REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia,’ Episode 98 – “That Which Is Inherited”

My Hero Academia is a superhero-shounen anime produced by Bones. With the fourth match going to Class A, it’s time for the final battle of the day to begin. As Class B looks to Shinso’s brainwashing to give them the edge, Class A looks to Deku to lead them to victory. But something is changing in One For All. Will Deku be able to maintain control? Or will his classmates be faced with a runaway quirk in My Hero Academia Episode 98?

This season’s opening arc continues to deliver great character moments for its cast of memorable characters. What easily could’ve been reduced to mere filler is elevated to much more by the show’s inexhaustible push to flesh out its cast. And with match five featuring the series star, it was all but a given that we’d see something meaningful here. But as always, the show makes it a point to not just focus on its star but to shine the spotlight on those around him as well. In My Hero Academia Episode 98, this moment is given to one of Deku’s closest friends and supports, Uraraka.

As the match begins, we quickly find Deku coming into confrontation with Class B’s Monoma. As the two clash, an unforeseen change occurs in One For All, which causes Deku to manifest a new ability. Having no experience with this quirk, it quickly runs wild and causes huge amounts of destruction to the training area.

As most are forced to cover, one student charges in to try to do what they can to help Deku, even though what help they might be seems minimal. As you have probably guessed, that student is Uraraka.

As she desperately tries to help Deku reclaim control over himself we get a flashback from her showing a deeper glimpse into why she wants to be a hero and how Deku fits into her vision of what being a hero is. This sequence highlights the positivity I’ve always loved in Uraraka’s character. Her strength and willpower are easily the rival of Deku’s, even if her quirk isn’t nearly so powerful. The show’s willingness to allow others to share in the virtues of its star is a refreshing thing. All too often, fiction insists on the protagonist being the sole example of their virtues.

While this moment for Uraraka is my personal favorite of My Hero Academia Episode 98, the changing nature of One For All is certainly at the heart of the episode. As the quirk continues to evolve beyond what we have previously seen, it raises a lot of questions about where Deku’s powers will eventually lead.

The animation in this episode delivers all the tension and emotion of its story brilliantly. From the visual design of Deku’s new ability to the concern of those around him, every element of this episode is given its visual due.

My Hero Academia Episode 98 continues to build, expand, and deepen its story, as well as our understanding of its cast. With so much coming to light in these episodes, I find my eagerness to see what comes next continues to grow.

My Hero Academia Episode 98 is streaming on Funimation and Crunchyroll.