‘My Hero Academia’ Season 8 Episode 7 review: “From Aizawa”

It is genuinely fantastic just how much story is packed into the excellent and emotional My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 7. From significant character developments and endings, to a climactic cliffhanger, and a rousing reminder of just how expansive and well-written the series’ ensemble is, “From Aizawa” highlights so many facets of what makes the show worthwhile. The fact that it manages a cohesive, sprawling plot as we ping-pong between locations and perspectives adds a deeper layer of triumph to the proceedings, as the series primes us for a major, pivotal showdown. The air of finality has been present throughout Season 8 thus far, and it intensifies in the final moments of Episode 7.

The most significant parts of My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 7 are the birth of Shigaraki, the villain, the rebirth of Tenko Shimura, and the death of the puppet All for One strung along. The depiction of his cycle of abuse, the way in which he was set up to lose, and the devastation in his learning that he had no agency throughout his life, no matter his choices, delivers heartache. Shigaraki, for all of his unyielding destruction, is a tragic figure.

So too were Toga, Spinner, and Dabi. Yes, there’s a “cool motive, still murder” disclaimer, but what makes the League of Villains so interesting is to see how they act as foils to our leads. Each might’ve had a hero’s journey had they been led with the same kind of conviction as All Might or Eraser Head (or, hell, Knuckleduster in Vigilantes).

Midoriya reaches out to Shigaraki one last time.

Obviously, it’s not all that simple, and part of what makes our heroes who they are is their tireless efforts in being good and the desire to save that separates them from those who guide them. But as we watch Shigaraki be manipulated, his life altered forever due to the insidious depravity of All for One, who saw the potential of a lonely, hurt kid with bitterness baked into his DNA due to familial angst, it’s hard not to see what Midoriya (Daiki Yamashita) does even before it becomes literal: a crying child in need of help.

It’s what makes Midoriya transforming into his child self so effective. Because he gets past Shigaraki’s level to save him, even as decay begins to destroy his arms. His horror at seeing how his quirk manifested rushes Midoriya into action, wanting to save this boy from his future. It’s an immensely touching scene that allows Shigaraki to develop without cheap character rewriting or sanding of edges. No, he won’t quit being a villain. But the root of hatred that has so long engulfed him extinguishes.

Hands are a big deal in My Hero Academia, and mangaka Kōhei Horikoshi has always taken pains in drawing them. This is evident throughout the series and is certainly a highlight in “From Aizawa,” as Midoriya reaches out to Shigaraki, sharing how much it has meant to him in the past when others have reached out to him. From little Midoriya reaching his hand out to Bakugo, to Iida finding him during Deku’s vigilante arc, to Shigaraki reaching out to his sister and parents as his quirk manifests, hands and our ability to seek the comfort or safety of others are a clear, resolute image tied to the series.

Aizawa finds hope in a crucial moment.

So it makes sense that hands also bring destruction, as we learn that it was All for One who gave Shigaraki his quirk, which would determine his fate. It makes sense that, in one of the series’ more grizzly scenes, Midoriya would (albeit briefly) lose his arms – the tool that has guided so much of his fighting and heroic spirit. It’s a poetic way to try to shut down both Shigaraki’s ascension beyond hatred and Midoriya’s hope in his ability to save others.

And it does seem hopeless for a moment. While Shigaraki’s hatred peeled away, aided by Nana’s help and Midoriya’s words of comfort, the final All for One vestige appears, devouring Shigaraki and letting the latter’s mind howl in dismay as his body warps into the former’s image.

That hopefulness bleeds into other parts of the story, serving as a pivot to Eraser Head and Present Mic as they stand stranded with Kurogiri, who warped them away in Season 7. Here is a story that could have used more time, though, by Eraser Head’s own words, this isn’t their story. As Present Mic rages at Kurogiri and the false hope he gave them in believing their friend was alive, Oboro Shirakumo seems to reemerge once again, allowing the two to use the Warp Gate.

My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 7 highlights the significance of helping hands.

Their loss is the gain for others, and it’s here where Midoriya’s influence shines bright once again. Eri, through some dark inspiration from Aizawa, has cut off her horn in an effort to help Midoriya, who once reached out and saved her. She has no interest in using her quirk to become a hero but would rather sing after seeing Class 1-A perform at the festival.

And while it’s somehow disappointing to see Midoriya’s arms restored so quickly the animation as Aizawa uses Eri’s quirk on him is beautifully done. It’s just, does anyone else think he should have at least lost one as a payoff for the abuse he’s put them through and the constant warnings he’s faced since acquiring the quirk? Despite the few deaths as a result of the ongoing war the series has always excelled at showing the very real consequences of these fights. Think of Midoriya’s increasingly scarred hands, Eraser Head and Mirko’s prosthetics, and All Might’s ailing health. Regardless, it doesn’t hinder the moment.

As Sero, Sato, and Ojiro arrive courtesy of the Warp Gate and Eraser Head, My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 7 doubles down on two key factors. The first is that the ensemble for the series is truly remarkable, with no central character looking like the others.

“From Aizawa” sets the stage for an epic, final showdown.

The diversity of designs is one of Horikoshi’s most excellent skills, and each character has their own distinctive personality to accompany it, making the arrivals work even though they’re not the A or B teams of the series. Hell, Mineta keeps getting these big moments despite being easily the worst character of the class, and yet it still works because it points to the second key fact.

Midoriya’s strength is his ability to inspire others to move. The arrival of the class, accompanied by Mineta’s message that seeing Midoriya continue to give it his all pushes the others forward, is wonderful in its execution. Because we believe they’d all fight through fatigue to make it there and give him their hand to the best of their ability.

There’s so much to love about My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 7. Fantastic performances and a score that understands the heightened stakes of the story amplify the emotional throughline. The cinematic direction of Aizawa reaching Midoriya positions the series toward an epic conclusion, and there’s a real sense of misery in the All for One moments that spell disaster before the euphoric arrival of Aizawa and the other heroes. And yet it’s the image of a crying, grinning Midoriya that delivers the episode’s best animation. With the kinetic line strokes, physicality, and character animation, it beautifully sets the stage for a climactic showdown with the hero at the center, stripped to his fundamentals: a teenage hero smiling through pain and ready to fight regardless.

My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 7 is available now on Crunchyroll, with new episodes released every Saturday. 

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Images courtesy of Crunchyroll.