My Hero Academia gave its best redemption to a Villain, and it's far better than Endeavor's

Modified Sep 08, 2024 09:57 GMT

My Hero Academia gave its best redemption to a Villain, and it's far better than Endeavor's (Image via BONES)

In the My Hero Academia anime’s latest episode, fans of author and illustrator Kohei Horikoshi’s series who haven’t read the original manga were treated to the surprise of Gentle Criminal’s return. This was particularly shocking since there was not much setup at all for his return, neither in the anime nor in Horikoshi’s original manga series.

However, My Hero Academia fans were incredibly receptive and happy despite the setup, which isn’t surprising considering Danjuro Tobita’s status as a fringe fan-favorite character. This return has likewise only further boosted his fan-favorite status, immediately being set up as something of a redemption for the character who was able to change because of Izuku “Deku” Midoriya.

Yet Gentle’s return and subsequent redemption in My Hero Academia is very different and much more special than the plethora of other similar arcs in the series, such as Pro Hero Endeavor’s. It likewise makes for the best redemption in the entire series, which serves to highlight the most central themes of the manga itself.

My Hero Academia perfectly uses Gentle Criminal to drive home themes of redemption, heroism, and more

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One of the most significant aspects of Gentle Criminal’s return in My Hero Academia is his motivation to redeem himself in the eyes of Deku, who helped him look at life differently. Deku is also the one who sent him down the path of change he began once being arrested, further intensifying this desire to “prove himself.”

This also serves to drive home the series’ central theme of heroism, especially as it relates to Deku. Just as Deku was inspired by All Might to try and become a hero, he now himself inspires former villains to become more herolike however they can. It drives home the general theme of heroism, but specifically Deku’s as well, especially considering his goal in the final war is to save Tenko Shimura from within Tomura Shigaraki.

Redemption is a constantly addressed theme in My Hero Academia, especially via Pro Hero Endeavor and the rest of the Todoroki family, as mentioned above. However, Gentle’s redemption arc shows that one doesn’t need to be a hero or have a reason like public image to motivate a change within them. Instead, it can be as simple as seeing there’s a new way to go about life thanks to the heroic actions and words of just one other person.

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Gentle’s redemption also touches on the series’ central theme of questioning what a villain truly is. Again, Deku’s goal heading into the final war arc serves as the best example of this; despite everything Shigaraki has done, Deku still feels there is good in him and wants to try and bring that good out. This philosophy uses Gentle to highlight that everyone has the ability to be both good and evil and that they simply have to choose between one or the other.

All of this combines to create the series’ best redemption, beating Endeavor’s out by nature of touching on more and being more representative of the series’ core themes. The fact that this redemption takes place in the final arc specifically proves this, as it serves to support Deku’s ideology in trying to save Shigaraki rather than kill him. With all of this in mind, it’s clear that Gentle’s redemption arc is the best Horikoshi has written in his entire series.