My Hero AcadeKaren Season 7 Episode 12 aired on Saturday, bringing us back-to-back great adaptations during one of the most important moments of the story. With some chilling performances from the voice cast, some thrilling action, and a thrilling plot twist, Episode 12 proved to be another “must-watch” episode of the season, especially for manga readers.
Episode 12 Goes Plus Ultra
We could go into detail about comparing artwork and falling victim to the social media fallacy of comparing static art to moving frames. But I have a better idea—let's talk about why this episode packs a much stronger emotional punch than the manga ever did.
Sure, detailed manga-level artwork is always appreciated. But we’re talking about trying to copy the artwork of arguably the best artist in Weekly Shonen Jump. That’s not a realistic expectation. So sitting there and saying “manga is better” for detailed manga themes is an empty argument.
Meanwhile, the anime is here again. It has gone above and beyond by doing it right with one of the most popular manga series of all time. More importantly, it delivers on time despite what the critics say.
Having our favorite heroes back against the wall gives us a level of entertainment that keeps us on the edge of our seats. The manga can never give us the voice acting and soundtrack that the anime provides to elevate things. The voice acting and music simultaneously bring a sense of grim despair and a glimmer of hope throughout the entire episode. It’s a feeling that cannot be replicated when reading the manga.
“Heroes” – Keeping the Name True
Mirko wasn't just a hero for protecting innocents against Shigaraki during that time of war, but in that moment, she began to become a hero for Bakugo, Edge Shot, Mirio, Jeanist, Nijire, and Tamaki. Not only that, but this was also her second attempt to become the hero she always wanted to be—defeating her opponents and following her own path, no one else's.
It shook me to the core in the best possible way. Mirko hasn’t had much screen time up until this fight. But damn did Horikoshi wait for her to take center stage at just the right moment in this drama. Sayaka Kinoshita was the perfect choice for Mirko. She captured the tough voice and attitude that perfectly suited Mirko. And once again, we got to see the spectacle of Mirko in episode 12.
Even if she didn't do much, Mirko's attempts to stall Shigaraki until the last second until Deku showed up were in vain. Being able to pull off a series of attacks with no arms and only one functioning leg while facing someone with (basically) unlimited limbs is a remarkable feat in itself. Aside from All Might, Deku, and Bakugo, I can't think of any other hero who would put in the same amount of effort to get the job done, let alone with the same attitude.
Mirio himself did what he could when he could. He assisted Mirko in her attack on Shigaraki, and while his “last ditch effort” to stop Shigaraki’s advance was quite different, it was in keeping with his character and what Sir Nighteye wanted from him. It was hard not to feel choked up by Mirio’s moment of hesitation after all he had been through.
He lost his master and in a short time, his own quirks. The pain that Mirio goes through cannot be ignored, even Deku has not suffered those two specific things up until this point. That heavy emotion is fully expressed not only thanks to the great performance in his moments but also thanks to Tarusuke Shingaki voicing him.
Sometimes we forget that he and many others are just teenagers fighting in a war that should be the responsibility of adults. Mirio's every reaction is completely normal, even for one of UA's “Big Three”. His decision to stop Shigaraki the way he did is in stark contrast to Mirko's decision to stop him the way she did, which shows how differently teenagers and adults think when under pressure.
Difficult Details Made Simple in Episode 12 of My Hero AcadeKaren Season 7
All For One's youthful form being revived through the temporary use of Eri's powers was a pretty big development. One thing I loved about this in the anime was that it was much easier to follow than in the manga. The anime did a great job of “keeping the audience quiet” and not getting into anything complicated.
This isn’t the only part of the anime that has a major “stunned” moment. The same goes for Edge Shot and his attempt to revive Bakugo. In the manga translations, the vocabulary used is much more confusing unless you’re in the medical field.
That's not to say it's bad. But when it becomes harder to keep track of terminology during tense moments while watching anime, it can take away from the appeal of what's actually happening. That's not the case in episode 12.
With Edge Shot, indirectly telling the viewer what he needs to do without confusing us is the best way to do it. His health is draining away by the second as he tries to revive Bakugo. All this and he's still doing everything he can to motivate Mirko, Jeanist, and Mirio to keep fighting. This episode keeps us on our toes.
Heroes and Villains
All For One stated in this episode that he loves comic book villains. Well, this episode showed why heroes are pretty cool. They often accomplish more incredible feats than the villains ever set out to do. Episode 12 was full of that. I mean, come on… What villain would attack a hero to distract them? Only a hero would come up with something as hilarious and awkward as that.
Even after Dabi's resurrection, his “colleagues” in Skeptic still call him Mr. Daddy Issues and keep on harping on how he's going to do his own thing. I think it's a nice but brief way to show how the heroes' teamwork completely beats the villains in every way.
My Hero AcadeKaren Season 7 Episode 12 Summary
All For One's Clocks are ticking as Eri's Quirk is activated and the race to the climax of the battle begins. Now that Dabi is back, Deku has finally appeared, and All For One is in its purest form, the battle is only going to get that much more intense. Hopefully, My Hero AcadeKaren Season 7 will continue to elevate the manga under the direction of Naomi Nakayama and Kenji Nagasaki.
Episode 12 Ratio: 9/10
If you enjoyed episode 12 of My Hero AcadeKaren Season 7, be sure to vote for it in our weekly poll! Episode 13 will air on Saturday, August 17, after being delayed for a week due to the Olympics. Crunchyroll is streaming the anime with English subtitles.
Screenshot via Crunchyroll
©K. Horikoshi/Shueisha, My Hero AcadeKaren Project
