My Hero Academia – Episode 48 (Review)

By: AlanVThe mission to get Bakugo back from the villains continues to not go to plan, with the baddies getting the upper hand on the heroes. As All Might faces off against All for One, the kids hatch a plan that will allow them to swoop in and exfiltrate Bakugo without having to confront the villains in a physical showdown. There are also glimpses into the dynamics at work between the villains and their leader.This is the first time in a long time that we’ve seen a villain match All Might in terms of strength. However, as enormous as the fight may seem with All Might being sent flying for a few blocks, both combatants are still holding back. They don’t want to use the full force of their powers as it would hurt their allies. It lends a sense as to how powerful they both are, and how large the gulf in class is between themselves and everyone else.The name All for One is fitting for the villain, as it perfectly matches his ability. He’s not only able to absorb others’ quirks, he’s also able to force someone else to use their quirk as he sees fit. This makes him an even more ominous threat. It feels very wrong to watch him sink his fingers into his allies to use their powers, even though he’s a villain. It’s obvious that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, more so than any villain seen before.All for one is interesting for more than just his power, though. He seemingly cares just as much for his protégé as All Might does about Deku. Although it’s hard to decipher whether or not it’s because he genuinely cares about Shigaraki, or if it’s only out of his self-interest of seeing Shigaraki take down hero society. At this point it could go either way.Speaking of caring, the plan the kids come up with to save Bakugo is adrenaline pumping. It’s masterful, even catching All Might off guard. The plan goes to the core of what makes My Hero Academia so great. Using the power of friendship to pull it off. inducing Bakugo to go along with it rather than resorting to an all-out brawl, which would’ve been an appropriate course of action.The episode finishes off in rather dramatic fashion, with All for One referencing All Might’s past. It also seems as if All Might is nearing the limit of his current powers, which would certainly give the upper hand to his opponent. The next episode looks to be very exciting.