My Hero Academia Season 2 Episode 21 Recap – Gear up for Final Exams

Written Exams

On a variety TV segment, Mt. Lady and Midnight discuss whether sexiness has a place in hero work. Midnight explains that her costume was designed out of necessity, but the other hero quips that it must be related to her hobbies. The two end up in a fight, which excites Mineta as he studies for exams.

Aizawa reminds his class to prepare for the Final exams. As heroes, they’ll have to train both their minds and bodies. Some find it hard to study because of the many events they had to participate in lately. As the last placers in their midterms, Kaminari and Ashido are in big trouble.

Thankfully, the first placer Yaoyorozu volunteers to help them study, even though she’s insecure with her practical exam results. Others want to join her too, so she invites them for a study session at her home on the weekend. She starts talking about preparing their auditorium and choosing a selection of fine tea. Soon her classmates realize how rich she actually is.

Later at lunch, Midoriya wonders what the practical exam could be. Aizawa told them it would be a culmination of everything they learned thus far. Monoma then bumps into Midoriya to pry on what happened with Hero Killer, insinuating that 1A seems to be a magnet for trouble. Thankfully, Kendo jumps in and apologizes for his classmate’s rashness. She gives them a tip that the finals could involve robots like the last exam. This gives the students some form of relief.

Practical Trouble

Bakugo then comes in and tells them it doesn’t matter what the enemy is as long as you know how to use his quirk. He then challenges Deku and Todoroki to see where their current skills rank up this time.

Kaminari and the rest of the study group enter Yaoyorozu’s estate to study together, while the others do their own reviewing and training. Finally, the three days of written exams end, and the practical exams follow. They have to pass or forgo their attendance to summer camp.

To their surprise, the first years will be facing pro hero teachers. Students will be grouped in pairs to fight against a teacher. Yaoyorozu and Todoroki are set to face Aizawa while Bakugo and Midoriya has to go against All Might.

Earlier at the teachers meeting, the principal discusses their response in order to combat the growing number of villains. Students will have to be learn from combat scenarios, which the robots cannot provide. They’ll have to grow stronger, so they start pairing up students against the teachers to test their mettle. Aizawa decides to pair Midoriya alongside Bakugo to fight All Might since they don’t get along.

Teacher Battle

The end goal for the exam is either to capture the teacher using handcuffs, or have one of them escape the area. It is designed to simulate a real villain encounter, where one has to asses whether to fight or escape and get help. Something that Midoriya, Iida and Todoroki experienced firsthand.

As a handicap, the support class gave the teachers wearable weights to slow them down.

While others strategize, Midoriya is left hanging by his partner, so he decides to watch the matches instead. Kirishima and Sato are up against Cementoss for the first bout. The two go in head-first, but are at a disadvantage since their quirks have time limits where Cementoss’ ability does not.

Midoriya figures out that the matchups were designed to exploit their disadvantages, so the students will have to come up with solutions on their own. Not long after, Kirishima and Sato reach their limit and lose.

The next bout pits Tokoyami and Tsuyu against Ectoplasm, a teacher who can make multiple clones of himself.

Our Thoughts

The pattern for this anime seems to be safe battle followed with villain battle, which I’m all about, 4/5.