Bakugo Rising! Deku’s Rival Saves His Life

My Hero Academia S6, Ep 9 Review

I know I said that this season of My Hero Academia would be the best one yet? I was underselling it. This is some of the best that the series has been, period. An all-out war between heroes and villains, a giant monster on the loose, and another monster on the verge of destroying everything. At the heart of it all, though, are Deku and Bakugo, both with the potential to be the best. However, can their combined powers take down Shigaraki?

The answer is no, it seems.

A Path of Destruction Through Japan

Near the fight at the PLF’s headquarters, the absolute worst has happened. Despite the heroes’ best efforts, they couldn’t stop Gigantomachia from fleeing. He’s making a straight line to Shigaraki’s location, with multiple cities in the way. Thousands could die, and the heroes might not be able to stop him! 

It’s the worst thing a hero could face: a disaster on a national scale, and they can’t do anything about it. no matter what happens, people will die at Gigantomachia’s hand. 

Shigaraki Turns the Tide

Meanwhile, the fight against Shigaraki goes from bad to worse. Aizawa has to amputate his leg to stop the Quirk-destroying bullet. This means that Shigaraki can now use his deadly Quirks without restraint. Not even the fact he’s pushed his body past its limits slows him down. 

All is not lost, though, thanks to Deku. One for All unlocks the Quirk of All Might’s mentor, Nana Shimura, Float. It lets him hover through the air while using Blackwhip to save everyone. Moreover, despite being outmatched, Deku doesn’t hesitate to face Shigaraki, determined to end his reign of terror for good!

Bakugo Comes into His Own as a Hero

Amidst all of this, we have Bakugo watching as his rival fights Shigaraki alone, fuming, though not for the reasons you’d think. Since learning the truth about Deku’s powers, Bakugo’s gone out of his way to help him. He knows that All for One’s too dangerous to handle alone, even if Deku has this massive power. In a flashback, he even rightfully points out to All Might that it’s only a matter of time before they have to tell the heroes the truth. In other words, he cares about Deku, despite everything.

It’s touching to see how the relationship between Deku and Bakugo has improved. They’re still rivals, but at least Bakugo doesn’t look down on him like he used to. And, in a moment that shows how much Bakugo’s grown, the young hero mirrors Deku’s attempt to save him so long ago by moving without thinking. As a result, he takes a hit that could’ve killed Deku. 

The bad news, though, is that this hit didn’t come from Shigaraki. It came from All for One. Somehow, All for One took control of Shigaraki’s body remotely. Already a monster, Shigaraki’s become an absolute nightmare! I don’t remember how Deku will get out of this, but this is the worst-case scenario. All for One could take his Quirk, and after that, there’s no hope. Deku’s next battle will be a battle of the mind, and the only way he can win is to GO BEYOND, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “Katsuki Bakugo: Rising” a 4/5

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