BNHA Rewatch: Episode 19 “The Boy Born with Everything”
mysterylover123
In which we learn that we were wrong to assume the bright colors meant family friendly.
Todoroki starts a meme! I’m pretty sure Todoroki suspects something, but he’s still not officially in the know about Deku’s real situation. And he’s stopped inquiring into it. At this point, I think finding out the truth would actually drive a wedge between them - but that’s a discussion for the JTA (if that ever makes it to the anime).
Endeavor tsuns at All Might for a while, then drops the bombshell about ‘making’ Shoto. Holy crap, that line always drops the jaws of reactors when they see this episode. Mine too, naturally. It’s such a ‘WTF’ revelation, isn’t it?
The eugenics stuff here is so creepy, and the really horrifying part of it is that it sounds like something that could easily happen in the real world. One thing that I wondered about is, why in both the anime and the manga Todoroki’s monologue here plays out over shots of the boys, then the girls, of Class A? Is it meant to illustrate the dangers of this phenomenon infecting our young heroes too? Just when you thought it couldn’t get creepier.
One thing that interests me is the question, why did Todoroki choose to confide this in Midoriya? So far he hasn’t told anyone else about it. Then I read chapter 166, where he also gives his backstory (the cliffnotes version) to a bunch of toddlers to explain why he is who he is. So basically Todoroki will just dish out his backstory to anyone who needs to hear it to justify his behavior.
BAKUGOU! There is so much said with so little here. Is Bakugou realizing that his behavior is making him like Endeavor? Is he simply miffed that Todoroki picked Deku as All Might’s successor? What’s going on in his head here? (This leads to a pretty neat Todobaku moment later on in the manga, BTW).
YSR! DRINK! Also, Midoriya’s Motivation changes a bit throughout the series, or what he says it is. At the start, Deku says he wants to be a great hero, just like All Might. Here, he puts a lot of emphasis on how his friends have helped him, the people in his life got him where he is. He does acknowledge his Parents, Teacher, Uraraka, Tokoymi and Bakugou’s contributions, which is neat. But he also undervalues his own. This changes later on, the next time Deku gives his motivation. Development!
I’m kinda torn about this bit. On the one hand, Mineta being awful. On the other, the cheer uniforms are cute. I wish they could’ve just decided to wear them themselves. Like, Mina’s idea to console Tsu, Jiro and Tooru since they didn’t get in, give them a chance to stand out. I’ve got no issue with Fanservice if its voluntary, at least, but this feels creepy.
Ojiro does the only notable thing he’s done in 200+ chapters and 61+ episodes and drops out. (Ojiro is really popular among the fanbase, and though I don’t have any issue with him, I don’t really get why. Like, he doesn’t really do much? Not that much more than the other supporting 1-A characters at least. I do like how this plays on the Main Theme of this arc, though - motivation, earning your place, never taking an easy win.
No offense to Tetsutetsu and Ibara, but I honestly wish Team Kendo had just gone for it. Kendo and maybe Setsuna instead? Like, maybe Setsuna vs Kaminari and Kendo vs Kirishima...Setsuna could probably beat Kami by splitting up (she seems to be able to float her detached parts) and avoiding the lightning, and Kendo might actually have been able to beat Kiri by grabbing him and throwing him out of bounds...meaning she would’ve fought Bakugou. Ah well. What could have been.
This fight. It. Will. Be. EPIC.
I can’t stop laughing. Bakugou you are comedy gold. You don’t even have to say anything and I’m cracking up.
And now a good All Might pep talk to hype us up. Is this the start of the “Just deal with it by smiling” line?
And we conclude with the suspenseful cliffhanger of Deku vs Shinso. I think it’s probably the first truly cruel cliffhanger in the series - all episodes have a little bit to entice you to watch more, but this is the first time it’s like “!!!” must see what happens next. I’ll give my thoughts on Deku vs Shinso next ep!
So I love this episode. It’s not as solidly constructed as a whole as previous episodes, but it has so much goodness to offer. Todoroki’s heartbreaking backstory, the buildup to the matches for the Sports Fest, lots of small character moments...it’s a winner.
BKDK CORNER
“Much colder than Kacchan”. One track Deku.
Of course you followed Deku to see if he was Rival-cheating on you with Todoroki.
Guess who Deku thinks of in his list of “people who have supported him”?
Using the Manga panel to illustrate this point.
(Totally not the fight for who gets to be Deku’s love interest) (also Shinso and Todoroki want in on that).
I do, too— I’m sure they’ll be spending time with little Hikaru-chan —but the, ah, winking face you’ve added to that makes me more than a little, um. Suspicious about your... intentions. For this ask.
That basil fucker’s wise idea was to manipulate Deku by flinging some knockoff version of my scent in his face.
Imagine that asshole’s surprise when it only made Deku that much quicker. More dangerous. A hell of a lot more boundless with his energy. He crackled with it— it was like watching gasoline being poured onto an open flame.
Started trash talking the hell out of that Italian fucker, too. Deku always says the most heated things when he’s really getting into the heat of winning.
Channeling his inner me, I guess.
You should’ve seen the look on that asshole’s face!
Deku’s fucking mortified. He’s muttering away beside me now; he’s covered his face buried in his hands, and his face is as red as those dinky old shoes he still carries around.
