Anime Best in Show

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91 Review – Best In Show

tcrowComments(4)

Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91 Review – Quick Summary

In My Hero Academia Season 5 episode 91, “Clash! Class A vs. Class B!,” Izuku Midoriya/Deku can’t shake the feeling of unease from his dream about One for All. When he approached Toshinori Yagi/All Might with the details, Midoriya felt astonished to learn that even Yagi had never spoken to the original One for All. What did that mean? What made Midoriya different? Later, the teachers announced a combat training exercise between Class 1-A and 1-B. Class 1-B’s vocal (one might say mouthy) leader, Neito Monoma/Phantom Thief went on at length how he considered the match long overdue. He even asserted that class 1-B had improved so much 1-A would fall! Does Monoma have a point? Various emergencies had not interrupted Class 1-B’s training. Class 1-A, however, had more experience — but gaps in their training. Which would prove the more effective mix?

Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.

Favorite Quote from My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91: At least I hope Aizawa has a sense of humor!

Well, at least I think he’s speaking from his sense of humor. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

In Season 5, I’m focused on finding my favorite quote and my favorite moment. That made me aware of something. I’ve always known I liked the show’s dialogue. It feels snappy and is often really funny in the context of the characters. What I hadn’t realized was just how much fun that banter can be!

Of course, the students engage in a lot of back and forth. In this episode, I realized just how much the teachers do it, too. In particular, it seems that a lot of teachers take advantage of All Might’s retired status to mess with him.

For example, All Might tried to walk Midoriya back to class after the two had discussed Midoriya’s One for All dream. Shouta Aizawa encountered them and drily observed that they seemed to be getting along really well. All Might panicked and tried to blame Midoriya — which itself was funny, because why was All Might throwing poor Deku under the buss?

Aizawa responded with my favorite quote. He said (08:55), “Don’t make it sound like you’ve been caught having an affair. It’s not funny.”

He looks half asleep, but Aizawa’s wit is wide awake.

Best in Show Moment for My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91: Deku looks forward to learning more.

For a while, at least, they can still just be kids. I just wonder for how much longer… Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Setup: Mystery Drives Background Tension

Look at this episode from a 10,000 foot level. What happened? Midoriya woke up from a dream. Class 1-A and 1-B picked four-person teams for an exercise. That doesn’t sound terribly exciting, does it? But the episode flew by. I never felt bored. Sure, the character banter alone could carry an episode. But I think Kōhei Horikoshi did something pretty cool here. He further intensified a meta conflict that’s managed to pervade even moments of calm.

In this episode, Midoriya’s dream reminded us how precious little about One for All. In the dream sequence that ended the previous episode and started this one, I saw something that surprised me. Maybe I missed it before, but it sure looked to me like All for One gave the founder of One for All his power. Was that right? Because if it is, it calls into question the entire hero/villain super structure. Even if that’s not what I saw, All for One played a prominent role early on. I still don’t know the ramifications, and it pervades the feeling I get from rtecent episode.

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91: There's a lot we still don't know about All for One.

There’s something — or a lot — that we don’t understand about One for All. And I have a feeling it’s going to be tragic. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Beyond the intentional (and dramatic) lack of clarity around One for All, there’s the whole idea of conflict within hero culture. Leadership asked Keigo Takami/Hawks to infiltrate the villains. Under cover operations aren’t foreign to even current police work, but it’s light years away from where I thought heroes would operate. It’s like we’re obtaining a deeper understand of the realities of this world just ahead of Midoriya and his classmates. All of them, even Midoriya, still seem very naive when it comes to thinking of the difference between heroes and villains.

To me, the distinction is less clear every episode. And I think that’s a tribute to the Kōhei Horikoshi’s writing skill. The world develops right before my eyes. The development is at a pace that brings me along with it. So even in an episode that’s mostly setup, I’m very aware of the show’s themes/meta tension. I find it’s an effective way to keep my eyes riveted to the screen!

Delivery: But Midoriya Remains Midoriya

The Purity and Naivety of Youth

Since we as viewers are slightly ahead of Midoriya, I have almost a feeling of sadness knowing his naiveté is about to implode. I remember back when I believed in government institutions, in the purity of the church hierarchy, and in the goodness of humanity. That was before I learned about Mohammad Mosaddegh (and dozens of other such events), the Catholic Church’s coverups and enablement of reprehensible behavior, and seeing many of the people I grew up with celebrate ripping families apart at the southern US border.

The me of my college years had a very different view of the world than I do now. But I maintain that a world view based on facts is in all ways superior to a world view based on fantasy. Though I understand why some folks might prefer illusion to despair, despair might be the path we need to follow. Only through that path can we effect change on the world as it is.

I wonder how much longer we'll have such carefree antics?

I wonder how much longer it’ll be before we look back on moments like this with nostalgic fondness? Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Well, that veered dark, didn’t it? But I hope it gives you the background needed to describe why this moment is my favorite. In spite of everything — looming hero/villain paradigm collapse and uncomfortable revelations about One for all — Midoriya maintains a child-like joy at learning.

Midoriya Still Loves Learning for Its Own Sake… For How Much Longer?

Midoriya’s team would soon face off again against Hitoshi Shinsou from class 1-B. Ochako Uraraka/Uravity pointed out it would be their first rematch since the sports festival. Deku acknowledged that. That should be dramatic, right? It should make Midoriya nervous. But what was his most excited reaction? He pulled out his notebook so he could start taking notes. He was very, very excited to learn more about Shinsou’s powers.

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91: Deku still loves learning

The idea of a rematch would preoccupy most people. Not Midoriya! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

“Where did you pull that out from?” Uraraka asked (17:47).

Seeing them still behaving like kids, knowing the clouds gathering on the horizon… It was a bittersweet moment. It made me wonder how many more of those we’d get before all hell breaks loose. Or more “more hell” breaks loose…

What do you think of the singularity point? What was your Best in Show moment? Let me know in the comments!

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91: Other Posts

Other Anime Sites

This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)

tcrow
Copyright 2022 Terrance A. Crow. All rights reserved.
https://www.crowsworldofanime.com

Related Articles
Anime Review Archive

Overlord IV Episode Guide

tcrow

Episode 1: Ains Ooal Gown Nation of Leading Darkness Overlord IV Episode 1 Review – Best In Show In Overlord IV episode 1, “Ains Ooal Gown Nation of Leading Darkness,” Momonga, wishing to be known as Ains Ooal Gown, had a problem. He wasn’t sure how he wanted to rule his kingdom. Albedo had some ideas that sounded great – […]
Anime Caw of Fame

Caw of Fame Review: Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-

tcrow

What’s it mean to be in the Caw of Fame? ​The name is a take-off on Hall of Fame, and since crows make the sound “caw…” Well, I think it’s funny. For a series to earn this “honor,” it has to meet these two criteria: the last episode has to have debuted at least a year […]
Anime Best in Show

Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 18: Favorites

tcrow

Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 18 – Quick Summary In Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 18, “Turning Point 3,” Rudy gave thought to how he would help clear the reputation of Ruijerd and his people. Norn offered her help, because she had come to respect Ruijerd when he escorted her to […]

4 thoughts on “My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 91 Review – Best In Show”

    1. “That’s the real world. I see it has come to intrude on this anime.”

      I’m liking how the show’s treating it.

      When you say “intrude,” does that mean it feels uncomfortable or unwelcome to you? I’ve seen a number of fans have said something similar.

      Reply

Please let me know what you think!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.