Unveiling the Unsettling Origins in My Hero Academia: A Dive into the Fans' Discomfort
My Hero Academia's evolution from a lighthearted series to a darker and more complex narrative is exemplified in the exploration of All For One's haunting backstory Prepare to delve into the depths of this gripping character's past Final thoughts on this intriguing development
My Hero Academia has evolved significantly from its original concept. Initially, the series struck a balance between humor and action, typical of other shonen anime and manga. However, as the manga has progressed, the stakes have risen dramatically.
Now, many heroes may not survive, leaving their parents to watch as their children determine the fate of the world. In recent chapters, the series delves into the backstory of All For One, a crucial character and the primary antagonist. It becomes clear that he was inherently evil from birth.
The latest chapter may have made some readers uncomfortable as shonen anime and manga series seldom delve into dark themes. This article will examine the character's backstory and the themes explored in the recent chapter of the manga.
Trigger Warning: This article contains descriptions of violence and gore typical in the series. Reader discretion is advised.
Disclaimer: The article contains massive spoilers from the recent manga chapters.
My Hero Academia: All For One’s backstory explored
Chapter 407 of My Hero Academia provided readers with a deeper understanding of All For One's past. Born to a s*x worker, he and his twin brother were a result of their mother's unawareness of her pregnancy. Their mother, who was homeless and struggling financially, tragically passed away after giving birth to the twins, as they had been sapping her life force throughout her pregnancy.
All For One was one of the twins. The mother had certain hardened warts on her body, which disappeared after he was born. This was because All For One stole the meta ability that his mother had. His twin brother Yoichi, was frail and small because the only thing All For One could and wanted to do was take from people. Even as a baby, he was extremely arrogant and looked like he was chewing the flesh of his mother’s corpse.
All For One eating his mother's flesh right after being born (Image via Shueisha/Kohei Horikoshi)
All For One, from the My Hero Academia series, had a delusional belief that the entire world was his to control. He saw people as disposable if they had nothing to offer him, and only spared his brother Yoichi because he considered him his possession.
All For One committing brutal murders at a young age (Image via Shueisha/Kohei Horikoshi)
During that period, a luminous infant was the subject of research and marked one of the earliest recorded instances of meta abilities. The findings led to division among those with meta abilities and those without, as the ability was attributed to gene sequences that were considered non-"human". All For One terminated the baby and hoarded the quirk for himself.
Final Thoughts
The backstory of All For One illuminated the source of his malevolent behavior. From a young age, his only instinct has been to take without regard for others. He has continuously taken from others without facing any repercussions. Additionally, the staggering number of people he has mercilessly killed is truly horrifying.
His lack of remorse when killing those who have nothing to offer is a dark theme rarely seen in shonen series. The discomfort it stirred among readers of My Hero Academia as the series progressed added to the unease. Keep an eye out for more anime and manga updates as 2023 unfolds.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about the recent developments in the My Hero Academia manga. On the one hand, I appreciate the author's willingness to explore darker themes and challenge the conventions of the shonen genre. The backstory of All For One is truly unsettling, and it sheds light on the complex nature of evil. On the other hand, I worry that the series may be becoming too dark and violent for its own good.
The graphic depiction of All For One's crimes is gratuitous and unnecessary, and it borders on being exploitative. I am concerned that the series is losing sight of its original message of hope and optimism.
Overall, I think the recent developments in My Hero Academia are a step in the wrong direction. I hope that the author will find a way to balance the dark and light elements of the story in a way that is both compelling and appropriate for the target audience.
