My Hero Academia is a traditional shonen anime, which means viewers expect to see fighting in its story. Indeed, almost all MHA The arc and the majority of its episodes involve violence in one form or another, and this often works in the show’s favor – but also against it. The problem with the series’ violence isn’t the fight choreography or the scale of power, but rather the role that violence plays in a world of superheroes who claim moral superiority in all things.
When heroes such as All Might and Endeavor defeat villains forcefully, it is considered a victory because the day is saved, but this is short-term thinking. In the long run, the constant use of violence by pro heroes against criminals and villains only perpetuates the “cops and robbers” conflict that defines society. Violence is a problem not because pro heroes use force to stop a crime in progress, but because on the whole, violence is pretty much the only thing pro heroes use. Even if blood is not drawn, the exclusive use of force is a systemic problem, and this problem arises even in the relatively safe context of a hero school like the AU.
MHA’s pro heroes use violence without providing rehabilitation to the bad guys
It may be tempting to frame the action in My Hero AcademiaThe world is a simple case of villains unfairly using force to break the law, only for professional heroes to legitimately use non-lethal force to protect society from the intentions of criminals. Some cases may actually be that simple, but when fans step back to examine this entire system from a distance and see it in action over the years, some flaws appear. Among other problems is the fact that pro heroes focus almost entirely on using Quirk-based violence to defeat and capture villains or criminals whenever a crime scene takes place. Pro heroes are largely reactionary in nature, responding to a crime in progress with their Quirks, martial arts, and tools, perhaps with a few sidekicks. Professional heroes can therefore save the day through violence, but they cannot save society from a long-term humanitarian crisis.
One of the biggest drawbacks of the pro-hero system is that if some people establish themselves as official heroes who exemplify justice and law with their Quirks, then anyone who doesn’t look like them must be a criminal in the making. This is a topic in its own right, as the pro hero system unfairly labels many people as undesirables or wannabe villains due to their quirks, with heroes creating their own worst enemies on a constant loop. What makes it worse is how pro heroes respond to these villains of their own making with force, not an offered hand of kindness. The existence and definition of pro heroes inspires society’s rejects to rebel, which causes heroes to beat them up, further reinforcing this humanitarian problem, back and forth for decades. At this level, legalized violence used by pro heroes is a problem for everyone.
Pro heroes are a superficial solution to a much deeper problem, with pro heroes able to save the day from attacks by villains at the time while not addressing the root causes of the existence of villains and criminals. At the very least, Pro Heroes and their many associates could face this paradox of their own making, striving to create a more tolerant world order in which outcasts like Spinner and Himiko Toga never see the need to fight against Pro Hero domination. Rehabilitation and systemic reform are the real battles that these professional heroes must win, but they are barely mentioned in the texts. My Hero AcademiaIt’s an anime. Once the villains are captured, they are taken to Tartarus Prison, where society forgets about them. In this prison, villains rot, never able to pressure pro-hero society to change the unjust system that made them villains in the first place.
Constant violence strains society
On a separate but related note, the constant force used by pro heroes and villains exacts a heavy toll on society itself. Collateral damage is often overlooked for convenience in American action cartoons and superhero comics, although these stories may sometimes discuss it, such as the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War. Now, My Hero Academia fans may wonder if pro heroes need their own Sokovia Accords. That, or a pro-hero society, could go further and ensure that so many violent clashes don’t need to happen at all. The MCU’s solution was to have government oversight over the Avengers, while My Hero AcademiaThe solution could have been rehabilitation and reform. The only thing better than repairing or minimizing the damage after a destructive fight between heroes and villains is creating a society in which no one needs to fight at all.
The current wave of anarchy in My Hero Academia may be an extreme, historical example of villains violently resisting the rule of professional heroes in My Hero AcademiaIt’s the final season, but the point still stands. To narrow things down further, Spinner and his many heteromorphic followers tore up the streets because they spent years as unwanted outcasts born with the “wrong” type of Quirk, even labeled as potential freaks or troublemakers. The violence and destruction that followed can be blamed on both sides, with the straight anarchists being responsible for their own actions while the pro heroes are the ones who created an unjust society where this type of resentment was able to take root. Although UA students like Mezo Shoji and Koji Koda did well in containing the violence and defeating Spinner on the battlefield, it should never have come to this, in principle.
Violence is the litmus test for new UA students
Pro heroes’ emphasis on strength and violence is also reflected in the way schools like UA test their students or measure their worth. It’s true that some aspects of the UA hero course focus on non-violent aspects, such as mock rescue missions or written exams, but again, violence is the way prospective students get into the school.
If fans remember, season 1 of My Hero Academia represented a practical entrance exam where strength was the only way to pass. Deku and the others had to fight oversized robots and destroy them, a test that heavily favored characters with combat-oriented Quirks. Players like Deku, Shoto Todoroki, Tenya Iida, and Fumikage Tokoyami were allowed to play to their strengths, while players like Toru Hagakure, Momo Yaoyorozu, Minoru Mineta, and even Mezo Shoji were at a disadvantage. It was a miracle that these students got into UA when their Quirks weren’t suitable for crushing giant robots.
Over time, UA students can combine their Quirks to allow non-violent students to participate in a battle, such as with clever combos to capture or attack their targets. A recent example is where Yuga and Toru formed a duoToru being a living lens to focus Yuga’s navel laser to overwhelm the plant villain Kunieda. It was a fantastic glow for Toru, including literally, but it came quite late. Before this, Toru could barely do anything when taking the UA entrance exam or even when fighting her own Professor Snipe alongside Mezo. Toru could “defeat” Snipe by attaching these handcuffs to him, but it was a test, and such things would not work on the battlefield. The UA may have given its future students the impression that pure strength is all that matters, and it’s remarkable that Toru, Minoru, and others bothered to take the exam.
My Hero Academia sometimes only saves the day with words
Overall, it’s obvious that the hero world favors violence too much in terms of collateral damage, perpetuating clashes with villains and unfair requirements to get into schools like UA. That being said, My Hero Academia shows some exceptions, and it may give fans hope that once Deku’s generation makes up the bulk of all pro heroes, they can make real changes in the system.
Already, My Hero Academia allowed some villains to be redeemed with genuine compassion and kind words, breaking the cycle of hero and villain in a meaningful way. Ochaco defeated the idea of Himiko Toga, the villain, not by subduing Himiko for the last time, but by connecting with her as a human being. Once the labels were put aside, a lasting resolution was found, one that allowed Himiko to save Ochaco while dying in peace.
Something similar can be said about Gentle Criminal, who wasn’t locked away forever, but allowed back into the fray as a reformed little villain who saw the light after meeting Deku. It wasn’t a Smash that ended Gentle Criminal’s career as a villain, but lyrics backed by a genuine desire to help someone. This fits Stain’s own definition of a hero as someone who helps someone else out of the goodness of their heart, and My Hero AcademiaToday’s world definitely needs more of this.