My Hero Academia Gives Bakugo a Grim Power Boost

My Hero Academia gave Bakugo a big moment to shine in the ongoing war between the heroes and villains. Bakugo joined his mentors Endeavor and Best Jeaninst - as well as his U.A. classmates - in facing down the fury of the League of Villains' on the battlefield. And even though he'd been seriously injured in his previous fight with villain leader Tomura Shigaraki, Bakugo wasn't done with the fight yet! As the heroes struggled to keep a tenuous grip on the villain leaders, Bakugo came blasting in to reunite with Jeanist. Along the way, we learn Bakugo has had a dark boost to his powers, due to the war.

My Hero Academia manga chapter 293 SPOILERS follow!

Best Jeanist shocked the world by revealing he was still alive (and not killed by Hawks), arriving at the war front just when the heroes were flailing. Jeanist's fabric control quirk allows him to snare the villains and their Gigantomachia monster, but the villains are quickly rallying. The heroes need every last reserve, and Bakugo is definitely answering the call.

Besides Bakugo announcing his official hero name to the world, his inner monologue reveals that Kacchan is experiencing a surprising boost in his powers. When Shigaraki nearly got his (literal) claws into Izuku Midoriya, in order to steal One For All, Bakugo put everything on the line to save his friend. That act apparently caused something unique with Bakugo's powers:

"The explosions from that time... Were like nothing I'd ever done!" Bakugo reflects. "All condensed... faster! Stronger too! I've never felt that sensation. Like being on death's door, in total crisis. Gotta save..."

Bakugo has arguably experienced, for the very first time, the very same kind of pure heroic mindset that makes Izuku Midoriya the true "chosen one," worthy of One For All's power. At the start of the series, it was Bakugo who was in grave danger from a villain's assault - and it was Deku (with no superpowers of his own) who jumped in to save his friend, with no thought or consideration for his own well being. That act earned Izuku the gift of One For All; it seems the reversal of those roles has earned Bakugo the gift of his own power boost.

However, hopefully going forward Kacchan won't need extreme life-or-death circumstances in order to achieve this new level of power and control over his quirk.

My Hero Academia posts new manga chapters FREE ONLINE. Season 5 of the anime is now in development.