SPOILER WARNING
In the anime My Hero Academia, almost as soon as we meet the shy, eminently likable Midoriya we’re also presented with his former best friend turned bully, Katsuki Bakugo. What makes his bullying ways even worse is Midoriya’s feelings not of anger toward him, but confusion. Things only get worse as they both end up at U.A. High School, the premier training ground for future superheroes, and Midoriya suddenly shows up inexplicably powerful.
A fight between Midoriya and Bakugo finally lances the boil that’s been festering, and we start to understand why exactly Bakugo is such an asshole. Two whole episodes, “Deku vs. Kacchan Part 1 and 2,” are basically an autopsy on Bakugo’s emotional state, including how Midoriya reminds himself of a version of himself he hated, how he always thought that Midoriya looked down on him, how much he secretly hates himself for his failures — all the hits. By the end of the two-parter, the word “bully” definitely feels hollow. It’s basically a 40-minute fight scene that explains why therapy is important.