My Hero Academia 0309: “All For One”
My Hero Academia is back, y’all! And we’re recapping this season episode by episode. Just be careful: spoilers and speculation below.
The golden age of heroism is at risk, so the pro heroes and cops aren’t just working to save Bakugo. They’ve got to restore their ethos and regain the public’s trust. The Vanguard’s attack on camp was clever — now, the good guys have to top that strategy.
“All For One” opens with another press conference intended to break the faculty. Eraser praises Bakugo’s tenacity before Principal Nezu plays dumb, knowing the League is watching. Officer Tsukauchi’s diligence pays off: with those answers, the villains don’t expect an immediate attack, especially in the form of a sham pizza delivery. Once All Might, Edgeshot and Kamui Woods bust in, the episode proceeeds with impeccable fluidity. And that makes the episode’s twist all the more staggering.
The heroes are done looking like fools: thanks to Yaoyorozu’s tracker, they’ve staged attacks on both the main hideout and the Nomu factory. They’ve even moved the Nomu so Kurogiri can’t warp them to retaliate. The League’s been bested by the very force Shigaraki’s so desperate to eliminate. Over at Camino Ward, the kids decide they don’t need to intervene and start their exit. But everything crumbles once All For One makes his move. He’s the only one base the heroes didn’t cover.
Strange, mercurial blobs appear and warp Nomus in — and Bakugo away. All For One emerges to “apologize” for taking Ragdoll’s quirk. It was just too useful. Best Jeanist immediately reacts, but he’s severely outmatched. At the last second, Deku hesitates, witnessing an overwhelming blow. The post-credit aftermath of All For One’s explosion oozes terror and is the series’ darkest moment yet. Deku’s narrative, All For One’s macabre theme and visuals like the kids’ faces and AFO’s sheer decimation flawlessly transfer dread from the screen to our souls.
A confrontation is coming, and surely help is on the way — but can the heroes win against All For One?
The Verdict:
Like its namesake, “All For One” is devious with a twist that takes My Hero Academia to a dark new level. Now we get to see real evil.
Rating: 9.1
“All For One” is available to stream in Japanese and English on Funimation, Crunchyroll, VRV, and Hulu.
Thanks for reading The Dot and Line, where we talk about animation of all kinds. Don’t forget to👏 for this article and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.