My Hero Academia fans who blame Shoto and Ochako are missing the point, and others are quick to point it out

This past weekend, fans of author and illustrator Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia manga series saw its epilogue begin setting up a focus on Shoto and Ochako, two of the series’ most popular characters. While Izuku “Deku” Midoriya still maintained his protagonistic role throughout the issue, it was clear that the aforementioned pair was being set up for a focus soon.

In the process of this setup, My Hero Academia fans saw both Shoto Todoroki and Ochako Uraraka act relatively distant to Deku, clearly still working through the war’s aftermath on their own. While they didn’t exactly ignore him, some fans are taking personal grievances with their treatment of Deku, considering the two are some of his closest friends.

However, there’s one key aspect of Shoto and Ochako’s characters that some My Hero Academia fans seem to be missing out on, which completely changes their actions here. Likewise, these fans also seem to be forgetting that their character growth isn’t necessarily reliant on Deku, with the pair instead having their plotlines independent of the protagonist.

My Hero Academia fans forget that Shoto and Ochako have their own plotlines aside from Deku, unlike Bakugo

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Firstly, one of the biggest misconceptions some My Hero Academia fans seem to have is that Shoto and Ochako’s lives don’t revolve around Deku. While the two are friends with Deku, the main character of Horikoshi’s manga, he’s not the main character of their lives. To write them as such would be both unrealistic and also ignore the independent plotlines they’ve had, such as Shoto’s with Toya Todoroki and Ochako’s with Himiko Toga.

The series establishes this, seeing both of their storylines begin splintering off from Deku’s and developing into their own, self-contained narratives as the story continues. Likewise, the pair have yet to formally conclude their storylines, as far as fans know. That being said, their behaviors suggest that even the characters themselves don’t have the full closure they need yet, with chapter 425’s final panel all but confirming this for Shoto specifically.

Meanwhile, Deku has had the closure he needs heading into My Hero Academia’s epilogue. While he was unable to save Tomura Shigaraki/Tenko Shimura physically, he was able to save him spiritually in the end, which still gave him a sense of closure. With Toya seemingly on life support and Toga’s status unknown to fans as of this article’s writing, it makes sense why both characters are more concerned with their own lives and feelings.

Fans who disagree with the idea that Shoto and Uraraka are at fault here are pointing out that it could be the “Bakugo effect” taking form. By this, fans mean that Bakugo’s storyline has revolved around Deku throughout the series, necessitating their constant interaction. Yet with the aforementioned pair having their own villains they connected with and built their plotlines around, they aren’t as married to Deku in a character arc sense as Bakugo is.

Fan reaction

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While many fans realize the error in the above-highlighted train of thought, other My Hero Academia fans are strongly holding onto the idea that Shoto and Uraraka are at fault. Many are basing this on their problem of Izuku not having anyone to speak to, seemingly under the impression that the protagonist needs these conversations to fully conclude his arc.

“ochako and shoto brushing off izuku and acting like they’re both fine [5x frowning emoji],” said one fan.

“I can’t imagine how suffocated izuku must feel. He wants to speak, but the only way he can right now is by voicing his worries about others, but since all of his friends are rejecting him, he’s just left there feeling lost and avoiding the one person who can truly help him,” argued another.

“#MHA425 - poor Izuku, I feel like both Ochako and Shoto blew him off. I guess they are not ready to talk…

I really want the Saviour Squad to have at least one scene to talk about their feelings… [crying emoji],” mused a third.

However, there are just as many, if not more in the fandom who feel that blaming Todoroki and Uraraka for their recent actions is unjust:

“A prime F***ING EXAMPLE.

Ochaco’s smile looks fake as F**K

She’s not fine AT ALL

NONE OF THEM ARE

Why is the rate of media illiteracy in the fandom just getting higher and higher? Do y’all not understand context clues???,” vented one frustrated netizen.

“Wild on a few fronts because 1. They’re still being deliberately ignorant about Deku and Ochako paying special attention to each other and 2. IS SHOTO NOT ABOUT TO SEE HIS MASS MURDERER OLDER BROTHER IN A FREAKING LIFE SUPPORT TUBE!? [2x skull emoji],” pointed out another.

“why are some of yall villainizing and acting like Ochako and Shoto are terrible friends for not noticing Izuku was upset when they both literally have not even had time to process/resolve their own battles from the war yet [face with raised eyebrow emoji],” emphasized a third.

This is a divisive topic among members of the My Hero Academia community currently, even if there’s a seemingly correct answer. Nevertheless, fans are entitled to their opinions, and the subjective nature of art makes it difficult to objectively declare one side inarguably right or wrong.