My Hero Academia has had an eventful 2021. From Izuku Midoriya journey from becoming a vigilante hero to returning to U.A. High School, All For One making a big gamble against the #1 Pro Hero in the world, to now the U.A. High School traitor finally being revealed 2021 has been packed with big chapter after big chapter. Now as we close out the year Kohei Horikoshi is looking to continue to address the plotline with the U.A. High School traitor and what it means for the heroes side of My Hero Academia. Let’s see how the year ends with My Hero Academia Chapter 338.
Writer & Artist: Kohei Horikoshi
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Synopsis: In a conference room the police handcuff and gag the Yuga Aoyama and his parents in front of Class 1-A, Toshinori Yagi, Principle Nezu, and Present Mic.
Izuku Midoriya, Denki Kaminari, and Momo Yaoyorozu argue that they could use Aoyama to get to All For One. Present Mic isn’t having any of it as Aoyama can’t be trusted. Tenya Ida, Katsuki Bakugo, and Eijiro Kirishima all speak on how they won’t give up on Aoyama as he is their friend and believes they can stand together.
Shota Aizawa (who is still in the hospital and video conferencing in) speaks up and says he has no intention of expelling Aoyama. Aizawa then tells the police to cover Aoyama and his parents ears so he can explain the plan he has with everyone else. Once Aoyama and his parents ears are covered Aizawa explains his plan that everyone, including the police officers, agree to.
The police then take Aoyama and his parents into custody. Izuku and the rest of the class yell out to him but he doesn’t look at them.
Afterwards, Class 1-A, with strong sense of determination on their faces, all agree that the plan Aizawa created will help bring All For One down.
Izuku and Ida then head to get their costumes upgraded at the Development Studio. The door to the studio gets blown off. Mei Hatsume ends up flying right on top of Izuku. Izuku does not appeared bothered to have Hatsume on top of him as his face still shows great determination. End of chapter.
The Good: The big page that shows the determination on everyone in Class 1-A. That alone builds up the excitement for My Hero Academia going into 2022. What helped make that moment so memorable was the lead up to this big page. Because since the beginning of the My Hero Academia the U.A. High School traitor has been looming over the series. Even when this sub-plot went silent it still always felt like it was something that you knew we would come back to. Which is what happened with Yuga Aoyama being revealed as the traitor in the previous two chapters.
With My Hero Academia Chapter 338 Horikoshi gets right into one of the big drama points with everyone in Class 1-A reacting to Aoyama being the traitor. Horikoshi did such a great job balancing the heartbreak everyone in Class 1-A felt with how they still want to believe in their friend they’ve spent the last year with. The way everyone in Class 1-A was trying to help Aoyama spoke to how these are all still kids. They are still growing into becoming heroes and do want to believe the best in the people around them.
The way Class 1-A was defending their classmate made Present Mic not having any of it when it comes to the defense for Aoyama a great contrast. Present Mic was speaking for himself but also you can tell this is likely how most adults would speak. Especially given everything All For One has done Present Mic knows that now Aoyama is simply a pure risk. It is understandable given where he is at and how he previously reacted to their possibly being a traitor when it was just a theory.
But where Class 1-A and Present Mic represented the two extremes of the reaction to Aoyama being the traitor leave it to Horikoshi to bring in Shota Aizawa to be the voice of reason. It’s been so long since we’ve seen Aizawa that you do forget how important his role as the homeroom teacher of Class 1-A is. Horikoshi showed how Aizawa’s calming presence is so respected as he was able to come up with a plan, that’s not yet revealed to fans, that Class 1-A, the UA High School teachers, and Japan police all agree on.
This leading to everyone in Class 1-A continuing to train to develop their powers to be ready to take on All For One and his army of villains a great way to end the year. Izuku in particular going to Mei Hatsume to get an upgraded costume is a strong next move. Izuku has tapped into most of the powers of the previous One For All users so his next costume will likely not just be focused on enhancing his super strength. What changes are made to Izuku’s costume will be very interesting to see.
The Bad: Nothing.
Overall: My Hero Academia Chapter 338 closes out 2021 the way it should end the year after everything that has taken place in this series thus far. We get a chapter that both closes out the current story arc and begins the newest arc that shows what the focus of 2022 for My Hero Academia will be: Class 1-A fighting All For One and the villains as a united group. Fans of My Hero Academia certainly have a lot to look forward to if this final chapter of 2021 is any indication of what is to come.
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