Ever since the My Hero Academia manga ended, fans have been divided about the conclusion of Kohei Horikoshi’s series. While some are happy that the series has taken its farewell from the manga world, others are disappointed with the plot of the conclusion. Irrespective of this, the series has managed to redeem its popularity once again with the anime series.
The recently released episode of the series’ seventh season has brought back a fan-favorite villain, but his return has been marked with redemption as he decides to help Izuku Midoriya in his fight against Shigaraki Tomura. This character is none other than Danjuro Tobita, also known as Gentle Criminal.
Although redemption is a common theme in My Hero Academia and Gentle Criminal’s return was expected by manga fans, the way it has been shown in the anime series has made all the difference. This single aspect of the recent episode of My Hero Academia has brought the series on par with Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece.
Gentle Criminal’s Return in My Hero Academia
Gentle Criminal was first featured in the U.A. School Festival Arc, where fans got to know about his past. Initially, he wanted to become a hero, but his luck and the situation around him forced him to move to the evil side and earn his share of fame through criminal activities.
Eventually, he was defeated by Deku, who taught him about the desire to become a hero. This brought a change in his life as he spent his time in prison and away from the central narrative. However, the recent My Hero Academia episode has brought him back, and as of now, Gentle Criminal is helping Izuku beat Shigaraki.
The episode shows Izuku and Shigaraki battling it out as the flying U.A. Fortress is going down into the ocean. When all hope is lost, Gentle Criminal enters the scene and uses his Elasticity quirk to save the entire fortress from a big collision into the ocean. Izuku hears about Gentle Criminal’s return as an ally and seems happy for his former opponent.
Gentle Criminal’s Redemption Might Be The Best in My Hero Academia
Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia has used the concept of redemption quite a few times, as it fits perfectly with the theme of heroism. While there have been other characters who have gotten a chance to redeem themselves, Gentle Criminal’s redemption might be considered the best one yet.
This is because it doesn’t have a motive behind it. Almost every redemption in My Hero Academia has been motivated by a specific reason or element of the narrative. But Gentle Criminal’s redemption is solely based on Izuku’s words that motivated him to once again come back to the right path and use his quirks to help others and bring a smile to their face.
Gentle Criminal’s sole purpose in redeeming himself is to add a new perspective to his life and bring back his old attitude towards heroism. But, as he realizes his mistake, he is fully cooperative toward bearing the punishment for it, which makes it even more compelling. Such a unique My Hero Academia plot point is comparable to the likes of One Piece by Eiichiro Oda.
My Hero Academia is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
