Boku no Hero Academia, Chapter 145: Red Riot, Part 2
This chapter isn't technically anything new. A cowardly character gets resolve to do what's right, to properly become a hero. But as usual, Boku no Hero Academia manages to pull off common tropes and use it well. Last chapter we see past Kirishima struggling with whether he could properly become a hero, or if he's just a poser. Here we get to see him as he goes through a bit of personal crisis and thinking of whether he's actual hero material, because he's such a goddamn coward when push comes to shove, unlike Ashido. He notes how his 'true colours' surfaced... and then we get to see him watch a motivational video from Crimson Riot. On paper, it's not an impressive scene. Main character (well, secondary, but main for the purposes of these two chapters) loses his confidence, a mentor character says the right words and it jerks his fighting spirit back. But unlike an inferior manga who just repeat the same 'friendship is power believe in yourself and your friends' without thinking on whether that particular moral applies to the situation, this chapter makes the Red Riot interview have actual meaning to someone in Kirishima's position then.
Friendship speeches, or motivational stuff in general, is a tool. Sometimes it works wonderfully at its job... but only when used properly. And Boku no Hero Academia certainly does it properly. Red Riot's speech, about how he's not fearless, but because he's afraid of failing that he only seems fearless, that he has failed so many times in the past and it's the fear of losing someone and failing to protect someone like he did before. It's a speech that, while insanely convenient for Kirishima's situation, is still a pretty relevant one to said situation, and it does lift up Kirishima's spirits enough and basically turns Kirishima into the hot-blooded hero that will risk his life to go with Midoriya to rescue Bakugou an arc or two ago.
Kirishima's transformation as he submits his Yuuei application form, apologizing to the random girls and generally making friends with the bubbly Ashido (including 'horn buddies', which is hilarious as hell), as well as the pretty cool montage of going through the motions of getting into Yuuei... again, it's nothing I haven't seen before in manga, but it's done well.
We cut back to the present day, with Kirishima laying flat on the ground, and afraid of reverting to his weak old self. Fat Gum lets out a pretty awesome battlecry, ranting about how he had underestimated Kirishima like the two of them before, and unleashes an amazingly drawn one-punch that shatters the barrier and knocks both villains flying. The art in Boku no Hero Academia isn't something I talk about a lot, but if it wants to be awesome? It certainly can damn well be awesome.
We do get a bit of a backup strip this chapter, which is weird, which shows Bakugou and Uraraka interacting, basically Uraraka asking Bakugou on generally trying too hard to be an ass to Midoriya and it shows. It's a bit weirdly bizarre and honestly unnecessary considering how awesome the Midoriya/Bakugou showdown a couple arcs ago was, but it's also harmless and a neat little bonus that gives poor Uraraka some much-needed screentime.
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