Yeah, I honestly think this is my least favourite chapter in the series. Even plot points that I didn't like (Edgeshot reviving Bakugo and Iron Might, etc.) at least had moments surrounding them I think were cool, and really good looking art. But sadly, there's not really much here.
AFO being the ultra master manipulator in not only giving him Decay, but also orchestrating everything about his life just feels very lame, and takes away so much from Shigaraki's character. There's also really weird stuff thrown in like the revelation that Decay is half of a copy of Overhaul (confirming a long standing fan theory OH's connection to AFO and the Doctor), which I also don't really care for because that just turns the thematic parallels between Shigaraki and Overhaul into LITERAL connections.
The second half of the chapter art-wise kind of feels very lackluster (in comparison to his usual output), with some off-looking designs and alot of white space, probably due to his workload catching up to him/having to do stuff like that really pretty looking Popularity Poll colour spread.
Sero, Ojiro, and Sato showing up is mostly just kind of funny to me, cause it very much feels like a "Crap these are the only 1-A students we didn't do anything with yet, bring them in!" At least we're finally going to get the conclusion to Aizawa and Kurogiri's plotline (notice the cloudy-looking effect on the Warp Gate). Also I'm definitely expecting Izuku's getting those arms back, either from Overhaul himself coming back, or potentially a plot twist of Shigaraki manifesting that regeneration aspect back himself.
I do like the idea that you mentioned about AFO just feeling empty cause he has no more good vessel or Yoichi, but I wish they made him act more bitter and petty toward Izuku for causing all of this, instead of "needless world domination", he's just gonna torture this kid and kill everyone he cares about.
There is two things I can think of, that won't necessarily redeem this chapter, but would act as a satisfying conclusion despite it. First is if Kurogiri being back means we get an "EVERYONE IS HERE" moment with all of 1-A/some of the Heroes reunited facing against this AFO, I know like half the class is unconscious right now, but I'll take some shenanigans in order to get to that. And the other, is if we get a reunited League fighting AFO to save Shigaraki. We did have last chapter where Shigaraki himself declares he's doing everything for them, and they are the one group absent from AFO's big "it was me" speech, so if they end up being the ones to save him and remind him that he has made choices beyond his "master", that would at the very least make up for the return of the bodyjacking. |