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It was expected that My Hero Academia Chapter 343 would enter the Second War properly, but no one expected the war to begin so fast and so abruptly. While the chapter does provide readers with quite a few answers, it raises some more.
Aoyama and Midoriya feature heavily in this chapter, and another student makes a surprise appearance. My Hero Academia Chapter 343 ends on a cliffhanger.
[The article contains spoilers for My Hero Academia chapter 343]
My Hero Academia Chapter 343 ends on the cusp of an all-out war
Recap of Chapter 242
In My Hero Academia Chapter 242, Class 1-A left U.A. and moved to a facility called Troy, 30 kilometers away from their school. They were informed of All Might’s plan. Midoriya and Uraraka talked about their desire to understand and save Shigaraki and Toga. Todoroki prepared to face his brother amidst concerns from his friends.
AFO informed his spies to get Midoriya out of U.A. and cause unrest. Shigaraki would be completed within four days. Aizawa was shown visiting Kurogiri while Aoyama was still in isolation. The top three heroes discussed their plans with Ragdoll.
My Hero Academia Chapter 343 is titled Letting You Down.
AFO’s order
My Hero Academia Chapter 343 starts with AFO reminiscing that he once stole a quirk from a plain-looking user, which allows him to detect when someone is lying to him. The descendant of that user has worked by All Might’s side to bring AFO down, but he seems to be deceased because AFO mentions him in past tense. That would indicate it is not Tsukauchi as fans previously thought.
AFO then calls Mrs. Aoyama and talks about wines. He asks for a “40-year-old Macallan,” indicating All Might holding One for All for 40 years, but aged in a “16-year-old barrel,” indicating Izuku Midoriya, who is now 16. Mrs. Aoyama refers to AFO as “Uncle,” and tells him that her son will deliver the order the next day. After the call, AFO was satisfied that no lie was told.
AFO’s goal
Next, My Hero Academia Chapter 343 shows Midoriya arriving at an empty parking lot to meet Aoyama, who had called him there. Aoyama tells Midoriya that his parents’ lawyer helped him get out of prison and forbids Midoriya from telling their classmates.
Aoyama goes on to describe the current state of Japan and AFO’s final plans. With the destruction of the hero system, the country's economy has been destroyed; companies have filed for bankruptcy and the value of the Yen has plummeted. Villain activity is at an all-time high, resembling the Great Depression and the time when Quirks first appeared.
This breakdown of social structure and order has started to spread to other countries, who will sooner or later stop sending aid to Japan and focus on themselves. Once basic resources run out, the Japanese people will have no choice but to turn to AFO, who can produce water, gas, electricity, and other resources with his quirk.
Midoriya assures Aoyama that the world won’t let it happen and the heroes are still fighting. However, Aoyama cries and says that with this power, AFO will be the overlord or demon king in the new world. He apologizes and says that he just wants his parents to be safe. As he says it, AFO appears behind him.
The “betrayal”
AFO congratulates Aoyama on a job well done. He likes the boy’s description of his final plans, even though they are not completely accurate. Aoyama says that his parents told him that AFO would secure them a happy and safe future in the new world. Midoriya is shocked and enraged, and bemoans having trusted Aoyama.
AFO states that it must have been hard for Aoyama to betray his friends, especially when he was so explicitly trusted. Aoyama bows down crying, stating that he doesn’t even have it in him to feel anguish, and shoots his Navel Laser at AFO.
Amidst Deku’s smokescreen, the two boys congratulate each other on their acting. Midoriya apologizes for making Aoyama go through this ruse which brought him to tears, but Aoyama waves it off.
The cavalry arrives
AFO easily dodges Aoyama’s attack, calling him foolish. He is baffled about how the Aoyamas had been able to lie to him on the phone. Most fans believe that Shinsou’s brainwashing was responsible for it.
However, since One for All is finally within his reach, AFO pays the betrayal no mind. Using Search, he checks beforehand that all primary heroes are miles away and warns the boys that they will fail.
He then portals in his entire league of followers, including Shigaraki, Dabi, Toga, other unknown villains, and a host of Nomus. Shigaraki appears to be fully developed, and Dabi has more burn scars than the last time we saw him.
Aoyama says his parents told him that as long as Japan shows the world that there are still people left to fight AFO, they will not be abandoned. Kurogiri’s portal begins to open behind the two boys, and just as AFO thinks he will get his follower back, Monoma appears.
He has copied Kurogiri’s quirk from when Aizawa took him to visit the nomu in the last chapter. Using the portal, he brings forth the main group of heroes to the battlefield, including Miruko, Edgeshot, Rocklock, Wash, Suneater, Nejire Chan, Fatgum, Gang Orca, and Endeavor.
Final thoughts
My Hero Academia Chapter 343 sets up the main battle. It appears that the heroes’ plan to isolate the villains is yet to be deployed. Hawks is not present, indicating that he might be involved in a more covert operation. Best Jeanist was also absent from the panel.
Some fans have theorized that the villains who appear in My Hero Academia Chapter 343 are copies created by Toga using Twice’s quirk. Spinner is not there either, which will make readers wonder about the function of the remote given to him.
The Todoroki family brawl seems to be taking place without their youngest member. Shigaraki’s completed form is yet to be clearly revealed. It seems unlikely that Deku would be facing both him and AFO at the same time.
My Hero Academia Chapter 343 will officially be out on Sunday, February 13. Readers can support the mangaka by reading the chapter on Manga Plus, Viz, and the Shonen Jump App.
