in your life care about you and look up to you, but when you are in your fixation, you do not make this easy for them. Let in the affection that is available. Doing this will not make you weak, but will confirm the strength and support in yourself and your life. Also remember that by believing that others are against you and reacting against them, you tend to alienate them and confirm your own fears. Take stock of the people who truly are on your side, and let them know how important they are to you.
I straight up forgot that Mirio had a phasing quirk, and was fully prepared to accept that Aizawa had somehow managed to find a children’s kimono with a peace sign on the sleeve, and had immediately bought it for Eri solely for the purpose of this visual gag.
in my defense, Mirio didn’t get his quirk back until the War arc! meaning that we can logically conclude that this New Year’s sketch is actually taking place post-PLF war. which, combined with the fact that this is clearly a new year’s celebration, means this sketch is actually set post-series. EVERYTHING IN THIS SKETCH IS A SPOILER QUICK AVERT YOUR EYES!
“it’s actually set in the year 20222” yes thank you Horikoshi, I did notice that actually. that’s quite the bold move there. and they said time travel would never happen in BnHA.
somehow Tsuyu always seems to make it onto these things. maybe that doesn’t sound like much of a feat, until you realize that not even Ochako made the cut this year. good for you, Tsuyu.
I literally can’t remember the last time Kirishima wore a shirt on any kind of official artwork. did you just murder Kacchan with a quirk headbutt, Kiri. 20222 BnHA is gonna be straight up insane huh.
Kacchan btw is “Shishimacchan”, shishimai (獅子舞) being the Japanese word for the lion dance which Kacchan is currently manifesting because Horikoshi gonna Horikoshi.
ever since the Deku Alone arc, one has to smile any time one sees Deku cheerfully devouring a delicious bento. it’s what he deserves.
is it just me or is Horikoshi’s English block lettering steadily improving each year? I’m genuinely impressed actually.
so apparently this week is Todoroki’s turn to be shipped with Iida. I gotta tell you guys, one thing I’ve discovered over this past year is that Iida Tenya gets around. how many boyfriends do you have, Iida?? I’m here for it though.
Shouto is “please continue to support me in the new year” Man – kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu man. traditional new year’s greeting. which is why it’s one of the few things I can read easily without running to a kanji dictionary lol.
last but not least I like to think Horikoshi spent basically the entirety of 2021 counting down the days until he could finally ring in the new year by drawing this fucked up tiger. my favorite new year’s tradition for sure. everything about this lil guy is a beautiful mistake. interesting choice of vibes for the forthcoming Final Year of BnHA, but you know what, I’m down with it. Happy New Year guys.
Previously on BnHA: Class 1-A was all “Aoyama, of course we forgive you for the multiple attempted murders! We just wish you’d told us sooner so we could have helped! Helped you deal with All For One, that is. Not helped with the actual murders. That would be crazy.” Aizawa was all, “hi, it’s me, checking in from the hospital that Horikoshi trapped me in so I wouldn’t keep breaking the plot. Anyway I’ve come up with a plan to stop AFO and I think everyone should hear it. Everyone except the readers, that is.” Deku was all, “now that that’s settled I guess I should get a new hero suit, since I can’t exactly fight the final battle in my track jacket and pants. …UNLESS?” Horikoshi was all, “no.” Deku was all, “dammit.” Horikoshi was all, “now go visit Mei.” Deku was all, “is she gonna tackle me with her giant boobs again?” Horikoshi was all, “Deku, this is the last official chapter of 2021. Do you really think I would end it on a panel of Mei tackling you with her giant boobs? …Because you’re absolutely right. I would totally do that.”
Today on BnHA: Mei is all, “sorry Deku and Iida but I can’t fix your costumes… is what I would say if I was a bold-faced liar which apparently I AM.” Deku and Iida are all, “wait so does that mean you’ll do it.” Mei is all, “I already did!!” Deku and Iida are all, “WOW!!” Power Loader is all, “and she even built the U.A. barrier too! Is there anything she can’t do??” and so I guess this is the last we’ll be seeing of Mei then, lol, what a send-off. Meanwhile in Kansai, Team Fatgum is all “well fandom, I hope you’ve been good this year because if you have then maybe Santa will bring you a Big Three + Inasa team-up” and holy shit, yes please. Back in some other place which I can’t quite identify because all of the buildings in this series look the same, All Might is all, “we’ve had one war, yes. What about SECOND WAR.” Just so long as this one ends better than that last one lol.
holy shit
all of these New Year’s mochi characters are amazing, but Mochi Deku is in a league of his own. SO SQUISHY. I WANT ONE WHERE CAN I GET ONE. LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKS OMG
and it looks like Mei is on the cover! brb adjusting my expectations for this chapter just in case we end up spending the entire thing in Mei’s lab instead of the four or five pages I was feebly hoping for sob. no offense to Mei, I’m just impatient to get back to the rest of my class 1-A babies as they struggle to process this latest and greatest in a grueling line of traumas! but hey robots are cool too I guess
anyway so Mei is all “sorry about exploding the door in your face and tackling you for absolutely no reason, I swear it was an accident. you know how these things sometimes happen” oh yeah, all the time. who hasn’t been walking by a door and had it suddenly erupt into flames and been sexily tackled by a random person from the other side
dsflkjls WOW
so basically you’re telling me that Danger Sense’s one and only weakness is comic relief characters. the bane of all shounen protagonists since the dawn of time lol
meanwhile I have no idea what Iida’s “THEY WERE JUST BREASTS” line is all about and I have spent more time than I should readily admit sitting here trying to figure this joke out. is he shocked that Mei’s breasts defeated Danger Sense? trying to reassure Deku that there wasn’t actually any danger because breasts are not dangerous? trying to calm himself down by reassuring himself that there was no reason for his life to start flashing before his eyes the way it did because it was only breasts? I have a feeling it’s the first one, but after giving it a lot of thought I am choosing to go with the third interpretation for my own personal headcanon because bi panic Iida Tenya is the absolute fucking best
so now he’s explaining to Mei that they need repairs for their hero costumes and Mei is all “why don’t you just take them to the usual place” uh gee idk maybe because IT’S THE FUCKING APOCALYPSE, MEI
WHAT KIND OF WEIRD CONVERSATION ARE YOU TWO HAVING
what the heck. have the two of them actually gone deaf from that explosion. what is happening
OH MY GOD LOL
holy shit lmao. “I don’t read the chapters week-to-week, I prefer to wait for the volume releases” THE SELF-DISCIPLINE OMG. MEI YOU LEGEND
so now Power Loader is greeting them, and I almost typed his name as Power Ranger, and by “almost” I mean I totally did and had to go back and fix it lol
YOOO
I SEE Y’ALL HAVE BEEN BUSY
oh my god hold up lol
oh my god. so you were the poor saps that Rat Principal suckered into building his ~ONE BILLION YEN~ sliding block puzzle custom U.A. mod? y’all need to unionize holy shit. I desperately need some sort of flashback showing us exactly how this shit went down omg
RAT PRINCIPAL: I can’t believe the government is drafting our young students and forcing them to risk their lives while serving as unpaid child labor!
RAT PRINCIPAL: how can we get in on this??
POWER LOADER: well idk if this will help but I’ve got a genius in my class who’s one of those Tony Stark inventing prodigies that love building crazy shit.
RAT PRINCIPAL: go on…
POWER LOADER: so I mean, if there’s some big project that you’ve been eyeing, you could always ask her and I bet she would probably do it for free.
RAT PRINCIPAL:excellent!
POWER LOADER: wow and you even did that Mr. Burns finger tapping thing too, okay then. …so uh, is there? a big project? that you had in mind?
RAT PRINCIPAL: well I was thinking of modifying the entire U.A. campus so that it could burrow itself underground in the event of an attack.
RAT PRINCIPAL: you know, kind of breaking the whole thing up into little squares on a grid, and then making it so that each section can submerge itself, and then once they’re underground they can just zoom around in whatever direction they want like one of those little sliding bead mazes that they make for toddlers. I think that would be pretty cool.
RAT PRINCIPAL: anyways just something I was considering.
POWER LOADER: huh. and what kind of budget were you thinking for this?
RAT PRINCIPAL: oh no need to worry about that. I’ve got nine million U.S. dollars burning a hole in my pocket.
POWER LOADER:
RAT PRNCIPAL:(✌ﾟ∀ﾟ)
POWER LOADER: …okay. so what’s interesting about that is that it’s both a shocking amount of money for you to have, while still also being laughably insufficient to fund a project on the kind of scale we’re talking about here.
RAT PRINCIPAL: booooo, no one wants to hear that boring naysayer talk. plus ultra!!
POWER LOADER: okay I really need you to understand that you can’t just say “plus ultra” and expect impossible things to just start happening just like that.
RAT PRINCIPAL: not with thatattitude.
“okay, you know what, I don’t know why you can’t just let it go already,” Horikoshi grumbles while peeling the lid off of his microwaved cup noodles. “it sounded like a big number in my head at the time.” sure it did buddy. sure it did
(ETA: you have no idea how much deliberating I did as to whether or not I should delete this entire random tangent lmao. but in the end it stays and we all just have to learn to live with it.)
uggh noooo not the greasy old hobo gloves again lol. I THOUGHT WE BURNED THESE DAMMIT
oh shit lol she asked him if he was in a hurry and he was all,
this newfound ability of his to transition on a dime between bright squishy mochi Deku and grungy “THERE’S SOMETHING INSIDE ME THAT PULLS BENEATH THE SURFACE” Deku is both deeply unsettling and profoundly hilarious to me for some reason
LMAO
THEN WHY DID YOU EVEN ASK LOL
so now she’s walking away while regurgitating technobabble at him
ah yes, condenium. everyone knows you can’t make a decent compression mechanism without condenium
and now she’s telling Iida she can’t make his either because she doesn’t have the spec sheets. bitch you invented a way to turn U.A. into a futuristic underground moon colony for less than a tenth of the cost of a one-mile subway system. talking about fucking spec sheets. why don’t you want to make their costumes Mei what is this
…are we actually getting Hatsume Mei character development lol
I mean sure I guess. why not. ngl, I’m a bit torn just on account of there being so many other interesting things that I’m really dying to get to, and also because I’m not 100% convinced that Mei, who is basically just a helpful NPC support character that provides the occasional comic relief, actually needs a lot of development so to speak. but on the other hand I’m starting to get an inkling that this might be one of the last if not thelast time we see her character though, so if that’s the case then hell. might as well go for it
yeah okay I’m starting to get those vibes even more now lol
“ENOUGH!!” Horikoshi bellows while frantically trying to cover up the top right corner panel with his hands. “ENOUGH ABOUT THE FUCKING BARRIER UPGRADE!!” well what else am I supposed to make fun of in this chapter dude?? I can’t do it for the Mei development because I love Mei, and because that shit is way too earnest, I mean come on
see, this is exactly what I mean right here
I can’t find a single thing to joke about on this page dammit. Mei saying that this is her way of fighting too? that her inventions are her way of protecting people? listen man I didn’t ask for this
and that look in her eye while she’s saying all of this too. goddamn. you’re really out here giving me Hatsume Mei feels now, Horikoshi. that’s what we’ve come to now
WELL FINE. FEELS IT IS THEN
DFLAKSFLKOR THEN AGAIN,
SO YOU ALREADY HAD THEM READY EVEN BEFORE HE ASKED?? THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU, MEI
WAIT, WHAT
???!
HOLY SHIT I JUST FLIPPED BACK TO PAGE SIX AND IT’S TRUE LMAO
LSDJALFKJSL. “I FORGOT, I HAD SOME SPARE CONDENIUM SITTING ON MY DESK THE WHOLE TIME”
SO DID YOU MAKE HIS ARMOR WITH YOUR FEET THEN OR WHAT LOL. WHAT EVEN ARE YOU
FDSLAKFDJLKJL
EVERY DAMN WEEK HORIKOSHI COMPELS ME TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS MY FAVORITE MANGA SERIES, AND EVERY FUCKING WEEK WE ROLL THE DICE TO DECIDE WHETHER IT’S A WEEK TO BE PROUD OF THAT FACT, OR ONE TO BE ASHAMED. THIS TIME THE ANSWER IS UNABASHED PRIDE, OBVIOUSLY
SO NOW WE’RE CUTTING BACK TO THE 1-A KIDDOS LOL I GUESS THAT’S THAT. FAREWELL, MEI. AND SHE LEFT US WITH THIS PARTING GIFT
Horikoshi truly spent this entire chapter running on 2% fucks huh. it wasn’t enough for him not to bother finishing the backgrounds in any of these panels. no, he had to invent a way to avoid drawing even the characters’ faces. this is shrinkflation dammit
(ETA: so according to @hanashimas, in the original Japanese Sero is actually making a fourth wall joke about how these kind of slapstick band-aid injuries usually go back to normal right away lol. that instantly makes an already amusing scene easily 10x funnier.)
wow, really??
okay is it just me, or does it feel like she honestly shouldn’t be aware of that? this definitely seems like one of those things where the fewer people know, the better. not that I don’t trust Mt. Lady, but just speaking more in general. guess they’re confident that they rooted out all of the PLF people back during the War arc
so now everyone is straight up ignoring Mt. Lady’s teaching monologue in favor of angsting about Aoyama some more
“so do you guys think Aoyama is going to accept Deku’s hand, or do you think he’s gonna pull a Bakugou?” “fucking – I thought I told you assholes to quit calling it that!” “nah, I think we got through to him, the chances of him going full Bakugou are pretty slim.” “STOP CALLING IT THAT I SAID”
my god you don’t even know how much I am cherishing each and every one of these soft Kacchan reaction faces lately
it’s such a refreshing change of pace from the usual gremlin reaction faces. not that I don’t enjoy those too of course, but we are straight up being spoiled with all of this casual character development
(ETA: another translation note from @hanashimas, apparently the original line was completely different. something about him hoping that this (that is, Aoyama accepting class 1-A’s offer and helping them) doesn’t somehow end up being a “curse.” although to me it’s not quite clear if he’s talking about it being a curse for Aoyama, or for them. maybe both lol.)
I SEE YOU THERE SHOUTO WITH THE SLICK LIL “[WALKS UP TO DEKU AND EVER-SO-CASUALLY DROPS THE HAND ON HIS SHOULDER]” CLASSIC BOYFRIEND MANEUVER
that’s a real power move. Kacchan you could learn a thing or two here. then again I think he’s still waiting on Deku’s Official Apology Response before he presumes to start making his own boyfriend power moves. when are we gonna get on that, Horikoshi. better be your new year’s resolution
lol I have no idea what they’re doing but okay then!!
THAT CONDENIUM ISN’T GOING TO FIND ITSELF!! TIME TO PUT THE “PARTY” IN SEARCH PARTY!! CLASS 1-A MOVE OUT
aaaand we’re cutting away to… oh shit!
okay first things first, HADOU’S NEW HAIRCUT OMG. THANK YOU FOR ATTEMPTING TO LIGHT THIS KID ON FIRE, IS SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD SAY, BUT I AM IN FACT SAYING NOW, SO THANKS FOR THAT DABI
and second, can anyone please confirm for me whether or not Tamaki has always been on a first-name basis with Hadou, or whether this is a recent development?? because inquiring minds need to know right the fuck now
(ETA: he used “Hadou” back in chapter 173, so! INTERESTING. although I have since recalled that Hadou’s hero name is literally just “Nejire-chan” lol so maybe it’s just that and I’m just overreacting.)
GASPPPPPPPP
HORIKOSHI PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU. IF YOU MAKE INASA + THE BIG THREE HAPPEN, I WILL FOREVER BE IN YOUR DEBT. INASA + NEJIRE INTERACTION = GOOD. INASA + TAMAKI INTERACTION = VERY GOOD. INASA + MIRIO INTERACTION = LEGENDARY GOD TIER OMG PLEASE
HAHAHAHAHAHHA
YOU KNOW THIS REALLY DOESN’T LOOK HALF BAD FOR SOMETHING THAT ONLY COST NINE MILLION DOLLARS ON ACCOUNT OF THEM OUTSOURCING MOST OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORK TO MEI’S LEFT HAND. THIS WILL NEVER STOP BEING HILARIOUS TO ME LOL I’M SORRY GUYS
BTW IS THIS SHIKETSU?? IT LOOKS ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE U.A. BUT THEN WHAT KIND OF SEGUE WOULD THAT BE LOL
AND WHAT THE HECK IS THIS BUILDING NOW, LOL. WE JUST TRANSITIONED OVER TO SOMEPLACE ELSE BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S GOING ON, SOMEBODY HELP
OH OKAY I GUESS WE’RE CUTTING BACK TO ALL MIGHT
and just like that the chapter is ending and that’s all we’re gonna get for the next three weeks lol. well there you have it. happy new year everyone!
ETA: also I would just like to say a quick heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been reading these spectacularly dumb liveblogs and leaving likes and comments and such which I hardly ever respond to nowadays but which I just want to say that I appreciate so, so much. you guys are awesome, and I’m so happy that people are still enjoying these posts even though my tumblr activity has dwindled down a lot, and even with this being a very up and down year for the manga
anyway so yeah, it really is something I look forward to every week, getting to make stupid jokes and rant endlessly about Kacchan and the others, and having that little bit of fandom interaction with everyone. so thank you all so much, and I hope this next and possibly last year of BnHA lives up to all the hype which I for one am bestowing upon it whether Horikoshi likes it or not, lol
December is now here, and while I understand that everyone is busy with daily life, I hope you are in good health.
Thank you for coming to My Hero Academia Super Stage.
MHA is at a state where it will reach its goal in a about year….if things go smoothly.
If things don’t go smoothly, then [Yamashita] Daiki-kun will probably be reading the same letter again next year at JumpFes.
I’ve been sluggishly drawing for 7 years now, but now that we’re in the Final Act, I plan to vent everything that I’ve been sluggishly saving up until now in it.
I’ve said this to Okamoto [Nobuhiko]-kun in LINE, but Katsuki will be having his greatest scene in the manga in future developments. I hope people who like Katsuki and hate Katsuki will look forward to it.
And regarding Ochako and Toga,
I have a scene that I’m itching to draw.
Frankly speaking, Toga is a character that was created specifically for Ochako.
And I’ve developed Ochako match Toga.
I don’t know if I will be able to answer your expectations regarding how it [the Ochako and Toga plot] will end, but I plan to put my heart into drawing it.
Also, I became Fukuen-san’s fan because of Cure Happy.
When I heard that Fukuen-san will be voicing Toga….I was worried about whether Cure Happy’s Image will be defiled. (Because Toga’s the complete opposite of Cure Happy).
Thank you for lending your voice for Toga. I love you.
And then, we have Deku and Shigaraki.
Even though his consciousness is becoming more and more ambiguous, he’s [Shigaraki’s] a mass of destructive instincts and frustrations.
He’s the greatest obstacle in Deku’s goal of “saving”.
Saving and Destroying are both born out of ego. Whose ego will win in the end? Is it even a matter of winning or losing? How will things go? What shall I do? What am I supposed to do??
Well, everything’s somehow gonna come off alright I guess!
Do your best, Deku! Destroy it all, Shigaraki! Die, All for One!!
To people who have been reading MHA from its serialization,
To people who started midway,
To people who are just skimming through it while reading Jump,
I will push forward and try to make it so that everyone will think that they’re glad they’ve read MHA.
Anyway, I’m looking forward to the anime’s season 6!
I’m very happy that I can enjoy the broadcast along with everyone again.
The feel of weightlessness wrought on as all things are held bound in a momentary stasis during a break in the tension, a single breath of pause in the chaos and mental static as Iida break through to his dear friend.
Granting Deku a brief reprieve as his mental processes are eased into a lull. It’s likely all but for the span between breaths taken this child is himself. Eyes wide. Iris returned as the signifier where Iida was able to meet his friend on his level and show him that it’s okay, they’ll meet him no matter where he finds himself. Yet also, it’s pointless to remain alone cuz bitch plz ya bess check yoself, can’t keep up? Oh hun.
They’ll find a way.
It’s not always immediate, takes time, planning and experiencing failure numerous times but it’s all anticipated because boi, they know you. Or at least know enough. Knew enough to orchestrate all this and meet you on the solitary wavelength you were certain held naught for residential space for any but you.
Touch is a powerful sensation, be it skin to skin or nay but the pressure of a familiar gesture that speaks unhindered by any given barriers.
Deku has been listening to every word, he’s been hearing them, but this, for me, is where it all finally broke through.
He is lost. He is a lost child who can’t seem to find his way as he wanders alone in uncertainty.
He’s been found.
Seconds. The span of mere seconds. Yet it was enough to bring Izuku back to the surface. He doesn’t have to strength to let go and it isn’t the encroaching moment where his body folds to the weight of exhaustion speaking (even as the boi is spent).
He doesn’t NEED to let go, he’s merely convinced he must as distance is the only method he feels will keep those he cares for safe.
Much like my last post, kid, it’ll happen with or without you. Your absence or presence can be a deciding factor but you bear meter to gauge in what way it will be affecting. Either is an open door for disaster.
Deku’s face.
Dear child.
You look like you’re in need of saving.
I can’t help but feel he knows this.
He doesn’t have the strength to let go or to fight them anymore of which I largely find an indicator that truthfully, he doesn’t want to. It’s easy to surmise he never did. Deku has been the one to push and push and push to be able to stand on his own as he always saw the others around him being able to do so and as All Might’s successor felt it imperative to exist as a lone entity keeping the peace.
Sweetie that failed.
But, in truth. It’s also born from knowing he’ll contend with AFO and Shiguraki.
The strength of those around you has been at its peak when working together as it stood to highlight weaknesses and strengths and compliment each other’s capabilities or showcase where they could improve. Shoji handed you the truth you once spoke. The strength of fighting together is a formidable force that could compete against All Might, who at that time, was held as the peak of power.
I just, love this moment. In the gap between spaces, a break occurred.
A needed break in Deku’s diminishing resolve. Where you see him, as himself, shine through. Where he was finally reached and dredged up from the depths. We need rescued from ourselves at times.
The artistry of this moment speaks and it speaks loudly.
Aight, shut it down, Dabi won the “most tragic character” award
Horikoshi really looked at his ensemble cast of characters, plucked him from the pile, and doused him with a burning concoction of angst and tragedy quite possibly surpassing anyone else’s in the story-
I JUST CAN’T RN FR, WHEN SHOTO WENT, “Why didn’t you come home-” IN THE LAST CHAPTER, AND TOUYA WENT, “SO LISTEN HERE KID, I WAS IN A COMA FOR 3 YEARS, WOKE UP WITH ALL THESE BODY PARTS THAT AREN’T MINE, THEN THIS FLOWER HEAD TELLS ME I’VE BEEN FRANKENSTEINED TO LIVE, AND I SERIOUSLY WANTED TO SEE Y'ALL AGAIN AND APOLOGIZE FOR EVERYTHING, BUT Y'ALL DONE MOVED ON BELIEVING I WAS DEAD AND THE BIG GUY WAS WORSE THAN HE WAS WITH ME, SO I KNEW HE WAS BEYOND SAVING, AND THAT FLOWER HEAD HAS CONNECTIONS WITH AFO, WHO ACTUALLY FOUND MY BODY AND WANTED TO TURN ME INTO A NOMU AT FIRST IN THAT PLACE, BUT I BURNED THAT B*TCH DOWN AND GARAKI WENT, "Mm special specimen here, you’re still alive despite the state your body is in-” YEAH I AM, IT’S CALLED RESENTMENTANDANGER, THAT’S WHAT KEEPS ME GOING, THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS LEFT ME BEHIND AND THAT THESE BAD GUYS EVEN VIEWED ME AS A BACK-UP PLAN IF THINGS GO AWRY WITH TENKO LITERALLY DOES NOTHING BUT HURT ME, THIS BODY ISN’T MINE ANYMORE, HASN’T BEEN FOR YEARS, SO I MIGHT AS WELL BURN IT“
I traced the one panel of Monoma from the newest BNHA Manga chapter and made a few icons! Feel free to use them for whatever reason~ Let me know if u do, I’d love to see what yall make <3
