Volume 13 of My Hero Academia covers issues 109-118.

Volume 13 of My Hero Academia begins with the second part of the provisional licencing exam arc, where the 100 students who have passed must now go and rescue actors pretending to be hurt bystanders. Midoriya jumps into action right away, but gets chastised for thinking out loud and not reassuring the victims that he’s there to help. Slowly class 1A, who although being attacked a million times haven’t done much regarding rescue, come to realize what they should be doing and break off into smaller groups in order to best work toward helping people. Slowly they work together to combine their quirks for safety and rescue reasons, like Momo creating pillars that Sero can tape to hold up walls while Uraraka floats away debris. I love watching the kids work together, there should always be more of it.

While the students are doing their best to rescue those trapped and injured, the second wave hits and Gang Orca, a pro hero, appears to be another problem. The students must now prioritize the rescue while trying to fight off the villains as well. Inasa of Shiketsu High School and Todoroki jump to the front to try and take down Gang Orca, but instead end up arguing and fighting between one another. Inasa hates Todoroki basically for being like Endeavor in their single encounter, as Endeavor brushed off Inasa as a child because he’s an asshole. The two fight like complete idiots, and it takes until the battle is nearly lost and they’re both incapacitated for them to realize they’re becoming the kind of people they hate. Finally they get their shit together and use their combined fire and wind attacks to circle Gang Orca and incapacitate him so the other students can take out his henchmen. Midoriya, Ojirio, Tsuyu and the others work at fighting while those two control Gang Orca and the battle is finished not far after.

In receiving results, it’s revealed that not only in Inasa and Todoroki fail to get their provisional licences, Bakugo failed as well. Luckily for them, it is revealed that if they enroll in a special 3 month long training course and pass the subsequent test, they too can earn their provisional licences. Inasa also approaches Todoroki when he learns of his fate and apologizes for this actions, and Todoroki accepts it, stating that he has to get used to bearing the brunt of his father’s actions if he wants to be a hero.

We also find out here that Cami, the girl from Shiketsu High who loses her clothes with Midoriya and shapeshifts into Uraraka, is actually Toga of the League of Villains. It is finally revealed that her quirk is she can transform into anyone, as long as she has ingested their blood. I have no idea how she found out that was her quirk and I don’t know if I want to know.

The last part of this volume begins with a man talking about the fall of All Might and the rise of Endeavor, as well as the general outlook toward heroes in a world without All Might. How villains are connecting and running in groups now, somewhat inspired by the League of Villains. Eventually we learn that this man is Twice of the League of Villains, and his quirk is double. He can make copies of things, himself, whatever, and did so to the point where the clones he made of himself had to kill one another in order for there only to be one. He’s still not entirely sure if he’s the real him or a clone. Fucking trippy man.

All Might sits down with All for One as well while class 1A is taking their licencing exams, and discuss the future and how they both obviously are trying to leave a legacy in different ways. Hours later, Bakugo approaches Midoriya and wants to fight him at the Beta area, where he first lost to Midoriya. Bakugo finally reveals he knows Deku got his power from All Might, and Bakugo’s own inner turmoil comes to the surface as he struggles to deal with how weak he is. He sees himself as a weak child who is the reason All Might was defeated and no matter how hard he works or how good he is, All might, his hero, is always going to choose Midoriya over him. Deep man. Finally Midoriya agrees to fight Bakugo just as Aizawa is informed of his students fighting and runs off to find them. These dramatic kids and their pseudo-dad. Bakugo has so many feelings and expresses none of them, and this is probably the most I’ve liked him in the series. Finally he shows some vulnerability and it’s a little easier to connect with him after all this time. Now I really can’t wait for more of this.

Also of note: This volume corresponds with episodes 19-22 of Season 3.

Title: My Hero Academia (Volume 13)
Author: Kohei Horikoshi
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
ISBN: 978-1421598031