Episode Air Date
08-05-2025
The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia, Episode 158, “A Girl’s Ego”, now streaming onCrunchyroll.
My Hero AcademiaSeason 7 is almost over, yet the closer it gets to the ending, the more I want it to continue, especially when its writing and performances have never been so powerful to behold. This week, in particular, was a big one for manga readers - to see how Studio Bones would capture the complex dynamic between Ochaco Uraraka and Himiko Toga at the height of their rivalry.
Ever since consuming Twice’s bloodand evoking his duplication ability, Toga has quickly become one of the greatest threats to the heroes and Japan, behind Shigaraki and All For One. The one saving grace was that she couldn’t fully utilize this power in the same way, which sent Toga into a fit of despair that Uraraka couldn’t have missed anywhere, even through a sea of copies.
Uraraka and Toga’s Face-Off Is… A Lot
There is a bittersweet, deliciously tragic depth to Uraraka and Toga’s relationship in the series, which has spawned no shortage of discourse over the past few years. The sapphic undertones are just a part of it, but theyarea large part of it. Frankly, only calling them “undertones” feels dismissive of the value to be found in such a reading of the text, given the potency of such elements throughout.
Both of these characters are largely defined by their modes of expressing affection and love for others.It’s simply that Uraraka reflects a socially acceptableform of affection, whereas Toga has been made to feel repulsive because of a form of intimacy that comes naturally to her but is unnatural to others. Having not been raised in an environment where such nuances could be healthily taught to her, it was only natural that Toga would become a villain.
Society Failed Himiko Toga
When Toga recalls her parents' extreme reaction to her behavior, and her subsequent placement in counseling, there’s something deeply unsettling about the language used. The adults in her life either treated her like a monster or concealed similar disdain through honeyed words, talking about “correcting” her and making her “normal” because of a “perversion” within her. It’s the kind of sinister language that brings to mind the image of conversion therapy.
That’s probably whythe queer reading of her and Uraraka’s bondis so prominent - it certainly is what made the above hit so close to home for me, though obviously, it’s not one-to-one. It’s natural to be a little unsettled by a child craving blood, but in a world where people take pride in their “quirks”, it is the height of hypocrisy to eschew such pride based on “bad vibes.” Beyond that, Toga’s fate is simply a result of incompetence on behalf of the system.
Uraraka’s Refusal to Let Toga Suffer Alone
Ever since facing Toga back in Season 6, Uraraka has wrestled between her duty as a hero and her complicated feelings towards a villain.After her scene with Deku in Episode 143, though, she begins to understand that while she might not be able to forgive Toga, her desire to understand her is by no means a failure in her responsibilities. If anything, the depth of her sympathy is what makes her a true hero.
So as she fights Toga, she’s not trying to beat her down so much as get her attention, to talk about - of all things - love. It’s a subject that is central to their personalities, even if their avenues of expressing it are different, and that makes it the best way to reach her. Rather than simply attacking a weak spot, however, Ochaco is letting down her guard as well. Her poverty, her family, and most crucially, her feelings for Deku - she bares it all, hoping Toga will do the same.
My Hero Academia Delivers Another Tour De Force
The image of a young Ochaco extending her arm to offer blood to Himiko - as simple as it is - might be the most powerful frame yet - in a season whose artwork is consistently praiseworthy.
It can’t be understated how much of this episode’s qualityis owed to the vocal performances. Ayane Sakura as Ochaco Uraraka, Misato Fukuen as Himiko Toga, Aoi Yuki as Tsuyu Asui, etc., all convey the pain and exhaustion from this strenuous battle in their voices. Their cries are haggard and desperate, yet when the chaos makes way for some semblance of quiet, even the softness in their voices quakes, like holding back a sea of tears.
Their voices, in tandem with Yuki Hayashi’s magnificent score, would have elevated this episode to chilling heights alone, but the artwork matches the brilliance of its performers. Season 7 has made a habit of juxtaposing its heroes and villainswith the child versions of themselves(even the OP). It’s a way of stripping the characters of their baggage, back to when their innocence hadn’t yet been eroded by the world and placing them on equal ground.
It’s doubly effective here because, for the briefest moment, Toga takes on the form of the monster everyone must have seen her as, only for the child version of Uraraka to accept her all the same. The image of a young Ochaco extending her arm to offer blood to Himiko - as simple as it is - might be the most powerful frame yet - in a season whose artwork is consistently praiseworthy.
The End of the Battle of Gunga Villa
Looking at this episode broadly, it did a phenomenal job of concluding the Gunga Villa arc by framing Toga as the final boss, leaving the survivors from every other narrative at her mercy. Hawks, Iida,the Todoroki family, and moreare all in the path of Toga’s evocation of Twice’s “Sad Man’s Death Parade”. Despite this season-long battle, the music, presentation, and script never fail to sell the scale of this conflict.
The season finale comes next week, where All Might will once again face All For One, while Deku and Shigaraki continue their battle in the wreckage below the Coffin in the Sky. To say that expectations are high would be an understatement, butMy Hero Academiawould have to really drop the ball for this finale to not be awesome. Here’s hoping it ends on a high note.
