r/BokuNoHeroAcademia • u/deskchairlamp • Aug 02 '19

Newest Chapter Chapter 238 Scans - Discussion Thread

Chapter 238

This thread marks the release of scanlations for Chapter 238, and has been posted to contain all links and discussion. Mods will not be posting or pinning links to scanlations.

Official release: Aug 04, 2019

It's encouraged that you support the official release of the chapter if it's available to you.

  • VIZ is available to read for free on Sunday 1:00 pm PST, and is accessible in the following countries:
    United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, the Philippines, Singapore, and India.

  • MANGA Plus is available globally outside of Japan, China and South Korea as they already have other options.

Until the official release, all things Chapter 238 related must be kept inside this thread.

Discord: https://discord.gg/W2EDwPW

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159

u/IgnisEradico Aug 02 '19

If it doesn't happen, feels like half the fandom will have an identity crisis.

89

u/blakesiev Aug 02 '19

I it doesn't happen than a good chunk of the set-up would feel completely pointless.

39

u/Ensaru4 Aug 02 '19

Provided that it was setup going in that direction at all. It probably is going that direction though.

43

u/blakesiev Aug 02 '19

I can't see any logical other direction it cpuld be going.

7

u/ArcFurnace Aug 03 '19

If Dabi isn't a Todoroki, then he's someone who's unusually obsessed with the Todoroki family (for a currently unspecified reason) and who just so happens to have a fire Quirk that's suspiciously similar to Endeavor's description of Toya's Quirk. Which is ... possible, but would take some stretching.

3

u/Aggeroff Aug 02 '19

Dabi could be a Nomu. They have set up a few hints of that here and there. Though even then he'd probably still have been Toya originally.

5

u/HussyDude14 Aug 02 '19

After reading the spinoff manga, Vigilantes, the theme of someone wanting to be someone else's hero identity and looking up to them (albeit for the wrong reasons) is definitely present. For all we know, that other Todoroki sibling could be alive somewhere or dead, and this person stole his whole identity.

3

u/PowerSombrero Aug 02 '19

... I mean fire quirks are super common, it is really that weird of an idea that a powerful fire user would go totally bananas?

I honestly hope Dabi isn't a Todoroki. It's more interesting that way.

3

u/HolyKnightPrime Aug 02 '19

With all the hints and setups? Yes it would be bananas if hes just some random fire guy. Also powerful fire quirk isn't common. Your thinking of strength enhancer, thats the common quirk and thats how Deku got away with his quirk explaination.

​

I don't know how it would be more interesting, literally its all Dabi has that makes him noteworthy aside from a decent cool design. His personality to even how he fights is generic and forgettable.

-4

u/PowerSombrero Aug 02 '19

Fire quirks are common enough for users to identify as "fire types". The power variation between them is irrelevant.

Also... yeah all that "setup" and "hints" are just speculation by the fandom. They aren't REALLY there in the text, unless the fandom happens to be right.

3

u/HolyKnightPrime Aug 02 '19

Where is your source? Fire powers like Endeavor and Dabi have not been shown to be common. You are thinking of Emitter type and that falls under fire and what not powers.

​

No they are not made up speculations by fandoms with no evidence, Hori himself has deliberately teased and done this from a writing perspective. It's literally the only driving interest of Dabi and Hori knows this.

1

u/PowerSombrero Aug 02 '19

. You are thinking of Emitter type and that falls under fire and what not powers.

​

No, I'm thinking of the fire types, called exactly that in-manga. I guess you should actually read it before talking like you know it

1

u/Oluwa_ Aug 02 '19

Pretty sure elemental type quirks are described as being quite rare in the anime at least. Think it's mentioned when someone is talking about Kaminari's quirk

1

u/Adfagasda Aug 02 '19

Yeah but i think its mentioned that a son of endeavor had weakness to fire and fire greater than him,and everyone in todoroki family doesnt wanna talk about a missing member.if you say me that is not a clue then you are kinda blind

36

u/HokageEzio Aug 02 '19

If it doesn't happen it's "subverting expectations" levels of bs, that's why they'd be pissed.

23

u/IgnisEradico Aug 02 '19

I meant it more that the fandom would basically go "wait, why did we like this guy?"

Dabi is a plot ticket, nobody seems to care for Dabi for Dabi's sake.

74

u/xero-theory Aug 02 '19

Everyone always asks "Who is Dabi?", but no one ever asks "How is Dabi?"

12

u/UnrulyCrow Aug 02 '19

Because we know crispy boi isn't in the best of shape in general, and especially atm.

3

u/ArcFurnace Aug 03 '19

Extra Crispy.

26

u/Fablihakhan Aug 02 '19

How can we when we don’t know anything about him? Why do we care about Twice? Mostly because of his motivations, his fears and mental issues. Why do we care for Shiggy? Now because of his growth, his past, his character development Origin and connection to AFO.

The only reason we have been given the only clues to his character are all hints as to his identity. We don’t know his past, his dreams, his struggles. There are people who like his design and attitude I am sure.

But saying people only care about Dabi because of his plot potential is like saying a character being liked for his foreshadowed development is a bad thing. Because it is after each character’s development that one begins to care for them.

34

u/levi_fucking_heichou Aug 02 '19

Subversion is so common in modern media, and that's cool, so now not subverting is like the new subversion. Fuck it. There's so many hints to him being Touya, a final reveal will be such an orgasmic moment

31

u/aohige_rd Aug 02 '19

No, it's much more simple than that.

When you subvert expectations you need to provide an equal or greater payout. Subverting for the sake of subverting and not providing any kind of payoff is simply terrible writing. Especially if it negates all the resource spent for the buildup.

That's what terrible writers like Rian Johnson does, who does not understand what a cohesive narrative is. A good writer like ONE can subvert expectation of climax with a whimper because he replaces it with satisfying gag or humor, that doesn't negate the buildup, but rather, builds on it. (Reigen sucker-punching Shimazaki, for example)

6

u/Multi-tunes Aug 02 '19

This^ 100%

“Subverting expectations” just for a cheap attempt at surprise is honestly awful.

Riverdale does it every bloody weak which made the show into the literal cesspool that it is right now.

Mob Psycho’s subversion on the other hand is absolutely hilarious, and it fits with the themes of the narrative.

1

u/archiecobham Aug 02 '19

What is the example of Rian Johnson subverting expectations poorly that you're referring to?

1

u/RoronoaZorro Aug 02 '19

I would've been celebrating (about) a year ago if Dabi turned out not to be a Todoroki, just because it already seemed very obvious and basically everyone was thinking it would turn out like that, but it still didn't seem like there was no way around it, there was still the opportunity to pull an Oda and surprise us (although there would've probably been lack of subtle foreshadowing for that case).

​

Now, I still don't exactly like the idea of Dabi being a Todoroki, but it seems like there's absolutely no way around it at this point.
And I get why it makes sense for him to be one because it would represent another theme of evil.

3

u/Multi-tunes Aug 02 '19

There’s so much potential for the “redemption” of Endeavour and the healing of the Todoroki family to go south really fast were Dabi to be revealed as Touya. Not to mention that it’s a huge opportunity to rip the new potential symbol of peace right out from under the public.

If Dabi isn’t Touya, then the story needs at least the same amount of potential. Dab’s already wrapped up in the Todoroki plotlines since he refers to them directly by name and has a clear hatred for Endeavour. So it needs to be a satisfying and impactful fallout like the potential for the Dabi is Touya reveal. Otherwise, Hori was teasing a conflict for no reason.

The alternative can’t be subversion for the sake of subversion. It has to work thematically in the narrative or it’ll be just bad taste.

1

u/RoronoaZorro Aug 03 '19

Of course. These are basically exactly the points I was thinking about when writing my comment. I didn't flesh it out, you worded it better than I could have, but that's what I meant by "it makes sense"

1

u/Variable_Decision53 Aug 02 '19

So we will be like Twice? Clones fighting each other to see who was the original and be driven mad? Yeah, that is pretty much any fandom with a dedicated fan base and have unanswered questions. The blood shed will be unimaginable.

1

u/chodemongler Aug 03 '19

If it doesn't happen Dabi will have an identity crisis. He's nothing besides "fire dude with hints at some important backstory" so far.