Summary
The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia, Episode 153, “Butterfly Effect”, now streaming onCrunchyroll.
There is a lot to unpack this week onMy Hero Academia, from the fallout of the Hospital riot to an upending of the status quo which already only gave the heroes a strenuous advantage at best. It is a busy episode that at once strides toexpand on the previous episode’s emotional highswhile simultaneously paying off numerous threads satisfactorily and building hype for what’s to come.
Episode Air Date
09-05-2025
Last week, the series explored the often-overlookedplight of the heteromorphs as Shoji and Spinner quarreledover how best to fight against the injustice that has scarred them both. While many might consider the heteromorph plot to be criminally underdeveloped, there is an argument to be made that its exploration at this specific point in the story had certain thematic advantages. Thankfully, Episode 153 continues this discussion strongly, at least for the most part.
The End of the Central Hospital Riot
At first, the resolution to this riot felt too easy. After emotions ran so high a week before, with Shoji pouring his soul into an appeal to his fellow heteromorphs, Koda’s brave defense of his friend, and Spinner’s pained call to action, it felt as though there was more to say. A change in heart is like a chemical reaction; it can happen quickly, but it can also take time. It was going to take a series of variables to convince this riot to put down their weapons.
Granted, the imagery of a group of doctors standing side-by-side, hands interlocked, placing themselves between the rioters and the patients behind them,is an undeniably powerful image. Combined with everything previously said, it would give anyone pause. So, perhaps the issue is a matter of how the scene was executed. It occurs within the first two minutes, meaning that by the time the opening theme hits, it’s as if the rioters' hearts have already been won.
Did It End Too Quickly?
The preview for this episode gave the impression that it would be focused solely on the drama in the hospital. Instead, it only comprises the first half, making it more of a disappointment by way of expectation than anything, which is forgivable. Still, perhaps the scene with the doctors might have felt more effective had it occurred right at the end of the last episode, bringing the message full circle and ending with a powerful image. It would have made an already great episode even better.
Instead,the resolution occurs as it does here, with the rioters who entered the hospital coming out in defense of Shoji, urging the others to stand down. They conclude that this was the wrong way to fight back against oppression, yet oddly without acknowledging how their justified anger was misdirected at the behest of those with ulterior motives. It’s not like the heteromorphs should care who Kurogiri is. That might be a bit too nitpicky though.
What This Resolution Does Well
To this arc’s credit, it doesn’t merely condemn the rioters without acknowledging the core issues that brought all of this about. Having this examination come from one of the marginalized was key to this plot’s success. Shoji acknowledges their pain and the necessity to bring their abusers to light. Too many stories from far less creative writers would rather object to violence while leaving the root causes unexamined, which is frustrating enough when it happens in real life.
The non-heteromorph heroes on the scene even admit that were it not for someone like Shoji,they likely would have resorted to force. Setting good examples for the future like Shoji is one thing, but voicesdoneedto be raised to address societal flaws, sometimes in ways that those in power would find disagreeable. If the heteromorph plotline becomes as absent after this as it was before these episodes, it would be a failure on behalf of this story.
Spinner’s Hard-Fought Victory
The rioters might not have penetrated too deeply into the hospital before reconsidering their ways, but it resulted in an excellent moment for Spinner that adds to the tragedy of his character. After being tasked with the mission of leading the heteromorphs to victory - something he was told onlyhecould do - he looks back to find no one.
It’s even more devastating when considering that Spinner has endured all of this out of love for Shigaraki, someone he considers a friend. Yet, both of them have become mere puppets of All for One, and nowhere does thathit harder than seeing Spinner so defeated. Even then, he pushes himself to the brink just to free Kurogiri, even if the friend he respects so much might never be able to thank him for his efforts.
The Meaning of the “Butterfly Effect”
Unexpectedly, the best scene of the entire episode came after the commercial stinger, with - of all things - a weather reporter in America. Depictions of America in anime are always interesting - and pretty amusing - to watch, but this scene was a surprise. Not only was it expanding on previous plot points in creative ways, but its implications for the world outside of Japan helped to illustrate the stakes of the central conflict.
For some time, the series has exploredthe concept of a “Quirk Doomsday,“or more broadly, how the evolution of quirks and their entanglement will create greater chaos as the story reaches an end. The implication that Shoto and Dabi’s fight might have affected the temperature so dramatically as to impact the rest of the world speaks to their sheer power. More than that, it’s a reminder that Japan’s strife affects everyone on Earth.
Episode 150 introduced that the rest of the world was preparing to bend to All for One’s demands rather than mount an offensive. At first, it seemed like a fitting excuse to not involve the other nations of the world in the climax, but this scene of a woman condemning that complacency on live TV makes it far more than just that. It gives the impression that while there may be fear and paranoia, there arepeople everywhere who are cheering for the heroes.
Setting the Stage for the Finale
This episode’s latter half was all about preparing for the end. It wasn’t so much a reset of the game board as it was the act of smashing the board with a sledgehammer and replacing it with a new one. Now that Kurogiri is out, and distance is no longer a hindrance, the battlefields are going to start getting mixed up, with the villains picking the lineup this time.
Toga and Dabi started this season scheming, and now that they’re reunited, they can finally bring the chaos they’ve been dying to unleash. For the former, that means revenge for Hawks murdering Twice, and for the latter, that meansa long-awaited duel with his dad, the results of which will likely be devastating. “Butterfly Effect” might be the busiest episode of the season, but it seldom missed the mark and foreshadowsMy Hero Academia’s most climactic finale yet.
My Hero Academia
Cast
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the “One-For-All” quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
