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After a long time without making an appearance, Deku finally returned to the My Hero Academia manga this week. The green-haired Hero made his triumphant entry by giving Shigaraki a taste of the new power he now possesses. Unfortunately for Izuku, many fans complained about how late he joined the fight, as his tardiness caused many tragedies for the Heroes.
But did Deku actually show up late for the fight? Did Horikoshi take too long before making Deku face Shigaraki? While many fans may believe that this is indeed the case, the series has given us a lot of clues as to why this was the best decision Horikoshi could have made for Izuku’s arrival. Continue reading to learn more about why Deku arrived just when he needed to.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and contains spoilers for the My Hero Academia manga.
Horikoshi brought Deku back to the My Hero Academia manga at just the right time
My Hero Academia chapter 366 marked the return of the protagonist of the series, Izuku Midoriya, to the battlefield. The boy had been missing from the manga for a long time, with his last appearance in the franchise being a couple of panels of him flying towards Shigaraki. In his absence, horrible tragedies took place due to Shigaraki’s new power and unhinged personality.
The number five Hero Mirko lost another arm while trying to subdue the villain. Best Jeanist is barely holding on, too tired to keep fighting. Mirio, Tamaki, and Nejire had been fighting with all their power, even though they were aware that Shigaraki could kill them. Worst of all, Bakugo, Izuku’s best friend, almost died while fighting Tenko and only survived thanks to Edgeshot’s sacrifice.
A large portion of the fandom believed that Izuku could have been able to prevent all of these awful events from occurring if he had only arrived sooner. Shigaraki is only concerned with proving to the world that he is stronger than Deku, who could be considered the strongest Hero alive at the moment.
Deku's fight against Shigaraki has finally begun, giving his friends and comrades a chance to rest and prepare to continue fighting. Nonetheless, this does not mean that Izuku arriving at this point in the fight was a bad decision, as the consequences of his presence could have been equally as horrible or worse.
Deku’s arrival was perfectly timed
During this last arc of My Hero Academia, Villains have shown the world how powerful, ruthless, and cruel they can be. Yet, unlike the rest of the series, where most of the fights take place in Japan, the entire world is involved in the current conflict. This is a serious issue, much more consequential than any other event in the manga series.
Horikoshi knows that the stakes for such an occasion have to be higher than ever, which is why this arc is exponentially darker than any of the previous ones. Many Heroes have lost their lives during this war; others have been hurt beyond repair, while many others will be traumatized for life after the war is over.
To make fans feel the same dread the characters of My Hero Academia are feeling at the moment, he has worked hard to give us dark, gritty, and despairing chapters. Case in point, the fight against Shigaraki inside U.A. grounds. This fight is probably the most significant in the entire arc, seeing as Shigaraki will most likely be the ultimate villain of the franchise.
Fans needed to understand why Shigaraki needs to be taken seriously, which could not have been done without giving him some time to showcase his abilities. It is possible that Horikoshi delayed the green-haired hero’s arrival to give not only Shigaraki but also other characters a chance to shine before the final showdown.
From a narrative standpoint, Deku arriving when the situation looks most dire is the perfect way to introduce readers to what could be the final fight of My Hero Academia. The creator needed to give his characters time to establish the power level of Deku’s ultimate opponent before making them fight.
Deku's late arrival also worked perfectly in motivating him to fight without holding back. For most of the series, Izuku has been trying to save everyone he has fought against, no matter how vile or heartless they may have been. This is one of his most heroic traits, but it is also a glaring weakness that Shigaraki could take advantage of.
Deku needs to realize that not everyone is willing to be saved, a fact that he may learn from seeing all the pain and chaos Shigaraki caused. This does not mean he will give up trying to reach Shigaraki, but it will give him the motivation to fight with all of his strength before saving the villain from himself and AFO’s influence.
Final thoughts
As this is most likely the final arc of My Hero Academia, Horikoshi is working hard to ensure that everything will go according to his plans for the franchise. Knowing this, as well as the narrative reasons for writing this arc in this manner, Deku's late appearance makes a lot more sense.
The manga series needed to establish how devastating this arc is, which could not have been achieved with Deku beating Shigaraki since the beginning of the war. Now that fans are aware of the destructive capabilities of the villain and how ruthless he can be, his final fight with Deku will be much more satisfying to witness.
