My Hero Academia Chapter 334 leaks: Why Is Deku’s reappearance so important?

Izuku reduced to tears from the care he is shown (Image credit: Shounen Jump)
Izuku reduced to tears from the care he is shown (Image credit: Shounen Jump)

The raw scans of My Hero Academia Chapter 334 were leaked yesterday, and it has caused quite an uproar amongst fans. That's mostly because after six long chapters, Izuku Midoriya aka Deku appears once more in the last few pages of the chapter. But why exactly is that so reassuring?


Colored art of the panel from Chapter 326 (art by eYuler @eYuler on Twitter)
Colored art of the panel from Chapter 326 (art by eYuler @eYuler on Twitter)

Why is Deku’s reappearance in My Hero Academia Chapter 334 so significant?

We have not seen Deku since My Hero Academia Chapter 327, where he was finally brought back to UA dorms and reconciled with his friends and All Might. In the My Hero Academia manga, it is not unusual for a chapter to not include the protagonist. In fact, Deku is not seen for 21 straight chapters during the My Villain Academia segment.

What makes Deku’s appearance in My Hero Academia Chapter 334 so crucial is that in the previous arc, Deku not only took a dark turn, but he also distanced himself from his friends and family. While we saw a one-chapter reconciliation, and the people’s acceptance of Deku following Ochako’s speech, the readers did not yet know if Deku truly feels at home in UA anymore.

Deku’s declaration to the previous holders of OFA that he wants to save Shigaraki seemed to have turned into an obsession during the previous arc. And with his Savior Complex engulfing him completely, Deku seemed like a lost soul.

Even during his interactions with his classmates, like with Bakugou’s heartfelt apology during his retrieval, and Todoroki’s concern for him in UA, Deku not only seems distant, but also unable to properly register their care.

Ochako and Izuku (colored art from the Manga by Vicky)
Ochako and Izuku (colored art from the Manga by Vicky)

Even the beautiful speech from Ochako, and the acceptance he received from the civilians, while moving Deku to tears, failed to reconnect him to his roots.


Last panel of Deku in the manga before his reappearance in My Hero Academia Chapter 334 (Image Credit: Shounen Jump, color: Mor3color)
Last panel of Deku in the manga before his reappearance in My Hero Academia Chapter 334 (Image Credit: Shounen Jump, color: Mor3color)

In such a state, a six-chapter absence had worried a lot of readers, and Deku’s determined face on the last page of My Hero Academia Chapter 334 is sure to be a reassurance. One thing to note is that after reducing his hero costume to tatters, Deku seems to have not yet received a replacement, resulting in him wearing his gym clothes for the time being.

While this is a bit funny, it is also an indication of Deku’s isolation from the rest of his class. While My Hero Academia Chapter 334 has shown us Deku, it has also shown that his separation from his peers is yet to heal completely. However, in the last page of My Hero Academia Chapter 334, the positioning of Bakugou and Todoroki is reassuring.


Colored art of the last panel of My Hero Academia Chapter 334 (Art by Lumiim Art, @ArtLumiim on Twitter)
Colored art of the last panel of My Hero Academia Chapter 334 (Art by Lumiim Art, @ArtLumiim on Twitter)

Both of them are drawn standing right behind Deku, with their bodies turned towards Deku and one another. All three of them look forward together, at the future and at All Might at the same time.

Bakugou and Todoroki are two of Deku’s closest allies, and this panel in My Hero Academia Chapter 334 clearly states that even if Deku is isolated, he is not alone. And with it, the manga finally moves towards the ultimate Deku vs Shigaraki Showdown.

More details of the situation, along with what Deku says in My Hero Academia Chapter 334 will be clear once the official chapter comes out this Sunday. Until then, the raw scans of My Hero Academia Chapter 334 give readers a ray of hope for everyone’s favorite broccoli boy.

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Edited by Sandeep Banerjee
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