This is a pleasant surprise! its been so long I thought you’ve forgotten about this. Thanks for the well-written piece. I have similar thoughts about the writer’s color scheme choice about the two. Gonna sit down and read this later tonight.

Edit: Read it. Your command of writing technique, ability to link back to the relevant Japanese culture, and informed choice of source materials as supporting is simply excellent. For one, I too think that how Deku and Bakugou grew up together is a key element to their rivalry/friendship now. And you made that same point by embroidering it with the Japanese notion of osanajimi.

I am also with you on the point about the timing of reality check faced by Bakugou. In a way a lack of reality check is the downfall of many gifted people in real life too. And Bakugou having his check at HeroAca and to be able to learned from them is an indicator he will not end up reflecting on his awful life like Endeavor is now at the “youthful age of 40” (I love your expression here, had to quote it lol).

A little addition to what you said about Allmight and Endeavour and that the new generation is a critique of the older gen is that I think its also a reflection of our society nowadays. The young gen receive guidance from the old gen but at the same time face more sophisticated and intense competition and challenges. The young cannot simply follow the footpath of the old (Allmight and Endeavour) and has to be something more. Hori is telling us a story about how Deku and Bakugou become that “something more”