My Hero Academia S07E14: "Together with Shoji" Review: Scars Heal (2024)

Posted in: Anime, TV | Tagged: Crunchyroll, my hero academia

Crunchyroll's My Hero Academia S07E14: "Together with Shoji" hit on some deep societal issues in a way that offered a clearer understanding.

Crunchyroll's My Hero Academia S07E14: "Together with Shoji" was yet another remarkable addition to an already impressive season. This arc has definitely hit deeper watching as animation than it did reading (so far) and this episode hits on some pretty deep societal matters, exploring the heteromorphs side in this war and why they have taken their current sides. It was one of those episodes that made me feel this generation is ready to talk and heal some serious generational scars.

The episode takes place at the Hospital, the site where Kurogiri is detained. This is also where Spinner and his followers are wreaking havoc in order to get Kurogiri back. The site is filled with heteromorph rioters who are causing a ruckus and overpowering the officers and heroes in the area with sheer numbers simply by squeezing in and dividing forces. It is a total mess, and I am not going to lie, it was sort of overstimulating to watch as it was too reminiscing of reality and where society currently stands.

Also, in this episode, we see Present Mic fighting alongside Koji and Shoji and realizing how much they have grown and how far along they have come since they first started. Honestly, this chapter hit me so hard, and I loved Shoji talking to his friends about his past. Koji recalls Shoji telling everyone about all the hate and abuse he endured because of his looks. It is not easy to talk about a subject that will make others uncomfortable because of privileges they have and might not be aware of. However, it did bring tears to my eyes because having a group of friends who support you and are willing to face the uncomfortable parts of life with you just touched my heart in so many ways.

In between, we see what motivates the crowd: the same hate, abuse, and prejudice that motivated Shoji to become a hero—two sides of the same coin. Unfortunately, they did not have a support system or any inspiration whatsoever to help guide them. However, Spinner is growing unstable along with the power All For One granted him. He seems to be forgetting his own cause for AFOs.

It was a hard episode to watch, but it also made me hopeful in some ways. I also loved Koji's flashback with his mom and how she fell in love with his dad for standing up against people bullying her for looking different. Once again, someone raised being reminded to stand up for those who are being discriminated against. I always love My Hero Academia and the lessons it teaches, but this episode really hit me so deep for me. I am looking forward to the Heroes beating AFO and finally making some changes in their societal structure.