My Hero Academia: Izuku's New Power Boost Comes Directly From DBZ

My Hero Academia's "Paranormal Liberation War" arc has been the sprawling epic battle that the title would tease, but that massive conflict still has a central focus: the maturation of My Hero Academia's young heroes and villains. Series lead Izuku Midoriya has been seeing the One For All power he inherited start to grow and evolve - especially in response to the terrifying evolution of his villain rival, Tomura Shigaraki. In the latest chapter of My Hero Academia's manga, Deku and Bakugo are still pitted in a fierce battle with Plus-Ultra Shigaraki, alongside major pro heroes; but when one hero falls, Izuku makes a Dragon Ball Z-style power leap!

Warning: My Hero Academia Manga Chapter 281 SPOILERS Follow!

Even though Eraserhead is canceling Shigaraki's fearsome new upgraded powers, the villain leader's body has been enhanced with enough All Might-style power and durability to make him a deadly threat. Due to his tragic role in Shigaraki's history, Gran Torino drops his guard during the battle and pays a fatal price, as Shigraki power-slams the elderly hero into the ground in a bloody display. When Izuku Midoriya sees Gran Torino fall, he spazzes out and attacks Shigaraki, showing an instant power boost in One For All's usage.

As many fans have pointed out, this turn in My Hero Academia feels like a soft ode to Dragon Ball Z's milestone moment when Goku first achieves the Super Saiyan form!

During a major battle storyline between Goku, his Z-Fighter crew, and the evil war-mongering Freeza Force, reached its peak with Goku facing off against Freeza. The sadistic villain takes Goku's best friend Krillin and detonates him in an explosive (and bloody) blast that leaves Goku reeling. That emotional trauma pushes Goku's already-growing powers to make a drastic leap, as he unlocked the golden, shining, form of a "Super Saiyan." That power allowed Goku to finally defeat Freeza.

Gran Torino wasn't as close to Izuku as Krillin was to Goku, but the elderly hero had been a serious mentor to Deku during his work-study days. Gran Torino was, in general, a pivotal figure in My Hero Academia's mystery-laden canon, enough so that his death is a definite cause for Izuku to make very necessary power jump.

As the "Paranormal Liberation War" has re-introduced the "Plus-Ultra" version of Shigaraki, fans have been wondering how Deku can even hope to keep up. As this latest manga chapter showed, Deku is quickly taking greater hold of One For All and the side powers that come with it! With Shigaraki now worn down in power, the battlefield seems level enough to get a great Deku vs. Shigaraki fight!

My Hero Academia is in production on season 5 of the anime. Online chapters of the manga can be found HERE.