REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia,’ Episode 128 – “Tartarus”

With Shiguraki, multiple Nomus, and over a hundred villains running free after the battle concluded in the last episode, the heroes are in sore need of rest and recovery. But while the heroes may need rest in My Hero Academia Episode 128, the Nomus are restless, and All For One still has a job for them to do.

The bulk of this week’s episode follows the villains as they assault the quirk prison of Tartarus. The installation is presented in a way that underscores the depth and extent that superhero society has to go to lock away individuals with the powers and personalities of characters like All For One, Overhaul, and many others. The way the visuals depict the externally featureless slab of metal is a mixture of intimidating and terrifying. The layers of security and the sheer number of fail-safes make the prison seem all but impregnable. But the imminent threat is so singular in its nature that even the designers of Tartarus couldn’t prepare for it.

My Hero Academia Episode 128 does a fantastic job of carrying the momentum the season has built up until now forward, despite the battle seeming finished last week. The assault on Tartarus and the immediate repercussions of it shake society down to its very core. And since that core rests on the shoulders of its heroes, it is they who see the bulk of the blame. This despite everything they have gone through to prevent the situation from reaching this point.

While the assault on Tartarus gets the most attention here, it is the backlash toward the heroes that have the most lasting impact. Despite several of their number no longer living, and many more holding on for dear life at Central Hospital, the general population turns their ire towards their protectors as they seek to blame someone for their current woes. While some anger due to the revelations about Endeavor is justified, overall, this reaction feels like an example of misfocused rage. It’s not like the heroes just weren’t there when Shiguraki struck. The fact that the protests have to take place outside a hospital should reaffirm all that they went through trying to prevent it. And while it is saddening to see the heroes being held responsible for something they did everything they possibly could to prevent, I can’t say that it doesn’t feel exactly like how the masses of humanity would probably respond to such a moment.

The last minutes of My Hero Academia Episode 128 take some time to let the viewer catch up with the individual heroes that they have come to care so much about. Heartfelt reunions, painful memoirs, and upsetting news are what come to our heroes as they slowly regain their senses after their titanic struggle. These moments are captured wonderfully as Bones continues to flex its animation muscles, producing visually emotional moments.

My Hero Academia Episode 128 ultimately does a great job of carrying the energy and threat of the first half of the season forward, even as the plot shifts to the next phase of All For One’s plans.

My Hero Academia Episode 128 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.