My Hero Academia Season 7

Episode 149

If there's one thing that this arc has struggled with since the battles started, it's having to juggle so many separate, parallel events. That wasn't as big of an issue in manga, since the transition between chapters meant it was a lot easier to accept the constant cutting between the various battlefields and characters. In anime form where time is much more of a factor, some episodes have either felt too crowded or too segmented to have a proper focus.

“Light Fades to Rain” allows an entire episode to zero in on the fight against Shigaraki—and it excels. With a singular opponent intent on crushing everyone opposite him, the tension can rise and intensify with every attack. We see our heroes growing ever more desperate, pulling out every stop and then some, hoping to slow Shigaraki down for a few precious moments. More than any fight before now, it feels like they're fighting against entropy itself, digging in their heels and palms to hold back inevitability for even a second. It's riveting stuff—and easily the best action of this season so far.

Like with Jiro and Tokoyami's roles against All For One, it also lets some long-lingering cast members stand in the spotlight. Mirio's return is always welcome and Suneater's plasma cannon is insanely cool—even if I have no idea how combining a bunch of exotic fruit and animals equals the mechanism for an organic laser gun. Most surprising was the brief glimpse into Nejire's past, and how she met the other members of UA's “Big 3.” It's not anything dramatic but I think that fits perfectly. These kids weren't brought together by anything big or world-changing—they just became friends like anyone else and the trust they formed across their time together is what lets them fight with all they've got. Shonen manga loves to scream about the power of friendship but this trio's stalwart teamwork embodies the idea far better than any speech.

That friendship is also the first thing to rattle the Y'all For One conglomerate. That's important for a couple of reasons. First, it means Shigaraki's identity is a lot more volatile than he'd like to believe, which makes him more vulnerable but also highly unpredictable in this fight. The second is that Mirio kind of hit the nail on the head: Shigaraki can only manifest his unceasing desire for destruction because he's been groomed from childhood without developing any attachments. All For One spent years crushing whatever sense of humanity or kindness existed within Tenko Shimura, teaching him to use others as game pieces, rather than genuine companions. Yet somewhere inside that pain-riddled psyche is the kid who just wanted to play with his friends and dog—and he's starting to act up in there. It's also just hilarious to see this mutated Akira monster screaming like a literal child that Nuh uh, he too has friends! You're a liar liar pants on fire! I'd say the key to victory would be to challenge Shigaraki to a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors but with all those hands he'd probably cheat.

All that action and drama culminates with Bakugo, bloody, battered, and so locked in on the battle that his infernal pride is finally set aside. This moment is as melancholy as it is cool to watch, as all the work and training he's put into his powers finally ascends to a level that can genuinely threaten Shigaraki. Yet at this new height, there's no hint of his usual brash confidence. Instead, the only thing going through Bakugo's mind is the appreciation for Deku's struggles across the show—finally at a place where he can understand the pain of harnessing a power that's too much for your body, facing someone impossibly stronger, and fighting on regardless. In the deepest part of his heart, Bakugo isn't here to save the day or prove himself—he's here to chase after the vision of his closest friend. So Shigaraki rips that heart apart.

I won't pretend that Bakugo's fate is set in stone—this is shonen battle manga, and people have come back from far worse than this—but that doesn't stop the whole sequence from feeling genuinely tragic. There's a real sense of shock at seeing the loudest, angriest member of the cast deathly still, silent, and pale as the reaper. You can see the agony in his friends' faces and schoolmates. It all just works, delivering an unsettling edge to this battle, and tying a perfect bow on a thrilling episode.

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My Hero Academia is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.