With the release of My Hero Academia chapter 423, fans were treated to a thrilling conclusion as protagonist Izuku Midoriya emerged victorious in his battle against All For One and Shigaraki Tomura.
However, before reaching this climactic moment, many fans speculated that creator Kohei Horikoshi might follow a narrative pattern similar to that of Naruto, involving a redemption arc for the antagonist akin to Obito Uchiha.
In Naruto, Obito Uchiha started as an antagonist but eventually switched sides and aided the protagonists in defeating a greater threat. This storyline led fans of My Hero Academia to anticipate a similar development, especially as Midoriya attempted to reach out to the vulnerable child within Shigaraki.
Horikoshi’s Ingenious Move Kept Tomura Shigaraki from Mimicking Naruto’s Obito Character Trajectory
The parallels between Shigaraki’s backstory and Obito’s journey added weight to this theory. Shigaraki, originally Tenko Shimura, suffered greatly due to All For One’s manipulations, leading some fans to believe that he might ultimately switch sides to support the heroes.
However, Horikoshi defied expectations and crafted an original ending for Shigaraki’s character arc. In the recent chapters, Midoriya and his fellow heroes worked together to deliver a decisive blow to All For One, ultimately defeating him.
Thanks again to Kohei Horikoshi for not following this path https://t.co/pDyjj3iCDK pic.twitter.com/IequuAwKrJ
— Derou (@Derouchoque) May 19, 2024
Shigaraki’s involvement in this victory was motivated not by a change of heart, but by his desire for vengeance against the one who had destroyed his life.
When Midoriya and Shigaraki’s fists coincidentally touched during the battle, Shigaraki failed to use his Decay quirk on Midoriya. This moment highlighted Shigaraki’s inner turmoil but ultimately reinforced his commitment to his villainous ideals.
Even as the battle reached its conclusion, Shigaraki remained steadfast in his villainous convictions. He emphasized to Midoriya that he had no intention of changing, and his sole objective was to destroy everything, just as he always had.
Horikoshi’s decision to preserve Shigaraki’s villainous nature until the end distinguished My Hero Academia from Naruto and provided a fitting conclusion to Shigaraki’s character arc. By remaining true to his principles, Shigaraki solidified his status as a formidable antagonist, ensuring a memorable and impactful conclusion to the series’ overarching conflict.
