My Review Academia S5 E13: Joy and Tragedy

For what ends as a Christmas episode, this one sure got off to a dark start.

After a skipped manga arc- I mean a mysterious disaster, our heroes are being hard pushed back into their work studies. But before that, they take their last chance to kick back and be kids with interview practice and a Christmas party! When the celebrations are done, Todoroki comes to Deku and Bakugo with an offer.

This episode feels like the calm before the storm. The prologue scene with Shigurake is like the clouds and the breeze. The rest of the episode is that brief moment before the wind picks back up, more intensely. After that, it’s just a matter of waiting for the rain and the lightning.

Which we’ll be seeing in a season or two. Or three, if we’re really unlucky. And I don’t want to spread my own shitty luck around, but…

The interviews take up a large part of the episode. We even start off with a fun duel interview with Todoroki and Bakugo, which perfectly and hilariously shows off their clashing personalities. And the subsequent solo Todoroki practice interview takes his too-literal personality to new, hilarious heights. And the one we get with Deku later is suitably awkward.

Unfortunately, the rest of the class gets the short end of the stick. All they get is a splash screen and one or two lines. If they’re so lucky. It’s not a gag that could have lasted a whole episode, but it certainly could have been fleshed out better.

The rest of the episode primarily focuses on the Christmas party. Which adds little to the plot, but it’s cute. It’s such a high moment for the characters that you can’t help but feel a sense of dread for what’s coming next.

Also, Eri is adorable. As usual. And watching her get holidays mixed up is equal parts cute and sad.

We also get a pretty good look at how Endeavor’s actions are affecting those around him. Not only is he pushing the heroes around him to be better, but he’s slowly rebuilding everyone’s faith in heroes. But even then, it feels precarious. Like a single mistake would be enough to send it all falling down.

This was a fairly decent episode. Nothing too flashy or dramatic. But a nice setup for future events. This feels like the last time our characters are going to be happy for a good while.

Although I doubt Bakugo has ever been happy.