#Bakugo meta | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dynamightmite · 2 years

Text

Some of the responses to my last post have made me realize that maybe Bakugo's trauma isn't as well understood as some of the other characters', and, because I have free time today, I figured I might as well break it down in chronological order and work from there (warning you now: this will be long).

To begin with, there's a lot of obvious things about the Sludge villain incident that would be traumatizing for basically anyone. And as much as Bakugo tried to shove off the after-effects, we know he was scared:

But there are a lot of Bakugo-specific reasons why the Sludge villain really fucked with his confidence and sense of self-worth. For one thing, while we see Midoriya getting attacked, he's rescued by All Might almost instantly. He barely has time to realize he's suffocating before he's free. Bakugo? Not so much. It's unclear how long, exactly, the Sludge villain holds him hostage, but it's at least a few minutes. Which doesn't sound very long until you remember that Bakugo was fourteen, couldn't breathe, and, because he isn't stupid, was completely aware that multiple pro heroes were basically standing around watching him be brutalized and doing absolutely nothing to help.

The only person who did help was Deku. The only person. The only person who gave enough of a shit about Bakugo to try and save him was the person he has the most complicated relationship with: his rival, his victim, his childhood friend, the person he feels both the safest and most exposed with. The person he measures himself against constantly, and internally finds himself lacking. So not only is all of this happening, but Deku—who just hours earlier Bakugo was mocking for being weak—is the one person strong enough to try and do something, and gets front row seats to Bakugo's own weakness.

Then All Might shows up and saves Bakugo from what is, at that point, the most humiliating, terrifying thing that has ever happened to him. But of course Bakugo isn't happy about it; he never wanted to be saved by All Might, and meeting his hero for the first time the way he did? What Bakugo wanted, desperately, was to prove himself to All Might, and instead he's just another dumb kid that got saved from a villain attack by the greatest pro hero who ever lived.

Not only that, but this was in public. It was televized. Bakugo was made so famous for it, people recognized him years later on the street based solely on his face. And while theoretically that's great exposure for him, imagine if the worst, most degrading moment of your entire life was broadcast on live, national television, and constantly brought up like some funny anecdote by people who don't even know you. He was fourteen years old being physically assaulted and strangled in front of the entire country and unable to do anything about it. Not only did that damage his pride, but it really fucked with him mentally. Look at what Midoriya even says about him:

That's not even to begin talking about how much pressure he puts himself under to be the best, no exceptions. He has a full-on panic attack when he loses in Deku vs. Kacchan 1 because he ties his self-worth so completely to winning he thinks of himself and worthless without it. Look how deeply it affects him:

That's not just bruised pride, that's Bakugo dealing with every single one of his insecurities being laid bare in public again. It's gonna just keep happening, too. And sure, like with this fight, sometimes he brings it on himself, but. Holy shit, this poor kid.

Then, of course, we have the kidnapping.

Despite their misapplication of their information, the LoV actually understands Bakugo pretty well. By that I mean, they figured out what affects Bakugo the most and capitalize on it to try and win him over to their side. They attack his image as a hero. Which seems kind of lame and generic, except it really hits home. Why?

Because that's his biggest insecurity, his deep, dark shame: Bakugo doesn't think of himself as heroic.

He's an excellent fighter and strategist, he's fearless, able to work well under pressure, adaptable, quick-thinking, and extremely powerful. All incredible traits for a hero. What he doesn't have is an instinct to save others. Deku does; he'll reach his hand out to anyone, without thought, no matter the cost to his safety/happiness. But Bakugo consistently struggles with this aspect of being a true hero. He's very aware of how important it is—every time he talks about Deku looking down on him, the thing he was laughing at Bakugo for? Yeah, this is it—and how very much he lacks it. And the LoV rubs his face in the fact that not only do a bunch of villains see him as being villainous, but the public he's supposed to be well on his way to protecting do, too. Yeah Aizawa defends him, but of course that whole experience negatively affects Bakugo. Especially because of what comes after.

Deku vs. Kacchan 2 is probably the closest Horikoshi comes to stabbing the audience through the brain with a knife labeled "Bakugo's trauma".

The whole fight is just Bakugo baring his soul in the most raw, heart-wrenching way possible. Look at what he asks Deku:

None of these lines should be ignored. This is Bakugo admitting that he is terrified that every bit of praise he's ever received is meaningless in the face of reality, which has proven that he is not worthy. All Might didn't think so, otherwise why wouldn't he have picked Bakugo to be his successor? Every ounce of skill, all the effort Bakugo has poured into his dream, it all means nothing. Why? Because Deku is inherently heroic, and Bakugo is not. Bakugo knows it, Midoriya knows it (why else would he be laughing in Bakugo's face if he wasn't intimately aware of his failures?), All Might knows it—hell, the whole world knows it. And because Bakugo is his own worst critic, he's gutted that someone like him, someone unworthy, destroyed the Symbol of Peace. His hero.

Does this not look like trauma? Does this not look like a kid poorly dealing with PTSD who's lashing out and trying to punish himself? And trying to purge his emotions the only way he knows how, through fighting? Who is desperately seeking some kind of compassion and connection in Deku, because he is losing his mind and can't keep going? He's a kid who's been given basically zero support, who's been expected to deal with not only being kidnapped and psychologically tortured, but also being the direct cause of Japan's sudden criminal uprising. That is so much pressure to put on a child. Any single bit of Bakugo's experience would be traumatizing by itself, but put together? It's like a personalized hell for him.

And then we have the Moment. The my body just moved on its own moment. Bakugo is so afraid for Deku leading up to this:

And afterward? It really affects him.

He's scared for Deku. He's beating himself up for not supporting him better, for not getting over himself and taking Deku's hand. He thought his closest person was going to die in front of his eyes, and then that person ran away. Of course that traumatized Bakugo.

Now, the reason Bakugo's trauma often gets overlooked (both in canon and in the fandom space) is, in my opinion, because he doesn't express his trauma in a way that's easy to romanticize. It often comes out as anger and violence, loud and obnoxious and toxic. His trauma responses hurt other people, specifically Deku. And in a character that isn't going for poor little meow meow bloodthirsty vengeance-based criminal or abused child with terrible social skills but a heart of gold, it's hard for people to wrap their heads around the fact that Bakugo isn't really a bad kid so much as he's a kid who has had a lot of crap dumped on him and hasn't been given any tools to heal. He doesn't know how to express his feelings easily or clearly when he isn't in the middle of a fight, and he has very few coping skills to help him deal with his crippling self-loathing and inferiority complex. So when he reaches his mental limit, he—pun intended—explodes.

That isn't to say that Bakugo isn't responsible for his trauma responses, the same way every other character is. He absolutely deserves to be taken to task over them, and the narrative has done a good job of giving him one consequence after the other. But at the same time, he really is just a child who is doing his best in a fucked up situation. And while his actions definitely have hurt other people, the amount of mental torment Bakugo finds himself in on a regular basis deserves more sympathy than I think he sometimes gets.

I understand why characters like Shoto get more of the poor baby treatment, because he's the perfect victim: faultless, and his anger is almost 100% directed at the perpetrator, his father. Comparatively, Bakugo's trauma is messy and overflowing and directed at all the wrong people. But that's neither unrealistic nor even all that surprising, given what we know about him. And part of that is because his trauma isn't nearly as straight-forward, since it's so wrapped up in his own self-esteem issues that he blames himself, and then tries to refocus his hurt and anger on Deku to mitigate his own pain.

It's a big part of why I like Bakugo so much; he represents the unappealing side of trauma responses that are so common, but so often get overlooked because they're unappealing. He's a victim who doesn't act the way we want a victim to act, but rather the way they usually do, and for that I applaud Horikoshi on his realism.

#bnha #bakugo #bakugo meta #bnha meta #bnha spoilers #character analysis #long post

627 notes · View notes

imaginarylungfish · 9 months

Text

I've read a lot of meta to understand Izuku and Katsuki's relationship. I never really understood Katsuki's side. But I think I've got it now. I am slow to understand character interactions sometimes (I'm neurodivergent), so please bear with me! I am also open to any corrections! Ok, this is what I understand as canon:

Katsuki thought Izuku was always a better hero (personality wise) than him when they were kids/growing up (ie. Izuku always wanted to help others, even Katsuki). Katsuki was so insecure about this because he wanted to be the best hero. So, he constantly put Izuku down in typical bully fashion.

He was so annoyed, mad, and hurt when he found out Izuku had a quirk when Izuku passed the entrance exam. He felt lied to and betrayed since Izuku always said he was quirkless. This (Izuku getting into UA) was another conformation for Katsuki that Izuku was better than him. Katsuki used to think he was automatically better than Izuku because he had a quirk. Katsuki thought that even though Izuku had a hero's personality and will, he would never surpass Katsuki because he was quirkless. But reality changed once Katsuki found out Izuku did actually have a quirk.

Then, when Katsuki found about All Might, both their childhood hero, passing down OFA to Izuku, Katsuki was heartbroken in another way. His hero (AM) recognized what Katsuki saw all along: Izuku is a hero (and maybe even a better one than Katsuki).

But this whole time, Izuku just admired Katsuki for his persistence and quirk. He thought he was amazing and wanted to be like Katsuki. So he fought tooth and nail to be on Katsuki's level. This was seen as threatening to Katsuki for the reasons above.

So essentially, both think they are inferior to the other and are trying to "catch up." But maybe they've realized neither is better and they're just different? Idk that's all I've got for now.

51 notes · View notes

siflshonen · 1 year

Note

I hope you don’t mind my asking, you may have already explained this and I just didn’t get it for I am slow, but why exactly was Bakugou’s response to seeing Midoriya’s hero spirit fear? Why fear? If he recognised it as a virtue he lacked, and that it made Midoriya better than him, did he fear it because he felt that couldn’t be him? Like he wasn’t capable of that? If he did see it as virtue he lacked, why didn’t he feel he could at least try to emulate it? Or was it a lack of understanding? Sorry if the question is tedious.

Hm. Bakugo’s feelings towards Izuku in general are confusing and contradictory because I think there is more than one answer, but in this case I’m struggling to answer this question because I feel you answered it already!!!!

1) He thought it made Izuku “better than him” (and, if you want to take that in a direction, you can argue that it made Katsuki feel like he was not just worthless, but a “bad person” for not being “Izuku-like heroic” at his core in all things. Katsuki wasn’t “natural-born” hero material and he wasn’t showing the sign of greatness as a kid in this manner as the narrative he and society told about Heroes and their origins, so OBVIOUSLY this means he’s a fraud and can never be a Hero, DUH, because it doesn’t follow The Story Of Who Becomes A Hero. Which, yeah, is a bunch of bullshit. But it’s how it is.)

2) He didn’t totally understand it. All of that is a lot to articulate for anyone, especially a child.

He likely didn’t emulate it for two reasons:

1) Izuku’s level of selflessness is frankly, uhhhh sometimes idiotic and not actually wholly helpful or “good” in all instances. Being THAT willing to throw yourself into danger disregards the feelings of those who would be upset if something happened to you. Also, it really chafes the entire purpose for humans and animals to have a survival instinct in the first place.

2) The examples set for Katsuki as a child, like the ones AROUND HIM and those on television and stuff, did not support the “Izuku model” of selflessness as the way to be. The one arguable exception is All Might, but All Might’s willingness to save at all costs isn’t what Katsuki admired - it’s that he always WON, and thus the saving happened as a product of him winning and NOT sacrificing himself in an obvious way (of course, Toshinori sacrificed just about everything in truth, but little Katsuki didn’t know that.)

3) because of reasons 1 and 2, he was too scared to try.

So, coming back to the main point - socially and personally, Katsuki’s big, ugly secret is that he thinks that a real hero is sacrificial like Izuku, BUT this stands at odds with what he’s told is the “accepted” Hero who always wins. But from his own personal meter stick? Fuck those people; they’re wrong - AND he doesn’t think he can be the way Izuku is, either, so FUCK KATSUKI, HIMSELF, TOO FOR BEING A HYPOCRITE. He’s put himself in a position of being attacked at both ends, but he’s the only one who knows it. Confusing.

#Bakugo katsuki #Midoriya izuku #BNHA meta #Bakugo meta #ask #bnha

24 notes · View notes

villainsandvictimsalliance · 2 years

Note

What do you think about what happened in 362? Any theories?

I actually do!

The first thing I need to say it's that I'm really happy Bakugo joined the fight against Shiggy-AFO, because I wanted him to fight along with Deku. Bakugo after all is like a second protagonist in bnha. He has shared the road with Deku right since the beginning, so every time one of them changes or grows, the other does to. It wouldn't be a real end without them both risking their absolute everything to win.

If you guys remember, I also predicted Bakugo joining the fight because originally, Horikoshi had planned the end of Heroes Rising to be the end of bnha. For those who don't know or don't remember, in Heroes Rising Bakugo and Deku share OFA in the final fight to defeat the enemy together. They were also in a precarious situation, with both their lives hanging by a thread.

So what's my theory about bnha 362?

Bakugo in this fight reminded me a lot of the fight of Rock Lee and Gaara lol. The whole fighting while still unconscious, the way he moved, the whole destroying himself in an attempt to win... But what caught my attention was the constant use of sparks or little lights. I know it represents Bakugo's quirk, but if you put it together with the fact he was seeing All Might as he appears in his vestige mode, and if you put it along with the comparison between Bakugo and the second vestige...

I think somehow Bakugo is gonna get saved by OFA. Maybe not in the way we could expect, but I'm confident this is not the end for Bakugo.

In bnha, death is also synonymous to redemption or change. For example, Tenko and Tomura, Touya and Dabi, Shirakumo and Kurogiri, Endeavor and Young Enji... If a character has been somehow wrong or bad before, or if a character has suffered and been beaten up by life, a near death experience could be the switch between an old version and a new one. It also applies to return to the old version: Shirakumo awakening inside Kurogiri, Dabi going back to Touya, Tenko awakening inside Tomura once AFO possessed him...

Normally, the people who die in bnha are on their most definitive version. I don't think that's the case with Bakugo. His story with Deku is not over yet. Also, not many main characters die in bnha (or maybe not main character has ever die in bnha?).

My point is: Horikoshi is building up the final fight correctly. There's tension, readers are scared or tense, things are bad and getting even worst. We need the greatest conflict yet in other to solve it with the best resolution. This is what iw going to turn the UA kids into legends, into the best heroes in the world.

And even if OFA doesn't play a part in saving Bakugo (improbable, but okay), there are many other solutions. His heart stopped, and what? There's still time and chances. It's okay if many characters are losing hope, that's a gopd narrative. The question is: whst glorious tactic is ahead of this? What amazing action awaits for us?

#Shan's asks #bnha #mha #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #Bnha 362 #Mha 362 #bakugo katsuki #Bakugou katsuki #Bnha spoilers #Mha spoilers #Bnhs meta #Mha meta #Bakugo meta #Long post #My hero academia meta #Boku No Hero Academia meta

58 notes · View notes

z-mizcellaneous-z · 11 months

Text

Deku's possessiveness V.S. Kacchan's protectiveness

Bkdks. We've all read countless fics with bkdk pining after each other, of them getting jealous and whatnot. Usually, the fandom labels Kacchan as the possessive one and Deku as the protective one, but I (respectfully) disagree. I say that Deku is the possessive one and Kacchan is the protective one.

Now, when I say Deku is possessive and Kacchan is protective, I'm not saying that they don't have the other trait. bkdk are both protective and possessive of each other. HOWEVER, the way I see it is:

Deku is possessive. When he gets possessive, it feeds his protectiveness.

Kacchan is protective. When he gets protective, it feeds his possessiveness.

When you read fics from Deku's POV and he's seeing Kacchan being happy with someone else (both platonic and romantic), he gets possessive. Why not me, why THEM, I know him better, I've known him for LONGER, etc. There also is a kind of "indulging" in the "selfishness" of wanting Kacchan all to himself if that makes sense. Like yes, he'll feel bad about being jealous over Kacchan having friends, but also he can't bring himself to stop being jealous/possessive of Kacchan. Deku's possessiveness has the message of "I know Kacchan better than anyone else ever has/will, I've worked hard to stay by his side and I'm not gonna let some EXTRA take him from me."

However, when you read fics from KACCHAN'S POV, and he's seeing Deku being happy with someone else, he gets protective. He also kind of attacks himself in the sense of "I want the best for Deku and I am not the best. I hurt Deku countless times in countless ways, [person] hasn't hurt Deku like I have, and [they] will make Deku happier than I ever could. If they ever hurt him though [they]'re dead." Kacchan's protectiveness has the message of "I want Deku to always be happy. If he's happy with someone else, then I'm happy."

Again, Deku does have moments where his protectiveness shows more than his possessiveness. A prime example is the training camp arc, when Kacchan is kidnapped. It starts as possessive, with Deku basically going "Give my Kacchan back!" and Compress commenting on this and saying that Bakugo doesn't belong to anyone.

However, as his possessiveness increases, Deku's protectiveness also increases. He's a lot more self-sacrificial and desperate in reaching Kacchan to save him. To protect him.

On the other hand, Kacchan also has moments where his protectiveness gives way to more possessiveness than usual. The first example is when Kacchan is stabbed by Shigaraki. He sees Deku about to get severely injured, and he becomes protective and takes the hit instead of Deku. However, after getting stabbed, he says "stop trying to win this on your own." This is where his possessiveness shows, in which he's trying to fill the role of being a Symbol of Victory. "Let me be YOUR Symbol of Victory."

There's also the fact that Bakugo carries guilt because of his actions from the past. This has him being more prone to leaning away from being as possessive as Deku is because "I hurt Deku. I don't deserve him. Deku isn't mine. He doesn't belong to me, he never has." Because of this he leans more towards protectiveness in the sense of wishing for him to be always happy in the ways that he prevented when they were younger and whatnot.

Of course, during his apology, he also expresses how they all will help him. However, you also have the moment where Izuku stumbles and falls. Kacchan's protectiveness comes in as he rushes to grab him and hold him steady. Izuku apologizes for the things he says, and Kacchan says "I get it." Not we, because his possessiveness comes forth in that moment. It also comes forward when he talks to Class 1A and Endeavor.

"You know nothing about Deku."

"I know Deku more than anyone else."

Those are very possessive statements, which are very similar to Deku's possessive mentality.

However, Deku doesn't carry guilt. This has him lean more towards being possessive of Kacchan. "I've ALWAYS stuck by Kacchan, you must be stupid if you think YOU can take him from ME."

However, I also think that once bkdk enter a relationship and Kacchan truly, wholly believes that he is worthy of Deku's love and the relationship in general, he'll allow himself to be a lot more possessive. Like once he's had the realization of "Izuku deserves the best and he chose ME, and I trust his judgement so that means I'm the best for him," he'll go, "Anyone who tries taking him from me will lose a couple fingers. I bite bitch," which is how I feel a lot of people think he's like from the get-go, when that more blatant possessive comes later on.

Again, it all circles back to the good old "bkdk are two halves of a whole, they complete each other."

Win to save, save to win.

Victory and peace.

Protectiveness and possessiveness.

Anyways.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk, bkdk is canon I will kill AND die on that hill and I do not take criticism. Have a great day.

1K notes · View notes

sammy-the-dead-dumpster · 8 months

Text

Thinking about the plot parallels in bnha again, this time as they relate to Izuku's goals--because he's had a specific goal for a long time, and it's not just being the number one hero. Saving is Izuku's half of heroism, after all, and yet from his perspective, it could be said that he fails in one continual regard: saving Katsuki.

It seems to start with the sludge villain. He doesn't exactly fail; he has a positive effect on the situation, at least physically, and Katsuki survives unscathed and more or less emotionally intact. From a literal standpoint, Katsuki has been saved, but Izuku isn't directly the one to save him (and is indirectly the one who put him in danger).

Then training camp happens, and Katsuki is a victim again. And Izuku is frozen there in the forest, unable to keep reaching for him. (And when he plots the rescue, he can't be the one to enact it.) Katsuki is rescued in the end, but Izuku doesn't save him before damage is done--because this time, Katsuki is physically okay, but the psychological effects make themselves known at Ground Beta.

Then there's the next time. Katsuki takes the hit for Izuku, and this time, although he survives, he sustains physical harm. It isn't as though Izuku can prevent this, but Katsuki's only there because Izuku told him about OFA, and is only putting his life in danger because of Izuku. From Izuku's perspective, he hasn't protected Katsuki.

And then there's the final battle, a bigger, more catastrophic reflection of what happened before. Except this time, Katsuki doesn't survive. And once again, Izuku hasn't saved him.

Izuku wins to save; saving is what motivates him. And although he's been victorious time and time again, he has never decisively saved Katsuki from a true threat. This is a pattern his entire life.

His entire life, because it didn't start with the sludge villain.

It started with the river. Katsuki didn't take his hand, and Izuku wasn't able to help him. It's the start of Katsuki's internal conflict with weakness and victimhood, and the start of Izuku trying to be there for him.

Katsuki has to contend with needing to be saved. Izuku has to contend with failing to save him.

#bnha #mha #bnha meta #mha meta #bakudeku #bkdk #in a sense #deku #kacchan #bakugo katsuki #katsuki bakugou #bakugou katsuki #katsuki bakugo #midoriya izuku #izuku midoriya #is this too evident or is it just extrapolation? i don't know #but i like thinking about all the patterns #and how they grow in severity

428 notes · View notes

littleholmes · 2 years

Text

I wasn’t going to cry because I saw the leaks and the fire it caused in the fandom earlier this weekend and I knew what was going to happen in the chapter this morning, and figured there’s likely a way Bakugo’s okay or will make it out of this, so I haven’t been too worried—but then I saw Aizawa’s face

I saw this look on Aizawa—who already screamed for someone to help his second problem child—now screaming again because his explosion son may very well have had his heart explode, and it was like being punched in the stomach and the air left me and I…

I’m…at a lost for words and feel grief for all of them, all of these kids and heroes, but especially for Aizawa who is sitting from afar watching this go down helplessly grabbing at his capture weapon because he can’t help his student, despite the fact that if he could, he absolutely would have. He’s screaming like a parent who helped all of his children before countless times (to the point of being physically incapable of helping the way he has before) but now no longer can as he watches the worst case scenario unfold before his eyes.

idk I’m rambling but this moment with Bakugo hurt but it hurt even more that we had to see Aizawa see something horrible happen to him and there was nothing he could do about it, while probably internally blaming himself that he wasn’t there to stop Bakugo from becoming another Shirakumo.

#bnha #bnha 362 #bakugo katsuki #aizawa shouta #bnha manga spoilers #idk i'm rambling #katsuki bakugo #shouta Aizawa #bnha thoughts #bnha manga #bnha meta #shota aizawa #bnha analysis #mha 362 #mha #mha manga spoilers #bakugou katsuki

3K notes · View notes

greenhappyseed · 4 months

Text

MHA 409 Review — The Extra and the Pebble

Ch 409 is a really interesting continuation of the action in 405-406, prior to the AFO backstory in 407-408. These few panels of Yoichi and AFO in the OFA-AFO mind palace (406 on the right; 409 on the left) tell us a LOT about AFO and how he’s been affected by Katsuki.

I’m not even sure what’s left of AFO. Is he fully baby-fied now? Is he down on the ground like Toya and Himiko? Throughout the chapter, it looked like AFO was gaining a pupil in his right eye, which is the one Katsuki doesn’t have at the moment. Is this just clever art mirroring or hinting at AFO’s next move????

Unlike 407-408, this chapter focuses on Katsuki. I don’t think it tells us something we didn’t already know — Katsuki was born to a couple with a happy, functional marriage who loved and wanted him. He has a strong and versatile quirk. He’s powerful, smart, and strategic. And yet, at the start of the story all those advantages combined made him more of a brat than a hero. But it’s different now. The final page really shows how Katsuki has connected it all. See how the lines of his explosion frame the rest of the page? How the left line points directly to his dialogue about not being alone? And below Katsuki are all the influences that have supported him — All Might, his parents, and Yoichi/OFA (via Izuku).

Katsuki is going all out at the end, breaking his right arm (again) but able to pull off one last huge blast due to the brace All Might gave him (like Izuku using Melissa’s gauntlets in Two Heroes). If his gambit of dropping sweat beads in AFO’s mouth didn’t pay off, he would have delivered the blast sooner, but luckily his ploy worked.

FWIW, Katsuki dropped the beads in AFO’s mouth right when AFO was shouting about Kudou and Katsuki said his name was Kacchan, because Kacchan is a clever kid.

Katsuki is also acknowledging directly that he could not have soloed AFO. Even though he’s awesome, there’s a limit to what he (or ANY one person, including All Might) could do alone. Seeing as Yoichi’s message to Izuku has always been, “You are not alone,” it further emphasizes how Katsuki has grown to adopt the spirit of OFA. The kid who thought needing help was a sign of weakness, and who thought Izuku holding out a hand was mocking him, now understands the importance of accepting that hand. Standing on the shoulders of giants helps one see further. :)

Moreover, Katsuki is now motivated by helping Izuku and getting out of Izuku’s way. Izuku isnt the pebble in Katsuki’s path — Katsuki is the one in the way of Izuku. Back when 362 dropped, I wrote about how Katsuki’s death was very Buddhist in that he had to lose all his physical attachments (including his body and quirk) to achieve a spiritual awakening. It seems like that worked, and now Katsuki is genuinely, truly appreciating all the gifts he has, as well as his role as a piece of something bigger. He’s no longer demanding that others get out of his way, but rather thinking about when HE has to move for someone else. The kid who pathologically couldn’t walk behind someone else is now able to get out of his own way AND clear the path for others.

This fits the pattern we’ve seen numerous times in the final arc with a hero accepting a villain’s taunt in order to defeat them. Of course Katsuki takes a different tactic than, say, Shoto (“A half-baked dummy, that’s me”). Katsuki yells he’s the final boss, he’s not a filler character, etc. But the point is the same. Katsuki is accepting he has one quirk; he’s NOT physically bound to the OFA-AFO quirk; he IS a pebble compared to AFO. His role IS to support Izuku….and it takes absolutely nothing away from him whatsoever. Katsuki has his stupid awesome quirk, his intelligence, his strength, his commitment, and people who care about him. He can play his part to the best of his ability and deliver a big win for the heroes.

#bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #bnha 409 #mha 409 #Katsuki bakugo #Kacchan #gemg dynamight #AFO #all for one #bnha meta #mha meta

109 notes · View notes

dynamightmite · 1 year

Text

Just to be clear, the whole "Deku and Bakugo holding hands by the end of the manga" thing isn't like. Something weird or made up, or even indicative of shipping. It's literally just the culmination of their interactions considering the way Horikoshi centralized "reaching to/for" as being foundational to Bakugo and Midoriya's relationship. Almost all of their big moments can be described as the act of one reaching for the other, both physically and emotionally—and both matter.

The whole reacher/reachee dynamic starts (chronologically for them) at about four, and this one interaction defines the entirety of their relationship going forward.

Notice how Midoriya reaches, and Bakugo shoves him off. He clearly recognizes the gesture, but he absolutely refuses to respond in kind. This is the break in their relationship, the symbolic moment where Bakugo pulls away and Midoriya is left trailing behind after him.

It isn't until years later that Midoriya reaches out to Bakugo again, under similar, but much more dangerous circumstances. One thing hasn't changed; Midoriya is the one originally doing the reaching. What does change is that Bakugo, unlike when they were kids, reaches back:

I think a lot of people pass over Bakugo's response here as unimportant because you have to translate it through seven asshole filters to realize he's roundaboutly trying to thank Midoriya for saving his life, but it's relevant in that it sets the tone going forward. This moment shows that Bakugo is willing to reach back—not necessarily kindly, and certainly not physically, not yet—if Midoriya reaches first. It's the first sign that Bakugo does actually want a reciprocal relationship, even if he can't verbalize or actualize it yet.

We see this extended after Deku vs. Kacchan 1. Midoriya reaches out to Bakugo, chasing him down to do so. While he doesn't reach out physically so much, he emotionally reaches out by (vaguely) offering Bakugo information about OfA.

While Bakugo isn't nice about it, once Midoriya has shown his vulnerability, Bakugo responds in kind, emotionally reaching back to Midoriya. He doesn't leave Midoriya hanging, instead going the extra mile and, unprompted, exposing his own vulnerabilties. This is more movement towards a reciprocal relationship—if Midoriya opens up, Bakugo will follow suit, even if he still won't go first.

It takes their final exam for Bakugo to physically reach back. After Midoriya "reaches" (read: punches, but look at the posing, and how his arm is outstretched) Bakugo does the same. They manage it because it's hidden under the guise of training and teamwork, more violent than anything.

This sequence isn't just physical, though; Midoriya reaches out to Bakugo and reaches through his defenses emotionally in a way that actually affects him. Here, for the first time, Bakugo feels like he's being acknowledged. Seen. Midoriya's right, Bakugo doesn't just give up and neither does Midoriya, and if they understand that about each other, maybe they can manage to understand more. To be more than just estranged ex-childhood friends and rivals. So Bakugo reaches for Midoriya and shows him that he can and will reciprocate, so long as they're doing it on his terms.

It's after this, after Bakugo has realized he maybe can reach back when Midoriya holds out his hand and it won't be terrible, that they're thwarted by the plot. For the first time, Midoriya is prevented from reaching out, physically, and instead does so verbally, and Bakugo, who is also unable to physically reach out, verbally reaches back. Call and response. A pantomime of what they want, and intentionally unsatisfying.

This is contrasted boldly and meaningfully against Kirishima physically being able to reach for Bakugo, who takes his hand without thought.

You'll notice this is mostly a physical act, not an emotional one. Sure, they're both happy to see each other and both their emotions are running high, but this moment isn't meant to be vulnerable and charged the same way Bakugo and Midoriya's reaching out is, because Kirishima and Bakugo have an uncomplicated relationship, while Midoriya and Bakugo do not. This moment is supposed to show Bakugo's individual, personal growth (in that he can even have a reciprocal, uncomplicated relationship built on respect and kindness with another person), but Kirishima's reaching out to him is largely utilitarian and being used within a larger contextual frame. It cannot exist alone because of how motifs function within works as a whole. This moment exists to bring attention to the act of reaching out mutually, and why it matters so much that Bakugo and Midoriya have yet to achieve it.

Having established that they both are actively thinking about this aspect of their relationship, it's only after Bakugo and Midoriya's near miss that things change again. Not entirely—while Bakugo instigates Deku vs. Kacchan 2, he doesn't really reach first. He's still too defensive, still too distrusting of Midoriya's intentions. He instead goes in on the offense, exposing Midoriya by bringing up OfA and forcing Midoriya's hand.

It's only when Midoriya reaches out, both physically and emotionally, that Bakugo breaks and reaches back.

Look at the posing and the positioning of the characters within these panels. Bakugo isn't drawn like this for shits and giggles, he's intentionally shown to be holding his hand out to Midoriya. Their whole fight has been characterized by Bakugo asking Midoriya for things (information about his quirk, the fight itself, why did All Might choose him as successor), and this is one more time. He is asking Midoriya to keep reaching out—to let Bakugo reach back, despite his ongoing rejections. To be there with and for Bakugo as he works through his own issues and to not let go. To let him be weak until he can work up the strength to fully reach back, and even reach first.

Which he wants to do. Desperately.

And when he does...

Bakugo reaches out first in his apology. Emotionally, not physically. Possibly because Bakugo actually tends to be pretty prickly about physical touch, and seems to treat that as more intimate than many of his peers, but I think his choice to reach out emotionally more has to do with Bakugo making the decision to do the difficult thing, to give Midoriya what he deserves. Because reaching out physically is just moving your hand—baring your soul? That shit hurts. That's hard. But it's what Midoriya needs, and it's what Bakugo wants to give.

And now it's Midoriya's turn to reach back. Not emotionally, but physically, stumbling his way to Bakugo. There is no emotional reciprocation on Midoriya's part this time—Bakugo will need to reach out again, later.

It isn't until the very end that Bakugo reaches—physically—first. And for the first time, Midoriya's not there.

The whole point of their relationship, the moment this all suggests they are heading to, is the two of them reaching for each other and being able to connect. Physically and emotionally. That is the entire purpose of this constant back and forth, one reaching out in the hopes that the other will reach back. So far they haven't completely managed, but for the arc of their relationship to be complete, that has to happen.

I understand why this often gets put under a romantic lens, and while it can be, I guess, the motif itself and the arc of their relationship exists regardless of any reader's personal preferances. That's what writing conventions are for, so we can recognize and predict the outcome of the story as intended by the author. The act of reaching out isn't exclusive to Bakugo and Midoriya within the story by any means, but their relationship being defined by the act and symbolized by it, continuously depicted with it as the main focus, is certainly not an accident. It is the culmination, and the ultimate end goal of their relationship, which—again, if writing conventions are followed—should be met. Like I understand that people get told "there's no correct answers in media analysis" but baby, sometimes there are answers with enough supporting evidence that suggesting they're wrong is... I don't even know.

#bnha spoilers #bnha #bakugo #deku #bnha meta #midoriya #bkdk #again not really in the ship way but wtf else am I supposed to tag it with

707 notes · View notes

sleepingpopplio · 1 year

Text

The depth of Bakugo’s apology

I saw the clip from the anime’s rendition of Bakugo’s apology and was filled with the same emotions as when I first read it in the manga. It was powerful, it was beautiful, it was gentle, and it meant something to people. But while it was great to see Bakugo apologetic for his past actions to Izuku during his time of need, the fandom often neglects the layers to that apology.

I think one thing about Bakugo’s apology that makes it so powerful is that when he says “I’m sorry [Izuku] for everything”, he’s referencing more than simply his bullying. Sure, he’s haunted by his constant guilt for what he did and the long term affects of it, but he’s also sorry that things ended up the way they did.

He’s sorry that Izuku has so much self loathing towards himself and his quirkless past. He’s sorry that Izuku was given One For All without being given the full truth about the quirk and its legacy. He’s sorry that Izuku was given so much responsibly and sorry that Izuku was put under so much pressure as he wielder of One For All— that he had to be the next symbol of piece alone. He’s sorry that Izuku was made to feel as though everything & everyone relied on him. He’s sorry that Izuku feels as though his only value comes from saving people, and that if he can’t save everyone then he’s a failure. He’s sorry that Izuku feels the need to break himself beyond repair in order to be respected as the deku who always does his best.

Bakugo is sorry that Izuku has been through so much emotional torment over the past year, going through a downward spiral since the minute he was given OFA, and he [Bakugo] couldn’t stop him from leaving the hospital and their friends behind in time. He’s sorry that things had to get to this point.

So much can be taken from just a few words. Bakugo knows deku very well, and he knows that Deku’s suffering extends far beyond his being bullied. I think that is another reason Deku has such a strong visible reaction to Bakugo’s words. He feels seen, and he feel like everyone in his class, not just limited to but especially Bakugo, are finally understanding him on a level that he refused to understand himself on. The light comes back to his eyes because Izuku Midoriya has suffered, and everyone knows, and they still love him. Luckily, things will be ok because he is not alone. Bakugo’s there for him. 1-A’s there for him. They’ll heal together.

In conclusion, I believe that during fandom discussions about Bakugo’s apology that we should really take the time to realize just how charged his words are and how he is using his apology to build a level of understanding— not just simply to right a past wrong. He wants to right ALL the wrongs of Izuku’s life, and that can simply be done through empathy and understanding. You can’t undo the past, but you can help one-another heal, because in the words of Bakugo Katsuki, “I/we know.”— I/we get it, and we’re sorry you’ve gone through all that.

Before I go, I also just want to mention how Bakugo’s use of language in Japanese is noticeably softer than how he usually talks. He cares so much, and he wants to make that fact known. In addition, he uses Izuku’s first name, which as many of you already know is a huge deal in Japanese culture. It signifies intense closeness. Bakugo is once and for all reclaiming his status as Izuku’s childhood friend. This has already been happening for a while, but in this moment he finally wants to make that known to the people around him without shame or guilt. As he stands surrounded by water, he apologizes for not taking Izuku’s hand in the river. He also reclaims this moment by metaphorically taking Izuku’s hand in the form of the apology. It doesn’t matter anymore whether he physically takes his childhood friend’s hand, what matters is his intent and his want to connect. What matters is Bakugo Katsuki’s ability to never let Izuku go again.

This isn’t really necessarily meant to be shippy I just love character connections and quotes with multiple meanings. Also when I mention Deku’s pressure from OFA please don’t think that I’m bashing All Might. I love him I just think that some mistakes were made and Izuku just generally feels pressure from his role as the yielded of the quirk.

#Bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #bnha meta #bnha analysis #midoriya izuku #izuku midoriya #bakugo katsuki #katsuki bakugo #I’m simply tagging this just to help people sort through the content they want to see:#Bakudeku #Bkdk #This entire apology gets me right in the feels #There’s just something so beautiful about so many different feelings and thoughts only being able to be conveyed in a few powerful words #Also to the people that follow me for my metas: hi I’m back did you miss me

183 notes · View notes

siflshonen · 5 months

Text

Practice what you preach, Izuku! He's his own man, you egoist!

#bnha manga spoilers #izuku midoriya #all for one #yoichi #bakugou katsuki #bakugo katsuki #bakudeku #mr. compress #bnha manga meta #afo does not just resemble bakugo #he's got that izuku swag going on too #spell codependency with me!#see also toya and shoto and endeavor

209 notes · View notes

angryrantsofdomesticity · 2 years

Photo

DKGBDKHJ Deku mirroring Aizawa!! This boy really went and became an amalgamation of everyone he loves!!!

817 notes · View notes

neonscandal · 3 months

Note

If you don't mind me asking, can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from BNHA? And why you loved them? And your top 5 favorite moments from the series? Sorry if you've answered this question before....Thanks....

My faves, I've been asked a few times so I'll be light on explanation, but, honestly, I'm liable to switch up depending on whatever I just read or watched.

Katsuki Bakugo - I just expanded on this but I just generally think more people could give more grace to the traumatized little demon child who has, for reasons against his will, largely been put through trials not only as Midoriya's rival but also as a potential love interest (re: damsel in distress trope)

Izuku Midoriya - I kinda touched on what makes Midoriya interesting but realize it's kinda in the context of the chemical reaction between he and Bakugo. Simply, I like Midoriya for a few reasons that I may not have previously intimated. Those being he is a certified chaos gremlin which is sometimes lost on us as the reader/viewer because he's our narrator (Bakugo only seems insolent. He'll say "don't tell me what to do", but do exactly as you've asked. Midoriya will smile in your face after being told what not to do and adapt the most pants shitting plan to break his bones and risk fatal injury known to man right after.), he's such a fucking nerd, also, kin.

Shouta Aizawa - I love a good traumatized character. But his characterization is so stern, rough around the edges and nonchalant (I usually like trauma with a side of silly goofy✨). It truly belies the fact that he's just a big ole softie who understands the nuance of his students in such an endearing way. Like, I just love him.

Shoto Todoroki - Character wise, Shoto is really entertaining because, while he is a nepo baby, he is skilled to back up why he should be in class 1A. He is not dumb but he is simple. I appreciate that he is regularly unexpected comedic relief and it definitely comes at the price of something neurospicy. Additionally, he and his family situation are just as integral to the story as Midoriya and Bakugo's evolving relationship and power dynamic and it adds texture to him as a tritagonist.

Eijirou Kirishima - My fifth is an oscillating fan available for whoever last occupied my mind but this comes from a recent ask where someone mentioned being a kiribaku because same. Kirishima is the first to earn Bakugo's respect because of his earnest and unrelenting attempts to befriend him. He and Denki are good indicators that Bakugo is, perhaps, not as enigmatic as the narration leads us to believe. His veneer of manly bravado barely covering his insecurities and lack of confidence? The fact that he thought the best way to be a new person was to dye his hair?? KIN. He is precious to me.

⚠️ Spoiler Warning through chapter 411.

These moments are not in any particular (in terms of favorite or chronological) order.

Feral Deku Being Found By Kacchan - Just, the whole arc of being found by Class 1A, beaten down by them, apology in the rain, and being advocated for by Class 1A against an angry mob? The whole thing was goosebumps inducing, just the way they've all grown.

Discovering the Sir Nighteye's Prediction Saw Deku Dying in Action - Toga is a disruptor but also, perhaps, so are all those OFA quirks. Even so, Sir Nighteye not only resigned to his own death but also Deku's which is so wild of him when he so earnestly wanted to discourage All Might from the path to destruction he saw ahead of him. He really had beef with a kid. BUT ALSO Sir Nighteye coming back to be like "All Might... this isn't a comic book, you don't have to die here,". OMG the boomerang arcs all of these characters get is just so heartwarming/wrenching depending on who it is.

Bakugo, With No Other Choice, Facing Off Against Shigaraki - We got so much from that, including, confirming that he cared about that whole host of extras so much that he would think to pass along their care to someone else. That was just so beautiful for his development but also real tears. I remember I was in the midst of reading the manga for the first time and saw a hint of a leak and I read like 150 chapters in a matter of days to get caught up.

Heroes Rising - Literally, that whole movie. GOOSEBUMPS.

Bakugo vs Uraraka at the Sports Festival - This fight was so brilliant for so many reasons.

1. Uraraka gave Bakugo a legitimate run for his money all on her own 2. It demonstrates sexism in universe based on audience perception of the fight as well as how much public opinion bears on the split between a hero and a villain 3. Aizawa gave an unbiased interpretation of the fight and continues to defend Bakugo's character later in the story when people bring up his "villainous" behavior at the Sport's Festival 4. Bakugo is shown to be really noble where other boys from Class 1A seem to think they need to go easy on girls (who end up handing them their ass later) during the Sports Festival but also during the Class 1A vs Class 1B joint exercise 5. It spurred Uraraka to push beyond the confines of her quirk and seek tutelage under Gunhead which is like.. so huge in terms of her development but also pushes her outside of a perception of helplessness that would typically befall a main female lead in a shonen series.

Thanks for asking!

26 notes · View notes