Episode Air Date
25-07-2025
The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia, Episode 154, “The Chain Thus Far”, now streaming onCrunchyroll.
Season 7 ofMy Hero Academiahas had a lot of highs this summer, from one of the best premieres since the series began to some consistently incredible artwork week after week. So it shouldn’t be said lightly that this newest episode might be the best of the season, if not one of the best in years, that will surely leave fans hooting and hollering in glee, as the best episodes often do.
With Kurogiri freed, the plan to split upthe villains has completely failed, and the battle lines are being rewritten faster than the heroes can respond, no thanks to Himiko Toga. Having consumed Twice’s blood, she’s copied his duplication quirk, swarming the battlegrounds with countless clones and - worst of all - stopping Monoma from deactivating Shigaraki’s quirks.
Strong Directing and Even Stronger Artwork
First things first, credit needs to be given to this episode’s director and storyboarder, Hyuga Yamamura, for whom this was his first time directing a full episode - and what a way to debut. This season has been at the top of its game in the art department, especially concerning the use of color, but these qualities stand out even prouder in an episode so adept at storytelling.
This season has been a constant tug of war, where the few advantages the heroes have been allotted are progressively whittled away, then rekindled by the slightest glimmer of hope. It’s a precarious balance that could easily become stale, especially in a battle progressing so long, yetMy Hero Academiahas endured and even outdone itself along the way. In that vein, “The Chain Thus Far” brings things to a new low before soaring higher than the show has in years.
“Twice” Messes Up Everything
With Kurogiri mixing up the playing field, the Gunga Villa site and UA Academy are quickly becoming the main stages of battle - at least for now - and the arenas are completely stacked. Gunga Villa, in particular, houses some much-anticipated face-offs. Uraraka has unfinished business with Toga, Endeavor must finally confront his son,and Hawks is caught betweenToga’s vendetta and his duty to stop All For One.
So much time was spent in the sky above Gunga Villa previously, but between the overcast sky painting the dirt an ashen gray and the surrounding glow of Dabi’s flames, it looks like a proper warzone. Twice’s “Sad Man’s Parade” is the cherry on top, creating a suffocating atmosphere that paints a picture of how much of a threat he was when he was alive. And then, miles and miles away, Twice’s quirk finally sets Shigaraki free in a manner as cantankerous as everyone feared.
Deku’s Many Labors Finally Bear Fruit
All season long,My Hero Academiahas worn its heart on its sleeve more than ever, embracing how strongly the most minor of characters can stand out. Even as characters like Deku andBakugo champion some supremely satisfying episodes, the supporting cast has a way of winning the hearts of audiences every season. This episode might be the ultimate embodiment of that phenomenon.
The Return of the Gentle Criminal
Season 4 was around the time that some were beginning to become skeptical of this anime adaptation, and Kenji Nagasaki’s departure from the director’s chair was no doubt a major cause. But despite any arguable dip in quality or consistency, Season 4 introduced two minor villains with a lot of heart behind them (quite literally, in fact). Gentle Criminal and La Brava were a dynamic duo who made for one of the sweetest side stories in the aftermath of the Shie Hassaikai arc.
Gentle Criminal wasn’t a monster like Overhaul, nor was his reputation as strong as any of the show’s past villains, but that wasn’t the point. The moral of his story was that even one who had followed a dark path could atone, and doing so for the sake of another was - in a way - a form of heroism. In the middle of one of the series' happiest times, it was a similarly optimistic tale that stands out even among the show’s best moments.
Why These Characters' Return Meant Everything
So the decision to bring back both of them wasn’t just a surefire way to pull at heartstrings, though the episode certainly played those strings like a maestro. No, the real strength of bringing back Gentle and La Brava was showing Deku that, despite how doubtful it feels that Shigaraki can be saved, it is by no means pointless. Though the path to redemption is long and far from over, these villains were saved,and it was thanks to Deku.
As if to hammer the point home with uproarious fanfare, the episode caps off with another redeemed villain, albeit one who was a fallen hero, which itself has major significance. Lady Nagant, another in a long line of stellar, fan-favorite minor antagonists, returned with a bang. Speaking personally, I didn’t think this show could elicit such a strong emotional reaction from me until this week, and looking back, I don’t think I’ve felt this pumped about the anime since Season 4.
My Hero Academiaoutdid itself, and as alluded to at the beginning, this could be one of the greatest episodes of the entire anime. That is certainly saying a lot. Such praise deserves to be considered carefully with all the praises already sung thus far. But if what comes next is even close to this level of quality, I look forward to the above statement becoming obsolete before the season’s end. It will mean even better things for what has been a phenomenal adaptation.
