OK BNHA RANT TIME! CONTAINS SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE MANGA!!
It honestly bothers me so much when i see people push the notion that Shouto Todoroki is a cold, aloof tsundere. It just isn’t true? Yes, at first Todoroki was cold - but he was a trauma victim. You expect him to be happy and smiling, with all that internalised hatred for himself and his family? For his own dna, because his own mother shamed him for it? No, that’s illogical.
Todoroki got over it. He grew, he developed. But he has ALWAYS had a sharp tongue. Todoroki is funny, very funny. He isn’t cold and serious, and in fact in season three of the anime, he has a relatively deep conversation with Midoriya about Midoriya’s habit of helping people. Todoroki is dense in social situations but he isn’t clueless? That’s another thing that bothers me. He isn’t stupid or dumb by any means. He is the smartest male in the class, along with Bakugou (plus his skills as a hero, he is already better than the average pro and that is FACT not opinion, it is said in the manga and during the sports festival arc of the anime).
The tsundere personality type is someone who is cold then turns warm - and I suppose that does happen but not in the way a tsundere does? Todoroki doesn’t fit the stereotype. He didn’t acknowledge anyone until Midoriya in the sports festival arc - not as people anyway. He analysed them and their flaws, but did not associate. He didn’t just warm up, he completely changed with EVERYONE.
He smiles, he laughs, he makes jokes, he teases people. Todoroki WILLINGLY goes up to people - and is anime/manga buddies with Sero. In fact, Kirishima refers to them as SEROROKI and when Shinsou stated he didn’t need friends, Sero turned to Todoroki to say that Shinsou reminded him of ‘EARLYROKI’. If the characters can acknowledge Todoroki’s personal growth and development, why can’t some of the fandom? Of course, perceive them as you will, but seeing comments under posts going ‘oh but todoroki is a tsundere :/ this doesn’t suit him at all’ it’s irritating? Of course, if you haven’t read the manga, I understand that but even in the anime he’s teasing and having laughs.
Hell, there was the hero killer arc where he was willing to sacrifice himself for Iida. He smiled when he said ‘go guys’ as they charged Stain. During the Bakugou’s Kidnapping incident, he teases Bakugou about Kota. During the movie, he’s playful with Bakugou and even works amazingly with Bakugou. At the end, he turns his head and SMILES at Bakugou who then drops his own smile to scowl at him. I can’t fit all the pictures.
Many think Todoroki is a popular character, but he is actually one of the most hated. A lot of people just view him as a cold, cliche, daddy issues character and yes it bothers me. Are we watching the same show? Reading the same manga??
Plus. Five PeePee Man. Mr Willy. If you know, then you know.
Okay I’m done, it’s 3 am.
