BAKUBABES!

My Hero Academia is my favorite series. I have to admit my bias up front.

This volume kicks off right where the last one ended. Class A and B are split up into teams and fighting against one another to see which class has improved more over the last year. We get to see some of the members of class B we have not met before, all of which have weird freaking quirks that I ADORE. Tokage, the girl who can split her body into tiny lizard pieces is THE BOMB. How someone came up with that idea for a quirk I’ll never know but it is bonkers cool. They also do a nice job of explaining why certain teams are grouped together and against one another with the kids trying strategize how to use their quirks against someone who has basically the opposite effect of theirs.

Let’s be real though; the best thing about this volume is OUR BOY BAKUGO! We haven’t seen a ton of Bakugo in the past arc or so, it was more heavily focused on Deku and some other characters, but now everyone’s favorite angry smart boy takes center stage. Bakugo seems to be growing up emotionally in a lot of ways, which is really fun to see. He still has the same standoffish attitude and seems like he gives no fucks, but as the battle unfolds we see his reasoning for making certain moves and how to promises to have his friends backs throughout the battle. He saves Jiro! JIRO! Who he was butting heads with just a few volumes back at the festival, and now he’s out here basically being her friend. We stan character growth. I also like how we get insight into Bakugo’s intelligence in this volume. He is clearly one of the best minds in the class but that aspect is often overlooked due to his, uh, explosive personality (see what I did there?). This volume showcases his ability to make quick decisions as well as come up with a battle plan and he easily figures out how his friends can use their quirks to back him up and vice versa, knowing the other team would try to take him down as the most powerful member. Bakugo rules.

Next volume we get the much anticipated rematch between Deku and Shinso and oh boy, am I READY.

Title: My Hero Academia (Vol 22)
Author: Kohei Horikoshi
Format: Paperback
Pages: 200
ISBN:  9781974709656

Three Descriptors: Hopeful, Action-packed, Dramatic