My Hero Academia Episode 22 Review: Bakugo vs. Uraraka

We got another explosive episode of My Hero Academia this week! A lot of us, both real-life and in-series audiences, have been thinking that a battle between the hot-headed Bakugo and the cheerful Uraraka would be hard to watch because of how it could possible go. But, it ended up being similar to and different from what we expected, at the same time! It was the most exciting of all eight matches of the first round!

Japanese Original Episode Title: 爆豪VS麗日

Plot

Bakugo and Uraraka’s fight was going to decide who’s moving on to the next round of the third and final game of the sport festival. Of course, strength-wise, Kacchan was the sure winner, but Ochaco wasn’t one to be underestimated! Girl’s got skills! There was also the question of who between Kirishima and Tetsutetsu was going to join the first round winners, so they fought it out in the manliest test of strength possible: an arm-wrestling match! After all that, it was Izuku’s turn once again. He went off to finally face Todoroki in their second round match, but not before meeting…(article cliffhanger :P)

Episode Highlights

Eighth Match: Uraraka’s no delicate flower, that’s for sure! Just the fact that she withstood multiple of Bakugo’s attacks, though they weren’t meant to deal major damage, said something! Plus, she knew she couldn’t beat him in a battle of strength, so she formed a tactic focusing on what she can do! Bakugo seemed to know how skilled she could be, though whether it was because she might’ve been coached by Izuku, and/or just her own techniques, we don’t know. But looking at Kacchan’s stance while Uraraka was still trying to get up at the end, he never showed a hint of complacency and still kept his guard up though his opponent looked close to fainting! I don’t know about you, but it told me a whole lot about Kacchan’s character despite being so antagonistic towards everyone. He also didn’t let the booing of the crowd get to him either, nor did Uraraka get discouraged from how the audience thought she was getting bullied. They were just that focused on their battle, and it ended up being so great! It’s just too bad that Uraraka lost, but I’m sure, with how she fought, a lot of scouts would’ve still noticed her.

Tie-breaker: Looks like even with all their similarities, Kirishima was the more durable compared to Tetsutetsu. You’d think that metal should be sturdier than rocks, huh? But I guess quirks are way different that their object counterparts, especially since there are a lot more factors involved. People can improve themselves after all! So, Kirishima’s off to the second round, and may have even gained a new buddy who’s as manly as him!

Before the fated match: What a pressure-adding situation! Deku was already about to face off with someone determined to beat him, just to show his father what he can do without his father’s quirk, but Deku even met the said father accidentally! Yikes! (cliffhanger resolved) Endeavor kept blabbing on about his own ideals too, adding more fuel to the fire. What’s amazing though, was that it just made Izuku stand up to him and defend Todoroki, in a way! It’s definitely time to get serious, and for both competitors to prove Endeavor wrong with their own motivations!

Watching the fight: For the first time in this season, we properly see the man-child Shigaraki Tomura again (I meant properly because the previous ones were flashbacks), and he seemed to be with someone we haven’t seen before, nor actually see for that matter! With just a few sentences, he already seemed to be someone higher-up… Who could it be?

Themes & Trivia

Resilience: This perfectly describes how Uraraka fought in her match! Even though she got blown away by strong blasts, she was always quick to get back up and try again! As a matter of fact, if she still hadn’t gotten tired in the end, she probably would’ve gotten up on her feet once more and quickly think of a new strategy! But alas, though her willpower was still strong, her stamina fell. Like her father said though, it’s not yet too late! There’s always next time!

Not what they seem: Bakugo was thought of as a villain only because he didn’t hold back against a girl. Uraraka was thought as frail only because she’s a girl! Talk about judging a book by its cover, huh?

Comments

It was definitely hard not to think about all the subtleties in movements in this episode, especially with the last match. From how Uraraka charged not actually targeting Bakugo but the debris around him to Bakugo’s wariness during the whole battle never once thinking that he had a huge advantage over a frail-looking girl, all these things were just so well thought of! More than the battle itself, these details were the ones that actually impressed me!

I also have to mention the background music! They heightened the emotions of certain scenarios, like when Ochaco was talking to her dad over the phone! I was so close to tearing up! Shonen anime are stereotypical when it comes to action and have less drama compared to their shoujo counterparts. That’s why I’m so proud of My Hero Academia for never hesitating to show the emotional side of the things! It certainly makes you root for the characters even more!

Rivals facing off!

With Midoriya winning the first game and Todoroki’s team winning the second one, their fated fight will determine which one of them is truly the best! However, with that preview, looks like it’s not going to be just an ordinary battle! I’m also wondering if we’ll immediately know the results in the next episode, or the one after that!

Did you enjoy this episode? Did it live up to your expectations? Let us know in the comments below by using either the forum or the Facebook tab! Join us in our new forum and let’s talk about our favorite series! There are other Spring 2017 anime reviews to read as well!

NEXT: Shoto Todoroki: Origin