FEATURE: Shigaraki Is Right — Aizawa Is So Cool!
Note: The following article contains spoilers for Season 6 Episode 6 of the My Hero Academia anime (and Season 6 so far).
The sixth season of My Hero Academia has been a nonstop ride from the start. The battle between the heroes and the villains has been an intense one, but that hasn’t stopped certain characters from taking a moment to appreciate those who deserve praise… even if the timing is questionable.
In the sixth episode of the season, Endeavor and several other heroes are frantically trying to stop Shigaraki. Shigaraki, the world’s biggest mood when you’re woken up out of your deep sleep and greeted by the cold (sorry X-Less) is trying to get a hold of “One For All.” Near the end of the episode, Aizawa shows up and immediately cancels out Shigaraki’s quirk. Instead of treating him with contempt, Shigaraki actually gushes over how cool he thinks Aizawa is.
He’s right and he should say it. I mean, I guess he did say it. Aizawa IS cool.
A Man Who Puts His All Into Protecting “His Children”
Anime teachers can be a bit of a wildcard. You never know if you’re gonna get a goofball who makes you question how they were allowed into the school or a total stick in the mud who all the students fear. To be honest? Aizawa’s both. There are rumors about him expelling an entire class of students. At the same time, he has a sleeping bag on hand so he can nap at a moment’s notice.
Right off the bat I loved Aizawa, not only because wanting to be able to rest is a respectable vibe, but because he makes a lot of good points throughout the series. In a world that champions going beyond he immediately tells Deku to figure out another way to use his quirk that does NOT break him. Pushing yourself to the point of self-destruction is not a lesson Aizawa teaches. Instead, he wants his students to do what they can right now instead of hurting themselves for the sake of others. Whenever Aizawa is addressing his students he feels like a concerned parent looking out for the safety of his kids. He doesn’t like the kids getting involved in situations that are above their means, and if they have to, he’s the one who wants to do the heavy lifting if he’s able to.
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Aizawa also sees things in his students that others don’t. He sticks up for Bakugo on multiple occasions and he sees Shinso’s potential as a hero. He’s also one of the best things to happen to Eri, taking his time to make her feel comfortable and even kneeling down to speak to her on her level. In Aizawa’s case, you can’t judge a disgruntled-looking book by its sleeping bag.
He Also Has Some Solid Advice for His Peers
It’s not just children that Aizawa provides space for. In the last episode of Season 5, Aizawa has a heart-to-heart talk with All Might. All Might’s been feeling like he’s not doing enough because he can’t do as much as he used to. He hasn’t been the booming I AM HERE presence for a while and it’s left him at a crossroads in his life. Aizawa reminds him, rather bluntly, that he can do plenty by being here and being alive.
Aizawa points out how All Might’s been defending everyone for decades. What isn’t said out loud, but understood, is how All Might fighting so hard led to the state he’s in now. After all of that, he’s absolutely allowed to, as Aizawa says, “boldy sit back and put your feet up.”
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All Might’s still very much a symbol for everyone he interacts with. His presence is still significant, maybe even more now that he’s not rushing into danger when he’s not in a condition to do so. Aizawa lets him know that he’s doing plenty by simply existing and interacting with everyone. It’s a good reminder of the initial message Aizawa started the series with: You don’t have to break yourself apart to be useful.
My Naptime King Deserves Some Rest
Despite all of the advice Aizawa gives about not pushing too hard he’s currently forcing himself to keep going so others don’t have to become entangled with the villains. It’s a pretty classic character trait that may speak to some personal experience — being very good at telling others to take care of themselves but kinda dropping the ball when it comes to your own well-being.
To be fair, Aizawa is being fueled by a lot of different emotions right now. One of his closest friends, Shirakumo, is part of the League of Villains against his will. He also just watched the number six hero, Crust, sacrifice his life so he could escape Shigaraki’s decay. Let’s just say Aizawa’s going through a lot right now, and as always, he’s thinking about everyone else instead of his own safety.
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Part of me wonders if that’s one of the reasons why even Shigaraki can see how amazing Aizawa is. Impressive quirk aside, this isn’t the first time Shigaraki’s seen Aizawa in action. Aizawa is someone who is easy to gain great respect for even if you’re standing in his way. He’s doing his best because of his own lived experiences. It’s admirable, and despite his hostility toward heroes, Shigaraki can’t help but smile at Aizawa and give him his well-deserved flowers.
I’m not saying I side with villains often, but when I do, it’s usually because they’re speaking important facts or have the best outfits. In this case, it’s the former, as Aizawa really is so cool! We love a naptime king who wants to make sure those closest to him are taking proper care of themselves.
That said, please get some rest, Aizawa.
Briana Lawrence is the Senior EN Features Editor here at Crunchyroll. When she’s not writing she’s taking care of her three butthead cats and playing Hades for the 100th time. You can check out her writings and her book series over at her website and give her a shout-over on Twitter.
