Izuku Midoriya’sordinary life inMy Hero Academiashifted dramatically after his heroic actions were recognized byhis idol, All Might, who then chose him as his successor. Once he inherited the One for All quirk from his hero, Deku’s long journey to mastering the meta ability started. As Midoriya became more accustomed to his newfound powers, he started unintentionally manifesting the quirks of previous One for All users.
In episode 151, titled “A Chain of Events, Across the Ages,” Deku finally inherited Kudo’sGearshift quirk that helped him turn the tables on Tomura Shigaraki. Here’s a closer look at how this ability works.
What is Gearshift?
A Powerful Quirk that Bends the Laws of Physics
Along with other powerful meta abilities likeAll for One, One for All, Spearlike Bones, and Fa Jin,Gearshift is one of the oldest quirksknown to humanity. It originally belonged to One for All’s second user, Kudo, who had led a resistance against All for One’s tyranny and rule of terror. Gearshift allows the user to bend the law of inertia to accelerate objects through space at high speeds.
Once upon a time, Gearshift only worked on small objects and was used by Kudo along with large gauntlets that he would carry with him at all times. The gauntlets were used to fire pointed blades through the slit-like holes in them. Gearshift was then utilized to influence the projectiles' direction and velocity. Kudo masterfully used the two together to become an extremely unpredictable combatant. But at the time, the quirk was not strong enough to give himan edge over All for One, and he died fighting the villain until his last breath.
Our Meta Abilities were never what you should’ve been wary of. Rather, you should fear the reason why someone chooses to use their gifts. True power resides within an individual’s intent. This is why people call them Quirks.
After Gearshift melded with One for All, it evolved into an even more powerful meta ability that granted its user superhuman powers. When Deku finally managed to manifest the quirk, its transformed state allowed him to accelerate objects, including his body, at reality-bending supersonic speeds just by touching them. Theferocious nature of the attacks that Deku can unleashwith Gearshift is often too overwhelming and can leave even his most frightening foes incapacitated.
Gearshift’s amalgamation with One for All dramatically increases the scope of attacks that can be unleashed by Midoriya. With its effects permeating to the cellular level, the diverse range of attacks gives Izuku the free hand to take on multiple targets at once. Midoriya adapts beautifully to his newfound powers and simultaneously invents different ultimate moves in his high-stakes battle against Tomura Shigaraki.
Gearshift: Overdrive, or simply Overdrive, is an ultimate move made by using Gearshift in combination with Fa Jin. Both quirks complement each other perfectly and allow Midoriya to propel himself with blinding swiftness towards his enemies. With the blink of an eye, Izuku catches up to his foes and unleashes a barrage of powerful attacks that dramatically shift the battle in his favour. Interestingly, Gearshift: Overdrive releases 120% of One For All and is one of those rare ultimate moves that can be juxtaposed with existing ultimate moves.
Transmission is another powerful ultimate move that utilizes Gearshift. In this attack, Izuku leaps towards his adversary and delivers a barrage of punches in quick succession. In between each punch, he increases the speed of Gearshift, rendering the receiver helpless and overwhelmed. Midoriya first uses Transmission during the Final War whilefighting against Tomura Shigaraki.
Just like in Transmission, Deku rushes his opponent while using the Detroit Smash: Quintuple move andunleashes five successive Detroit Smashes. The overwhelming barrage thus released leaves Midoriya’s opponents with little to no scope for defence by catching them off guard. Although Gearshift is undoubtedly a dangerous quirk with remarkable potential for offensive moves, it also has limitations that make its use a complicated strategic choice.
Gearshift’s Weaknesses
Kudo’s Quirk Has Evolved Into a Double-Edged Sword
Gearshift, as one of the oldest meta abilities in existence, has undergone a remarkable transition that has dramatically shaped its application and usefulness. As mentioned earlier, it evolved after melding with One for All, but its immense power also comes with concerning weaknesses that put constraints on the user. When Kudo was using it, Gearshift was only effective on small objects, thus making it an inefficient tool in combat againstpowerful adversaries like All for One.
Gearshift’s evolution paved the way for stronger offensive moves that had a significantly larger impact. While the newfound powers granted by the meta ability are impressive, the quirk still has critical weaknesses even in its evolved state. Gearshift’s powers are difficult to control for the user. Furthermore, they exert an extremely massive toll on the user’s body, rendering the meta ability unusable for extended periods of time.
Kudo is well-acquainted with its dangersand therefore advises Midoriya not to use the quirk longer than five minutes. Gearshift pushes the user’s respiratory system to the extreme and can also cause a deficiency of oxygen in the body. If the user persists and uses the meta ability for too long, it can render them incapacitated. But the cons of using the quirk do not end there.
Beyond incapacitation, the blowback of utilizing Gearshift increases exceptionally as the strain on the body could also lead to paralysis. The intense pain caused by the meta ability is a direct consequence of pushing the physical limits of the human body. As pain overcomes the user, they are left in a vulnerable state, which could be deadly. Furthermore, the cooldown period for Gearshift is five minutes, which effectively leaves the user at the mercy of their adversary.
Finding the right balance between overuse and underuse is easier said than done, and inMidoriya’s case, the circumstances make it even more unfavourable. Gearshift’s superhuman power grants Izuku a serious advantage in battle, but its drawbacks are just as concerning. The risk of getting incapacitated or worse, paralyzed during a high-stakes battle, could turn out to be a life-or-death situation. Therefore, it’s crucial that the user does not get carried away by the superhuman powers granted by the Gearshift quirk and takes a measured approach while using it.
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.
