♫If you wanna be my intern, you gotta get with my friends
(Gotta get with my friends)
Make it last forever, internships never ends
If you wanna be my intern, you have got to give
Training’s not too easy, but that’s the way it is♫

Fuyumi. What’s going on with her? I thought last chapter she was praying for Toya or something. That’s fine. But, here she is again. Something’s happening, y’all. I don’t know what but I’m more interested in that than what happened this chapter.

Instead of a time skip, we get Endeavor requesting more info on Deku and Bakugo in order to better train them. Deku is pretty forthcoming, mentioning his desire to get stronger without hurting himself and mastering Black Whip. Bakugo is more interested in learning what he can’t do. Which is arrogant, but good that he realizes there might be areas he’s lacking in terms of fighting. What I hope happens is Endeavor showing Bakugo what it means to be a professional. A hero who can talk to people without being a jerk and still command respect. There’s more to being a hero than being in the field and I hope Bakugo picks up on that fact interning with Mr. #1.

Advertisements

Seems like we got an update on everyone except him this chapter. He can’t be the traitor, right? That’d be too deep for One Piece. The traitor has to be someone we don’t give a crap about or a female because, according to Oda, women are backstabbers who all have tragic backstories so they can be forgiven. Woah! Where did that Oda rant come from? I need to start meditating again.

Whatever, Luffy. The only you’re cutting is the cheese.

We turn the clock two days back and work our way up to the present this chapter, in the process learning more how Kin’emon’s plan went to shit. It was traitor, basically. Whoever that person is tipped off Orochi who blew up all the bridges leading to Itachi Port. A pretty smart move. The guy’s paranoid but he ain’t no idiot. That means the weapons and fighters have no way of reaching the port in time. Did I also mention Orochi blew up the ships Franky and Usopp were rebuilding and the freaking Thousand Sunny! Holy crap! Whoever snitched on the Alliance needs a bloody good spanking.

Nobody tells me anything anymore. Many years ago, there was a great comic book podcast called Comic Book Queers. Its hosts talked about comic books or anything that caught their eye. I loved it, but podcasts don’t last forever and Brett and Evil Jeff left the show and it eventually stopped.

Enter Comic Book Queers: Legacy.

I only discovered it a few weeks ago but its the same CBQ I remember which is a couple of comic book geeks fanboying or talking trash about the comics they read. Brett and Evil Jeff’s quick wit, comic book knowledge, and great chemistry are what makes this show so entertaining. I’m not a fan of podcasts where hosts seem like they don’t know what they’re talking about or throw out constant pop culture references in an effort to be funny. CBQ gives me the comic book geekiness I need blended with the natural humor of its hosts being funny because that’s who they are and not because they need to be.

If you love comic books, give this podcast a listen. If you don’t, give it a listen. It’s just that good.

 

Go get ’em, Aizawa (He’s screwed.)! You got this buddy (You really don’t.)!

Whether it’s the Wild Wild Pussycats or the Edgeshot Avengers. Every single hero team in the My Hero universe is freaking awesome.

We turn back the clock on the flashback and see how His Purple Highness and one of the goggles users were hurt. Turns out the goggle guy taken down was Shirakumo while he was protecting pre-schoolers and their teacher. Could Shirakumo’s injury be the catalyst for him eventually leaving UA? Honestly, that’s the only way I can think a positive guy like him who’s dead set on becoming a hero can fall. We’ll just have to wait and see I guess. For all we know, Shirakumo may bounce back and help Aizawa take Garvey down.

Speaking of Garvey. He looks very, uh, bioweapony. If not for Midnight running down his rap sheet I’d think he was one of Ujiko’s creations sent out for a test run. Midnight did say he seemed more powerful. Ujiko/The Villain Factory probably had a hand at that. Keep in mind this flashback takes place when Aizawa was in highschool. Ujiko’s been a busy little mad scientist for quite a few decades, huh?

It’s great just to be nominated. But, count me out going to the ceremony. I heard that place is haunted, y’all!

And nominated is where I’ll stay. Don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely honored Jay, from his blog RJ Writing Ink, took the time to nominate a small-time dork like myself for the award. But, frankly, I don’t think I deserve it. I don’t spend nearly enough time blogging as I want to or feel I need to.

I first envisioned this blog to be a catch-all for everything I like and I’ll still blog about anything worthy of more attention (Did I ever blog about Locke & Key? Either way, check it out. It’s a great comic.). I’ve even considered making a new blog dedicated only to all things My Hero Academia. You know, focus on one thing instead of trying to be a general anime/manga blogger, but Mammoth Base Opera Castle has pretty much become that already, plus, I really love the name! Anyway, I’ll continue blogging about anything that catches my fancy because this is the only place on the internet I can do that (I’m not a big social media guy.).

If you want to nominate someone for the Sunshine Blogger Award, here are the rules courtesy of Jay himself:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you in your post and link it back to them.

2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.

3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write 11 new questions for them.

4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post of blog.

Let’s answer some questions!

1. What’s been your favorite thing to blog about?

Things people may not have heard about AKA Hipster Hotline. There’s so much media out in the world a lot of great stuff falls between the cracks. Bringing attention to these hidden gems, giving them the recognition they deserve, that’s what I love the most.

2. If you could date one fictional character, who’d it be?

Hey, Lady Jaye. Remember me?

Of course! How you been, Jem?

Hm. I don’t know. I love fictional characters but I don’t seriously think about dating them. I’ll just say Sara Spencer because no one will know who she is without looking her up, but I think my first cartoon crush was Lady Jaye from G.l. Joe.

3. What’s your all-time favorite show? Or video game?

The original Mysterious Cities of Gold. That show made me realize cartoons can be serious and fun while still being educational. There was a beginning, middle and end (a far cry from the one-and-done episodes from most other children shows at the time) and the animation itself is what got me first interested in anime (the show was a Japanese/French collaboration if I remember correctly). I wouldn’t be the geek today without that show. So…thank you?

4. What’s your favorite show from the 2010s?

Apparently, there’s no ground in the New World.

Wow, I don’t know. I like a lot of shows. There’s Agents of SHIELD and Avatar the Last Airbender. Steven Universe and… *one google search later* Level-E. Hunter X Hunter and My Hero Academia even though I read the manga. Psycho-Pass. Can you tell I’m looking through Wikipedia? Um…From the New World, that’s a good one. I need to read the novel. Death Parade and…that’s it? I probably forgot something or other.

Quirk Singularity.

It’s been a thing throughout the entire series but people rarely talk about it.

Look upon your ultimate form, Shigaraki.

In an operating room, Ujiko gets ready to put Shigaraki under the knife, or laser, or whatever it is he’s gonna do bring out Shiggy’s full power. No, that’s wrong. He’s already at full power. Actually, Shigaraki wants to go PLUS ULTRA! Oh, the irony. Anyway, as strong as Shiggy is right now, he’s smart enough to know it’s still not enough to beat Japan’s heroes. Especially since Re-Destro survived their fight and his arm got damaged from using all his power. That’s where Ujiko, probably the most knowledgable person on quirks in the country or world, comes in.

So, back to Quirk Singularity. Ujiko explained the theory to Shigaraki. Basically, quirks are getting more powerful but human physical bodies aren’t keeping up. That could evenually lead to people developing quirks so powerful they can’t control them and they destroy the world. Bummer. Ujiko also said there have been actual signs of Quirk Singularity (or QS as I’ll call it from now on) since the Fourth Generation. What kind of signs? You should know. We’ve all seen it since the beginning. Not counting One For All slowly growing so powerful it can destroy it’s host body there’s Todoroki whose quirk can hurt his body if he doesn’t regulate his temperature, Kaminari whose brain fries if he overuses his electric quirk and Mineta whose head gets bloody if he pulls out too many grape balls. Tsuyu getting sleepy in cold tempetures, Aizawa needing eye drops, the list goes on. One things for sure, Horikoshi’s had QS in mind since Day 1.

Endeavor figured it out, y’all!

Bruh! You can’t read books with your fire quirk activated.

The number one hero did, in fact, notice Hawks’ strange behavior. His out of nowhere liberation fanboying coupled with an unusually serious face tipped off Endeavor enough to go through the Meta Liberation War book in search of a clue. And, thanks to Hawks emphasizing the word second, Hot Lips breaks the code. Reading only the second word in each highlighted section, Hawks updates Endeavor on everything he knows about the Paranormal Liberation Front. Why the Public Safety Commission heads didn’t contact him directly? The reason could be possible phone taps and monitoring by Skeptic’s Feed Good Inc. telecommunications company? Or, could Hawks think there’s a PLF mole at Endeavor’s agency?!

It makes sense. The PLF would definitely want one of their agents there. And with Endeavor having over 30 sidekicks, it’ll be easy for him or her to go reasonably unnoticed. Yeah, I’m looking at you, Burnin! But, she could be too obvious, so I’ve also got my other eye on that Bandaged Face Guy.

What the hell’s going on?!

Roger’s so carefree and headstrong. I’m sure the next Pirate King will be nothing like him.

Don’t you just hate being stood up? You meticulously plan out the evening with your friends. You put on your best and/or cleanest clothes. Everyone agrees on where to go. And, when finally it’s the promised date you’ve been waiting weeks or months for to get your party on…an unexpected change of plans.

Well, Kin’emon and the rest of Team Samurai understand all too well. They’ve arrived at Tokage Port ready to sail to Onigashima and whoop-ass but no one else is there. Luffy and the Strawhat Crew. Law. Cat Viper. Even Jibuemon isn’t there! And, he’s my favorite (Who the hell is Jibuemon?)!

All we know is there was an “incident” the previous night that obviously threw Kin’mon’s plans out the window and on to the street where a tractor-trailer ran it over then exploded. We know Orochi was getting intel from a traitor. Looks like he used it to seemingly crush the Rebellion in one fell swoop. Welcome the Wano: Act Three. Ouch!

What’s going on here? Who was that old guy? How does Hawks want Endeavor to pick up on the Paranormal Liberation Front threat? Let’s talk about My Hero Academia 244 and figure it out. But, you don’t have to take my word for it!

Uh-oh! Looks like that office worker’s been drinking the liberation kool-aid too. Chill dude, you ain’t the Punisher.

I’m dying to talk about Starservant. Caleb Cook, Viz’s English translator for My Hero Academia believes he could be a local hero or a palm reader. While I agree the old man could be some kind of palm reader/fortune teller, I’d think Endeavor or the police would’ve mentioned if he was a hero so I’m guessing he’s not in the hero business. I also find it interesting how powerful Starservant is. The guy’s using his quirk to float high in the air on balls while using said balls to absorb glass windows. What the what??? And not just a couple windows, he absorbs windows off of multiple skyscrapers, y’all! I don’t think that’s something your average citizen can do. That’s why I believe Starservant is using a quirk enhancing drug like Trigger to take on Endeavor. His nose bleeding could also be a sign he’s using the drug.

And, yes, I think it’s safe to say he planned this whole rampage out just to grab Endeavor’s attention and attack him. But, why? Well, I think the answer is simple: Starservant joined the Paranormal Liberation Army. Or, at least, he’s down with Destro’s ideals. He could see Endeavor as a government stooge holding up the ideals of a restrictive society. We did learn Destro’s ideals are becoming more popular after the (fake) Deika City incident. And with Shigaraki wanting the group to go wild, I can see the PLF supplying its lower-ranked members with Trigger just so they can cause whatever damage they can.

Most of this chapter was just a glorified meeting. And, I loved every bit of it!

Stop lying, Sengoku. You know that’s Whoopi Goldberg without her glasses.

Before reading this chapter, I was wondering what we’d get. More around the world reactions? Warlord shenanigans? Wano: Part Three? Nope. Instead, we got a big ‘ole exposition dump which makes me wonder if Oda’s really good at making TED Talks or if I’m so disinterested in Wano I’d rather read wanted posters. Okay, that’s not fair. Those are some mega important bounty reveals. I’m sorry, Wano. No more below the belt pop shots from me. I’ll save them for your flashback. Ooooh! I’m such a meanie~

Continuing the trend of half-explaining unknown events from the last chapter, we listen in on Sakazuki and Fujitora talking about the Seven Warlords no longer working for the World Government and get a clue about their replacement. Or, I should say, the special science team building whatever’s going to replace the Warlords, the SSG. Special Science Team? Special Science Group. There we go, that fits better. I think most people guessed at some point Vegapunk would step in and create something to replace the Warlords, assuming he’s running this group. I mean, yeah, there’s no one else but Vegapunk that could be important enough to lead it but I’m trying to be diplomatic here, y’all.

What could the SSG be cooking up to replace the Seven Warlords? I’ve said in the past it may be a weapon or weapons made out of seastone. It could be a new line of Pacifistas. Maybe even replicas of an ancient weapon. Whatever it is Vegapunk’s official introduction into the story is inchin’ closer and it looks like it’ll be worth the wait.

Shanks can’t stop looking at his phone long enough to take a picture.

At New Marineford, Brannew updates the class on Big Mom and Kaido teaming up in Wano. Prof. Sengoku takes over, revealing more about the two Yonko’s connections as former members of the Rocks Pirates, the Foo Fighters of pirate crews. Now, there’s really no point in talking about what’s happening outside of all this juicy new information we’re given by Sengoku this chapter, so I’m just gonna dive deep into my thoughts on everything I think is worth talking about.

Fullalead Island. Is it a coincidence Blackbeard controls the same island where the Rocks Pirates formed? Could Captain Rocks have left something there Blackbeard wants to find? Or, is the island located in a very convenient part of the New World? Hm.