My Hero Academia/Recap/U.S.J. Arc

The U.S.J. Arc spans from chapters 12-21 of the manga and episodes 9-13 of the anime.

After news of All Might's new teaching job at U.A. spreads through Japan, the mainstream media flocks in a horde in front of the school's gates, but are kept at bay by the U.A. Barrier (a high-tech security gate). Meanwhile, at Class 1-A, Shota Aizawa orders them to choose a class president. After a vote, Midoriya is elected president (3 votes) and recommendations student Momo Yaoyorozu becomes vice president (2 votes).

Later that day, Midoriya, Uraraka and Ida have lunch together at the mess hall. While Midoriya is worried about his qualifications, Ida assures him that he's fit for the task. When they take note of how formal Ida's attitude is, the spectacled student explains that his family has a long lineage of pro Heroes, including the famous Ingenium (in fact, his older brother Tensei). Suddenly, U.A's sirens go off, announcing a major security breach. This prompts the students to rush for evacuation, but it quickly turns into a stampede. However, Ida notices that it's only the media; therefore, he prompts Uraraka to make him float, while he shoots himself forward with his Engine Quirk to get the high ground. That done, Ida calls out the collective that everything is fine and that there's no reason to panic.

Inspired by his valiant actions, Midoriya cedes his place as class president to Ida, to which most of the students heartily agree. After the break-in of the mainstream media, it's noted that the U.A. Barrier has been disintegrated. When this is brought up before the faculty, the principal, Nezu, suspects that this was done by a villain who lured the press to the school grounds in order to get cover.

Later that day, Aizawa takes 1-A to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint (U.S.J.) to have their first Rescue Trial, administered by U.A. teacher and Space Hero, Thirteen. In a speech, she thoroughly points out that this will be the first time they'll be using their Quirks to protect people, as opposed to hurting them. However, before they can even start their lesson proper, a ghastly black portal appears on the training ground, and several actual Villains come through it.

The ghastly Villain who created the portal, Kurogiri, wonders why All Might isn't here, because he should be, according to the curriculum - this confirms that these are the Villains who invaded the school ground earlier. Another lanky Villain with his face covered in severed hands, Tomura Shigaraki, wonders if he'd come if he heard that the students were under attack. Aizawa orders Thirteen to protect the students and heads to fight off the attackers himself. However, in the midst of their escape, Kurogiri appears and declares that the goal of their organization, the self-proclaimed "League of Villains", is to kill the Symbol of Peace. The Villain then warps all the students into different regions of the U.S.J. before taking on Thirteen. Given that they lost contact with the school, Thirteen orders Ida to dash off for reinforcements on foot. As Ida makes his escape, Kurogiri succeeds in incapacitating Thirteen.

Meanwhile, All Might unsuccessfully tries to contact his colleagues and laments that he used up so much of his power only on the way to U.A. (one of which involved defeating a huge Villain). Before he gears up to head to the U.S.J., he's stopped by Principal Nezu, who ropes him into a long conversation about teaching.

Along with fellow classmates Tsuyu Asui and Minoru Mineta, Midoriya is Warped into a "Flood Zone" in the middle of a large artificial lake. When they're actually threatened by the surrounding mooks, Midoriya enacts a plan, using a One For All finger flick dubbed the "Delaware Smash" to create a maelstrom, while Mineta uses his Quirk, Pop Off, to glue the mooks together as they sink into oblivion. To top it off, both are rescued by Asui from a deadly free-fall.

In the meantime, the rest of the class is doing well in holding back the attacking Villains. Aizawa's managed to use his fighting skills to hold off the attacking mooks, before squaring off against Shigaraki himself: while he isn't stopped, his right elbow is injured by the Villain's Quirk - Decay - which makes anything Shigaraki touches disintegrate into dust. Later, the Hero is overwhelmed by a hulking, non-sapient monstrosity Shigaraki refers to as a "Nomu". Before the Villain can harm Midoriya, Asui and Mineta, who've just reached the shore close to him, All Might arrives, tears off his suit tie and declares to protect the students. He dispatches the remaining mooks and takes on the Nomu, but discovers it isn't taking damage, because its Quirk is Shock Absorption. Eventually, the creature overpowers the Symbol of Peace and Kurogiri arrives to deliver the finishing blow. However, Bakugo and Todoroki foil the move and buy All Might enough time to regroup. After that, he engages the Nomu head-on, and after an intense battle, he overcomes its powers and launches it out of the building with an exceptionally powerful Smash.

Even though All Might won the battle, he can no longer sustain his Hero form; therefore, Shigaraki and his gang decide to attack again. This time, however, they're thwarted by the arrival of the rest of U.A's faculty. All the Villains on the scene other than Kurogiri and Shigaraki (who escaped) are arrested, and All Might is saved at the last moment. The damage is immediately treated and the injured are taken to treatment.

At the hideout of the League of Villains, Kurogiri and Shigaraki speak to a mysterious voice on a monitor, with Shigaraki expressing immense frustration with his failure. The voice merely encourages Shigaraki to try again and do better next time.

Meanwhile, Midoriya and All Might are visited by All Might's friend, detective Naomasa Tsukauchi, who reports that, while seriously injured, Eraser Head and Thirteen will make a complete recovery in due time. All Might notes that the students deserve a lot of credit for holding off the threat for as long as they did, and that they'll all make fine Heroes by the time their schooling is over.

The next day, Aizawa arrives, bandaged from head to toe, and announces that the U.A. Sports Festival is due to commence moderately soon.


 * Big Damn Heroes: Two instances:
 * All Might's arrival to the U.S.J. - he bursts through the doors and paces forward in silence, but without his trademark smile this time.
 * Ida bringing reinforcements to U.A. - Snipe fires off at Shigaraki and Kurogiri, while Present Mic makes short work of the thugs, just in time to save All Might.
 * Flash Step: Midoriya tries to use One For All this way to stop Shigaraki, but it naturally ends up breaking his legs.
 * Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs: All Might and the Nomu engage in a slug fest that blows nearly everyone away; over 300 speedy hits at using more than 100% of All Might's power. The Symbol of Peace eventually gains the upper hand.