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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay let's try this again, since last night I couldn't compose myself to write this review properly.
There's a lot going on in this volume from the off, particularly since the first three chapters wrap up the disaster of the training camp. There's a lot of tension there, that eases up just a touch going into the next chapter before it cranks to 11 again. Vlad King and Aizawa are doing their best to keep what kids safe that they can, and meanwhile the League of Villains disappears with their prize in hand while the Wild Wild Pussycats are in a mess. While the anime does an excellent job of putting emotional music to the rundown/aftermath scene of this, I feel that the impact is just as brutal here in the manga, seeing the stats thrown at you in black and white. The attack on the training camp was devastating, and while it feels really drawn out (haha) in the anime, the manga drives it home that this all happened in very fast, very short order. It makes it all the better to appreciate, in my opinion, because the way that bolsters the sense of tension is perfect. This was terrifying and incredibly stressful for all the students and heroes because it was so sudden and so much happened all at once, in such a short span of time.
From there, we get discussions among the teachers about what happened and the first suggestion there's a mole leaking intel, some of the recovery Izuku is going through and the understanding of where everyone is at, healthwise and where the kids of Class 1-A are emotionally after what happened. Kirishima especially is also devastated, pushing him to want to take action and mention it in front of everyone. While the rest of the class is quick to denounce his desire to save Bakugou because of the ramifications it might have, Kirishima knows that Izuku and Todoroki will share his desire to take action. Iida objects (as does Yaoyurozu) but the two agree to join the effort as a way to keep the former three in line to prevent them from getting into serious trouble and danger.
Meanwhile, we also have a press conference being held with Principal Nezu, Aizawa and Vlad King, where U.A. is being grilled for assumed negligence for the safety of the students, while the League of Villains is trying to win over Bakugou to their side. The conference is something I think the manga handles just a touch better, and it's nice to see it actually reference that Kendo and Tetsutetsu played a key role in their response to the attack on the camp. We often see Class 1-A and its accomplishments being the spotlight and the most talked about thing in regards to the rest of the world so far and what it sees from U.A., so it's nice to see some of the other kids acknowledged again as well. On the other side of things, having a lot of the press conference shown in direct juxtaposition to the League pitching to Bakugou why he should join them is fascinating. The balance there is excellent.
Of course, while the little quintet of students sneaks around trying to rescue their classmate (having inaccurately tracked the signal to the wrong League hideout, which is very much a serendipitous mistake of wrong-place-right-time by the end of the volume,) a lot of the pro heroes launch their own raid on the League locations and arrive in time to prevent Bakugou's attempt at resistance from going too drastically south for him, at least for a brief moment before All For One goes swapsies and makes his first appearance. As I said before, the tension in this volume has its slight dips, but it stays pretty regular and I think that really works to this volume's favor.
We also get a little bonus chapter about Tsuyu Asui, revealing she has a snake heteromorph friend from middle school, and the entire thing is super sweet and adorable.
From this point, you can tab out of this review if you're not interested in my particular fanbabble about my favorite character. But I appreciate what little we get with Spinner in this volume, between his secret identity reveal and what he says in the moments he appears. Or perhaps, what he doesn't say. The majority of his lines point back to his fanatic admiration of Stain and his desire to both carry out Stain's personal mission for him as well as see him freed, and there's a sincerity to what he chooses to say that really just drives home that at his core, there's a difference to him from the rest of the League of Villains and their drive. Additionally, oof, that last little interaction he has with Mandalay hits with more gravity once you revisit it a few times. I think I made it clear how much I'm not a fan of her interaction with him in the previous volume, but I do think that there's a pretty crucial moment here that comes across as subtle. She dismisses him during his impassioned rant about wanting to carry on Stain's work and see him freed, saying Spinner "doesn't make any sense" (man, that's gotta sting a guy,) and then she asks why he's not shown his quirk, to which he angrily tells her to shut up. It should come as no surprise that I do know more about his character than what is revealed in the manga up to this point (he's my favorite, of course I did research, the Autism demands it,) but it's such a crucial thing, pointing to his personal insecurities. Additionally it has to be frustrating, because up to this point, he's held his own in close quarters combat, to the point Mandalay couldn't get a hit in on him until he got distracted trying to explain to Magne why he chose to spare Izuku Midoriya. "Why haven't you shown us your quirk?" His insecurities aside, that has to hurt, because if he wanted to show anything about himself to them, he just did it. His combat ability is something he's cultivated himself, which is pretty impressive, and to have that dismissed when it's something he might actually be proud of probably just adds to his frustrations and anger and insecurities. Utterly fascinating and heart-wrenching.
There's a lot going on in this volume from the off, particularly since the first three chapters wrap up the disaster of the training camp. There's a lot of tension there, that eases up just a touch going into the next chapter before it cranks to 11 again. Vlad King and Aizawa are doing their best to keep what kids safe that they can, and meanwhile the League of Villains disappears with their prize in hand while the Wild Wild Pussycats are in a mess. While the anime does an excellent job of putting emotional music to the rundown/aftermath scene of this, I feel that the impact is just as brutal here in the manga, seeing the stats thrown at you in black and white. The attack on the training camp was devastating, and while it feels really drawn out (haha) in the anime, the manga drives it home that this all happened in very fast, very short order. It makes it all the better to appreciate, in my opinion, because the way that bolsters the sense of tension is perfect. This was terrifying and incredibly stressful for all the students and heroes because it was so sudden and so much happened all at once, in such a short span of time.
From there, we get discussions among the teachers about what happened and the first suggestion there's a mole leaking intel, some of the recovery Izuku is going through and the understanding of where everyone is at, healthwise and where the kids of Class 1-A are emotionally after what happened. Kirishima especially is also devastated, pushing him to want to take action and mention it in front of everyone. While the rest of the class is quick to denounce his desire to save Bakugou because of the ramifications it might have, Kirishima knows that Izuku and Todoroki will share his desire to take action. Iida objects (as does Yaoyurozu) but the two agree to join the effort as a way to keep the former three in line to prevent them from getting into serious trouble and danger.
Meanwhile, we also have a press conference being held with Principal Nezu, Aizawa and Vlad King, where U.A. is being grilled for assumed negligence for the safety of the students, while the League of Villains is trying to win over Bakugou to their side. The conference is something I think the manga handles just a touch better, and it's nice to see it actually reference that Kendo and Tetsutetsu played a key role in their response to the attack on the camp. We often see Class 1-A and its accomplishments being the spotlight and the most talked about thing in regards to the rest of the world so far and what it sees from U.A., so it's nice to see some of the other kids acknowledged again as well. On the other side of things, having a lot of the press conference shown in direct juxtaposition to the League pitching to Bakugou why he should join them is fascinating. The balance there is excellent.
Of course, while the little quintet of students sneaks around trying to rescue their classmate (having inaccurately tracked the signal to the wrong League hideout, which is very much a serendipitous mistake of wrong-place-right-time by the end of the volume,) a lot of the pro heroes launch their own raid on the League locations and arrive in time to prevent Bakugou's attempt at resistance from going too drastically south for him, at least for a brief moment before All For One goes swapsies and makes his first appearance. As I said before, the tension in this volume has its slight dips, but it stays pretty regular and I think that really works to this volume's favor.
We also get a little bonus chapter about Tsuyu Asui, revealing she has a snake heteromorph friend from middle school, and the entire thing is super sweet and adorable.
From this point, you can tab out of this review if you're not interested in my particular fanbabble about my favorite character. But I appreciate what little we get with Spinner in this volume, between his secret identity reveal and what he says in the moments he appears. Or perhaps, what he doesn't say. The majority of his lines point back to his fanatic admiration of Stain and his desire to both carry out Stain's personal mission for him as well as see him freed, and there's a sincerity to what he chooses to say that really just drives home that at his core, there's a difference to him from the rest of the League of Villains and their drive. Additionally, oof, that last little interaction he has with Mandalay hits with more gravity once you revisit it a few times. I think I made it clear how much I'm not a fan of her interaction with him in the previous volume, but I do think that there's a pretty crucial moment here that comes across as subtle. She dismisses him during his impassioned rant about wanting to carry on Stain's work and see him freed, saying Spinner "doesn't make any sense" (man, that's gotta sting a guy,) and then she asks why he's not shown his quirk, to which he angrily tells her to shut up. It should come as no surprise that I do know more about his character than what is revealed in the manga up to this point (he's my favorite, of course I did research, the Autism demands it,) but it's such a crucial thing, pointing to his personal insecurities. Additionally it has to be frustrating, because up to this point, he's held his own in close quarters combat, to the point Mandalay couldn't get a hit in on him until he got distracted trying to explain to Magne why he chose to spare Izuku Midoriya. "Why haven't you shown us your quirk?" His insecurities aside, that has to hurt, because if he wanted to show anything about himself to them, he just did it. His combat ability is something he's cultivated himself, which is pretty impressive, and to have that dismissed when it's something he might actually be proud of probably just adds to his frustrations and anger and insecurities. Utterly fascinating and heart-wrenching.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
fast-paced
Aftermath of the training being attacked. Bakugo is taken to villain lair. Press conference and mission to rescue Bakugo. Beginning of all might and one for all battle after mission is thwarted by his appearance.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced