Liz (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nature_heart) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
theanimationcafe2016-07-03 12:12 pm
nature_heart) wrote in theanimationcafe2016-07-03 12:12 pm
Entry tags:
Happy Hour: My Hero Academia
Now, I consider myself a relatively casual anime lover. I used to be REAAAAAAAAAAAALLLY into it as a tike, but as I grew older...I admit that I kind of left the scene as nothing necessarily grabbed my interest.
In recent years, I ran into a few and kinda, well, got back into it. It actually boiled down to three animes that kinda rekindled my opinion of what anime could do. Each of which I plan on talking about.
For today, I'll talk about one that was the most recent, but really surprised me. I'm on episode nine of the dub, so I was able to get a rather good grip on an opinion.
I'll be frank, I was a little nervous about this anime. I've seen school animes, and the one anime that got me back into anime in the first place was One Punch Man. I was genuinely worried this anime was going to feel like One Punch Man in a school setting.
Hooooo boy.
My face and reaction to each of you that got me into this.
By around the second episode, I knew what I was getting myself into. This wasn't about a kid suddenly realizing he could be a hero with no powers and getting jerked around by the system. Not just about that, at least by first glance. This was about a kid who was told all his life "no" and was finally told, "yes".
This was the story about a kid who fought, had a real spirit, failed, succeeded, and was taught.
I was a bag of tears.
The thing I really appreciated the most about this was the approach to the "every day heroes" trope. By that, I mean, I really hate that trope.
The trope suggested that even without super powers, you could be a hero. Which is all fine and good. But to me, in a setting where super heroes with super powers DO exist...it feels forced and contrived. I'm not watching your super hero movie because I want Jon Doe McGaryStu to suddenly save the day with no super powers and have that be the moral.
Not that I'm pointing any fingers but...no I actually am.
This anime was the anti-thesis to this trope. The real world logic is thrown at our wide eyed protagonist in both a harsh way and a realistic way. By harsh, I mean, antagonistic just about.
Oh dear, am I pointing fingers again?
More on him in a moment.
Our lovely adorable protagonist is Midoriya "Deku" Izuku, a curly haired freckled faced hero enthusiast (nice word for "fanboy"). Ever since he was a kid, he wanted to be a hero just like his ultimate icon of heroic affection, All Might. All Might is a textbook hero, big, strong, confident, and altruistic. What's not to like about him?...I'm seriously asking that.
The world he lives in is a world populated with super human talent. Eighty percent of the world is scientifically explained to have a super power of some kind, or a "Quirk". They vary in strength and stature. Izuku's parents even have small quirks. All Izuku wanted was to have a Quirk and be a hero, needless to say.
It's impossible for him to biologically have one.
The turmoil he goes through because of this made me a fucking wreck. He's under constant bullying and torment due to someone he admired young, Katsuki "Kacchan" Bakugou; a hot tempered, cocky, loud mouthed kid with amazing talent with an amazing Quirk of exploding fire and nitroglycerin sweat (please place warning labels on yourself kid, because that sounds dangerous at certain times if you catch my drift). Katsuki is a bag of dicks that thinks its a person, and he's a lovely addition to that kind of trope.
Izuku is what you'd expect at first, meek and weak. But the anime shows his growth and dedication over the course of episodes. It's so admirable to see, even if he completely fails.
That's what I love about role model type characters that seems to miss the eyes of fandom I feel. It's actually my general rule when loving and identifying with protagonists.
Role Models and Relatable characters should be allowed to fail, have faults, and not always be right. It's makes them more like real people, who fight through odds and come on top. It's OKAY for them to learn.
The greatest examples of that actually extends out to my current favorite characters of the show. A few characters that has one side you see and suddenly he becomes unraveled.
MUST...STOP....POINTING...
All Might is just. Okay look.
He was the character that surprised me the most. I knew going in, I was going to like Izuku and his spirit. But All Might, I was worried about the most. I thought he would secretly be an asshole who only does what he does for the fame.
No.
He's not.
At all.
I don't want to spoil too much but...I'm crying thinking about it.
The other example is.
I'm amputating my finger.
That's all I really think I can delve here in minimal spoiler land. The animation is gorgeous, the story is fantastic, the comedic and action scenes are well timed and appropriate.
My recommendation? Please watch.
In recent years, I ran into a few and kinda, well, got back into it. It actually boiled down to three animes that kinda rekindled my opinion of what anime could do. Each of which I plan on talking about.
For today, I'll talk about one that was the most recent, but really surprised me. I'm on episode nine of the dub, so I was able to get a rather good grip on an opinion.
I'll be frank, I was a little nervous about this anime. I've seen school animes, and the one anime that got me back into anime in the first place was One Punch Man. I was genuinely worried this anime was going to feel like One Punch Man in a school setting.
Hooooo boy.
My face and reaction to each of you that got me into this.
By around the second episode, I knew what I was getting myself into. This wasn't about a kid suddenly realizing he could be a hero with no powers and getting jerked around by the system. Not just about that, at least by first glance. This was about a kid who was told all his life "no" and was finally told, "yes".
This was the story about a kid who fought, had a real spirit, failed, succeeded, and was taught.
I was a bag of tears.
The thing I really appreciated the most about this was the approach to the "every day heroes" trope. By that, I mean, I really hate that trope.
The trope suggested that even without super powers, you could be a hero. Which is all fine and good. But to me, in a setting where super heroes with super powers DO exist...it feels forced and contrived. I'm not watching your super hero movie because I want Jon Doe McGaryStu to suddenly save the day with no super powers and have that be the moral.
Not that I'm pointing any fingers but...no I actually am.
This anime was the anti-thesis to this trope. The real world logic is thrown at our wide eyed protagonist in both a harsh way and a realistic way. By harsh, I mean, antagonistic just about.
Oh dear, am I pointing fingers again?
More on him in a moment.
Our lovely adorable protagonist is Midoriya "Deku" Izuku, a curly haired freckled faced hero enthusiast (nice word for "fanboy"). Ever since he was a kid, he wanted to be a hero just like his ultimate icon of heroic affection, All Might. All Might is a textbook hero, big, strong, confident, and altruistic. What's not to like about him?...I'm seriously asking that.
The world he lives in is a world populated with super human talent. Eighty percent of the world is scientifically explained to have a super power of some kind, or a "Quirk". They vary in strength and stature. Izuku's parents even have small quirks. All Izuku wanted was to have a Quirk and be a hero, needless to say.
It's impossible for him to biologically have one.
The turmoil he goes through because of this made me a fucking wreck. He's under constant bullying and torment due to someone he admired young, Katsuki "Kacchan" Bakugou; a hot tempered, cocky, loud mouthed kid with amazing talent with an amazing Quirk of exploding fire and nitroglycerin sweat (please place warning labels on yourself kid, because that sounds dangerous at certain times if you catch my drift). Katsuki is a bag of dicks that thinks its a person, and he's a lovely addition to that kind of trope.
Izuku is what you'd expect at first, meek and weak. But the anime shows his growth and dedication over the course of episodes. It's so admirable to see, even if he completely fails.
That's what I love about role model type characters that seems to miss the eyes of fandom I feel. It's actually my general rule when loving and identifying with protagonists.
Role Models and Relatable characters should be allowed to fail, have faults, and not always be right. It's makes them more like real people, who fight through odds and come on top. It's OKAY for them to learn.
The greatest examples of that actually extends out to my current favorite characters of the show. A few characters that has one side you see and suddenly he becomes unraveled.
MUST...STOP....POINTING...
All Might is just. Okay look.
He was the character that surprised me the most. I knew going in, I was going to like Izuku and his spirit. But All Might, I was worried about the most. I thought he would secretly be an asshole who only does what he does for the fame.
No.
He's not.
At all.
I don't want to spoil too much but...I'm crying thinking about it.
The other example is.
I'm amputating my finger.
That's all I really think I can delve here in minimal spoiler land. The animation is gorgeous, the story is fantastic, the comedic and action scenes are well timed and appropriate.
My recommendation? Please watch.