My Hero Academia chapter 391 hints that Shoto won’t be coming back to the fight

Throughout the week, spoilers, raw scans, and unofficial translations for My Hero Academia chapter 391 have been released, garnering mixed reviews from fans. While some are praising the issue’s efforts at setting up what’ll likely be an exciting showdown between Ochaco Uraraka and Himiko Toga, others can’t move past the chapter’s short length.

Coming in at just nine fleeting pages, My Hero Academia chapter 391 has restarted debates amongst fans about whether or not author and illustrator Kohei Horikoshi should go on hiatus. While this is certainly one of the predominant topics of discussion in the wake of the installment’s spoiler period, it’s far from the only one.

In fact, My Hero Academia chapter 391 is also seeing fans focus on Shoto Todoroki, who is given a brief appearance in the soon-to-be officially released issue. However, the cameo is less than encouraging for fans who were hoping to see him return to the final fight in any capacity whatsoever.

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My Hero Academia chapter 391 suggests Shoto is absolutely spent by showing him totally unconscious

Four pages into My Hero Academia chapter 391, fans see Shoto Todoroki shown to be wholly unconscious with no signs of life whatsoever. While he’s undoubtedly still alive, given that he seemingly passed out from exhaustion rather than injury or blood loss, fans are taking this as a soft-confirmation that he won’t be returning to the fight.

This is somewhat logical, albeit disappointing to some, due to how much Shoto has gone through in this war. He’s now used what’s considered his ultimate move twice in a very short timespan, as well as pushed himself to his absolute limit beyond this ultimate move usage.

Combined with the emotional turmoil he’s gone through thus far, his body is likely just shutting itself down due to the stress he’s been under.

This isn’t necessarily a bad choice by Horikoshi either, even if My Hero Academia chapter 391 is emblematic of why the mangaka should be taking an extended hiatus. By having Shoto stay down for the reminder of the final arc’s war, it emphasizes that the Todoroki family drama narrative is at least at a temporary standstill, as well as cements Shoto’s job as done.

Furthermore, it all but guarantees that Shoto will face no further harm from the villains he and the other Pro Heroes have been standing tall against. With he and the Todoroki family in such a relatively remote location from where the fighting currently is, their safety is all but guaranteed. If Uraraka is able to stop Toga’s Twice clones, then it’s essentially certain that the group will stay out of harm’s way.

My Hero Academia chapter 391 establishing that Shoto is likely out of the fight for good also allows fans to focus on more pressing matters and plotlines. Uraraka versus Toga, All Might versus All For One, and Bakugo versus death, are all significant fights and plotlines still happening in the final arc which deserve fans' full attention.

Overall, it’s a prudent move on Horikoshi’s part to establish that Shoto’s time as a combatant in the final arc is done for. While there are certainly other aspects of the issue which open the mangaka to critique, this is one decision for which praise is rightfully deserved.

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