My Hero Academia: The End of Toga vs Ochaco Is Anything But a Cop Out
My Hero Academia's Final War Arc has brought the epic rivalry between Ochaco Uraraka and Himiko Toga to its climax, with Chapters 393 and 394 of the manga series. Now some fans are feeling upset with how this rivalry has played out in the series, going so far as to call it a 'cop out' after years of dedicated following. However, we'd like to take a second and break down exactly why My Hero Academia actually ended the 'Toga vs. Ochaco' battle in a fitting fashion.
(WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!)
Ochaco and Toga were center stage on the battlefield, as the latter unleashed her most fearsome attack, Sad Man's Legion, while copying the form of her fallen 'brother' Jin Bubaigawara, aka Twice. With an army of doubles mimicking a variety of heroes, Toga was a one-woman army of deception and sneak attacks. However, Ochaco didn't try to beat that threat down into submission, she instead faced the horde to literally and figuratively reach out and embrace Himiko Toga.
Why The End of Toga vs. Ochaco Makes Sense
Toga and Oachaco were always positioned as rivals due to their mutual affection for My Hero Academia protagonist Izuku Midoriya. However, as we learned both girls' respective backstories it became clear that there were clear thematic links between them as well – most notably in the form of a motif about smiling. While Ochaco was driven by poverty and lineage to bring smiles to people's faces, Himiko was shunned and vilified for her smile being "creepy," as well as her twisted expression of love and admiration (drinking blood).
Really, whatever fans thought that clear juxtaposition in character arcs was going to end in a bloody fight to the finish may have been missing the point of My Hero Academia and its thematic core. Creator Kohei Horikoshi has been weaving in the idea all along that heroism is more than just actions – it's an outlook and attitude that makes a noble soul try to "save" others in a variety of ways. That includes the mental/emotional levels of salvation – which is exactly the quality that first distinguished Deku as the hero of the story before he ever got the ultimate power of One for All. As the girl who admires Izuku the most, Ochaco has seen her spirit grow to be more like his over the course of the series – to the point where she, too, was willing to risk her very life just to reach out and physically embrace her enemy, showing empathy for her pain. it was arguably the perfect illustration of why Ochaco is ready to be a true Pro Hero – not just her wild quirk power evolution.
More to the point: if fans are saying they don't care for this sort of conflict resolution between major rivals in My Hero Academia, they may be VERY disappointed in how Deku vs. Shigaraki turns out: Ochaco vs. Toga feels like it could be a direct precursor to that climactic ending, as well...
The interesting question now is: will Himiko Toga be redeemed as a hero? Or will she switch sides and fight alongside Ochaco, Deku, and the heroes against the League of Villains? If it's the latter, it's hard to be sure Toga would even make it out alive.
You can read My Hero Academia's New Chapters online.
