My Hero Academia has been ongoing for nine years, and the climactic Final War Arc has been raging on with no signs of slowing down the intensity. With a dedicated fan base, a beloved anime series and a best-selling manga, it is safe to say that My Hero Academia has retained its status of being a shonen powerhouse. The latest chapter of My Hero Academia, Chapter 392, "Villain Name," created by Kohei Horikoshi, translated by Caleb Cook with lettering by John Hunt, is one of the creepiest -- and most impactful -- in the entire series.
Revolving around the unhinged villain Himiko Toga, Chapter 392 is far from an easy read. Himiko has always put up a facade that she enjoys her bloody adventures as a junior member of the League of Villains, but her mask of joy has begun to slip. The chapter begins with Tsuyu, Ochako, and Jiro going toe-to-toe with an overpowered Toga, who's been utilizing Twice's perk to battle the young heroes. Needless to say, things are not going well for the trio of heroes and the stakes are unbelievably high, and the readers are made sure to feel as helpless as the leads.
This chapter holds no bars, shows no quarters and throws everything it has in its meager page count. Within its brief time, the readers delve into more of Himiko's past with a traumatic childhood where Himiko, at one time, was a girl who might have had a scary quirk, but she was not a bad person -- just misunderstood.
The psychological torment that a younger Toga was put through due to the nature of her quirk is on full display throughout the chapter. Every panel of throughout Chapter 392 is nightmare fuel and as expected of the artistic quality from recent My Hero Academia chapters. The attention to detail is stunning and nerve-wracking. Chapter 392 also pulls on the heartstrings while delving into Himiko's past and gives a glimpse into how she became the mentally broken villain of the series.
Despite how well-written and beautifully illustrated the chapter is that it's far too short. Coming in at a measly thirteen pages, The exploration of Toga's backstory feels as though it's cut tragically short, and ends with an almost frustrating cliffhanger.
A character like Himiko Toga requires more page time to really hit readers in the gut with her tragic origin story. However, there is enough action and striking imagery to make this a chapter that will embed itself in the minds of its readers -- even if it is over in the blink of an eye.