For The Thrill Of The Fight

first tumblr post in my life…

in my mind todoroki family is happy and loves eachother 💗😄 (in denial)

BNHA Observations, speculations and assorted info: Pre-marriage Todoroki Enji (Part 1)

So, in order to write my fic, I spend much time observing canon scenes, comparing the manga and the anime version, take note of details, translations and info in them as well as finding out how are some things called.

Since what I noticed/speculated/found out can be of use for other fic authors I thought to share as well.

Resources:

Chap. 356 "Regarding the Enemy" (敵について Teki ni Tsuite) Chap. 93 "One For All's Ember" (残り火ワンフォーオール Nokoribi One for All) Chap. 165 "Win Those Kids' Hearts" (掴めガキ心) Tsukame Gaki Gokoro) Chap. 189 "Why He Gets Back Up" (彼は何故立ち続けたか Kare wa Naze Tachi Tsudzuketa ka) Chap 192 "The Todoroki Family" (轟家 Todoroki-ke)

Ep. 49 "One For All" (ワン・フォー・オール) Ep. 79 "Win Those Kids' Hearts" (掴めガキ心 Tsukame Gaki Gokoro)

School Briefs I "Epilogue" School Briefs III "Dramatic Makeover!"

Team-Up Missions: Mission 33

To this date the chapter that shows the youngest Todoroki Enji is 356, which include some sort of dream/hallucination in which Enji faces his past self and his 'origin' so first let's look at...

THE FULL SEQUENCE AS IT IS IN THE MANGA

There are two core scenes, one depicting Enji's father's death preceded by a speech of young Enji:

'Sara ni yowaku natta' 「更に弱くなった」 “You became beyond weak.”

'Tachiba to tsugunai to ayamachi to sekinin ga' 「立場と償いと過ちと責任が」 “Position, atonement, mistakes and responsibility.”

'Omae no seirai no yowasa wo abaki dashi miru ni taenai guzu e to hikizuri oroshita' 「おまえの生来の弱さを曝き出し見るに堪えない愚図へと引きずり下ろした」 “Your innate weaknesses was exposed and I can't bear to see how you were dragged down into an indecisive person.”

'Chōjin ni wa narenainda yo Enji (omae) wa' 「超人にはなれないんだよ炎司（おまえ）は」 “Enji, you can’t become a superhuman.”

'Genten wo omoi dase' 「原点を思い出せ」 “Remember your origin.”

While fighting the Nomu Enji said he hated U.A. School motto, Plus Ultra or, in Japanese 'Sarani mukō e' (更に向こうへ "Beyond the other side" or, better "Further beyond"). Now his past self seems to taunt him saying 'Sara ni yowaku natta' (更に弱くなった “You became beyond weak.”)

'Seirai no yowasa' (生来の弱さ) is translated as 'weakness that was always there' in the English version but 'seirai' (生来) actually make clear the weakness is innate, by nature. In short Enji was born weak and tried to hid it. 'Guzu' (愚図), more than a loser is a 'foolish figure', a 'dullard' or also an 'indecisive person'. Enji project an air of arrogance and security but Enji's younger self is implying he's basically not capable.

The official translation uses "Superhero" to translate 'Chōjin' (超人), but there's no 'hero' in the word, someone can be a 'Chōjin' (超人) and be a villain. Ironically we could also translate it as 'superman', and considering later Enji uses laser eyes like Superman I wonder if this was planned.

'Teki ga nan datta no ka wo' 「敵が何だったのかを」 "What was the enemy?"

'Akkan kara shoujo wo sukuou to shi kekka shoujo moro tomo nikukai to ka shita chichi wo' 「悪漢から少女を救おうとし結果少女もろとも肉塊と化した父を」 "Your father tries to save a girl from a Villain and, as a result, he and the girl were turned into a lump of meat."

The way the sentence is put, it seems to imply that the girl and Enji's father both died because the man tried to save her.

Enji is witnessing the scene, a schoolbag on his back. His school uniform misses the shoulder insigna and the necktie which are part of U.A. summer uniform, so it's possible this took place before Enji joined U.A.

The whole implication of the sentence and the dialogue seems to be that since his father was weak, he caused his own death as well as the one of the girl, and this should have started Enji's obsession for strength.

Young Enji goes on speaking about other things Enji should remember:

’Shin no choujin he no senbou to higami wo’ 「真の超人への羨望と僻みを」 “Your envy and inferiority complex toward a true superhuman…”

Again, the official translation uses plural but there's the image of All Might and in My Hero Academia Ultra Archive is made clear Enji previously viewed everyone else but All Might as weak, so the 'true superhuman' is solely All Might back in his past (then he also added Deku).

We can't see Enji's father's face but he's likely the man on the picture hung on the wall in the room with the Butsudan as in that room Enji would place the photo of his deceased family members.

Going on.

'"Doryoku (‘Endeavor’)” to nanoru hikutsu na shoune wo' 「“努力" （エンデヴァー）と名乗る卑屈な性根を」 “You called yourself ‘effort’ (read 'Endeavor’) due to your menial nature.”

This bit confirms Enji chose his Hero name while at U.A. and picked it up because (compared to All Might) he believed he lacked in skill but, probably, he thought he could compensate with effort/hard work.

From other chapters we know Enji and Recovery Girl know each other from his time at U.A.

‘OB no Yoshimi de kite ageta yo’ 「OBのよしみで来てあげたよ」 “I came for you since you were an alumnus”

'Soreni ima wa mō No.1 hīrōda mono ne' 「それに今はもうNo.1ヒーローだものね」 "Besides, you're also the No. 1 hero now.'

While in the Japanese version Recovery Girl is more vague, saying she came because Enji was an alumnus, since she's in U.A. by basically forever she likely got to know him, which is confirmed in "School Briefs I Epilogue" and "School Briefs III Dramatic Makeover!".

In "School Briefs I Epilogue" is said that with her Enji manages his manners because she's someone he had known nearly all his life.

By the way the two of them call each other by their Hero names.

"School Briefs III Dramatic Makeover!" is more specific. It has Recovery Girl tell Shōto she's been in U.A. by a long time and knew his father from when he was a student at U.A. and how she was always threating him for scrapes, cuts and bruises back in those days as his father used to put himself through the wringer hoping to become Number 1 one day, implying he was impressively driven. Shōto will make clear he doesn't want to hear about his father so she'll later be more subtle, telling him every boy and girl at U.A. tend to do their darnest and that they always had, implying Enji did the same.

We also have a bit of info in "Team-Up Missions: Mission 33" about how Enji holds the U.A. record for no-quirks trash pick-up (as All Might was too busy chatting with everyone).

'Sorezore ga hirotta gomi no sōryō o kiroku!' 「それぞれが拾ったゴミの総量を記録！」 "Record the total amount of trash each person picked up!"

'Tadashi "kosei" shiyō-fuka!' 「ただし”個性”使用不可！」 "However, "Quirk" cannot be used!"

'Onore no junsuina tairyoku nomi de shin kiroku o mezasu nōsuji ibentona nda!' 「己の純粋な体力のみで新記録を目指す脳筋イベントなんだ！」 "It's a brain-muscle event where you aim for a new record using only your own physical strength!"

'Chinamini rekidai No. 1 kiroku hoji-sha Endeavor da 「ちなみに歴代No.1記録保持者エンデヴァーだ」 "By the way, Endeavor is the all-time No. 1 record holder."

There's something else in chap 356 that's interesting in the following bit.

'Kojishite inakereba tamotenu teido no minikui kokoro wo' 「誇示していなければ保てぬ程度の醜い心を」 “Unless you're putting on airs you can't sustain your ugly heart”

'Minikui' (醜い) means "ugly" in the sense of "unsightly/unattractive". 'Kokoro' (心) is a delicious word that can refer to "(emotional) heart" but also to "mind" and "soul".

So basically Young Enji is saying that to hide the fact Enji is weak and indecisive, not a real superhuman, he put on airs to hide it... but the interesting part is that the image focuses on Enji's fire beard.

This was said in his profile.

The rest we have on Enji's youth is from other chapter and it's mostly tiny info.

We've a young Enji, who's now an adult but who still feels the gap between himself and All Might is one he can't surpass.

'Kisama (All Might)..." 「貴様 （オールマイト）…」 "All Might..."

'Kisama o koeyou to kensan o kasanete kita…!' 貴様を超えようと研鑽を重ねてきた…！ "I've been repeatedly training hard to surpass you…!"

'Kasaneru hodo ni tsūkan suru.' 重ねる程に痛感する。 "I realized the more I repeatedly did it, the more I feel the pain."

'Kisama to no sa ga… kisama no senaka ga…!!' 貴様との差が… 貴様の背中が…！！ "The difference between you and me is… your back…! !"

'Zetsubō ga! ! Ore o…' 絶望が！！俺を… "I despaired! ! I…"

'Nanda so nonnasakenai senaka wa!!' 「なんだそのっ情けない背中は！！」 “What’s with that pathetic back?!”

LOL, the sentence seems not to make sense but in Japan a large back is equated to strength. Hawks later, thinking about Endeavor will say Enji must do it because Hawks' back isn't large enough.

On another interesting bit... even if Enji says 'All Might' the kanji actually say 'kisama' (貴様) which is currently a very rude way to say 'you'.

We've another bit about Enji's past when he talks with All Might after the latter retired.

'Ore wa ase kō ni subete o takushita' 「俺は焦凍に全てを託した」 "I entrusted everything to Shoto"

'Hatachi no koro ni wa sudeni No. 2 e to noboritsumeta.' 「二十歳の頃には既にNo.2へと登りつめた」 "By the time I was 20 years old, I had already climbed to No. 2."

'Tō tte kitakara koso… rikai shite shimatta.' 「登ってきたからこそ…理解してしまった」 "Because I made that climb… I understands."

'Ore wa itadaki ni wa tadoritsukenai to' 「俺は頂きには辿り着けないと」 "I can't reach the top"

'katagaki ga hoshī dakenara kisama no yō ni herahera to' 「肩書きが欲しいだけなら貴様のようにヘラヘラと」 "If I just wanted a title, I'll be laughing like you."

'Aiso mo furimaitadarou sa.' 「愛想も振りまいただろうさ」 "I would have showed sociability as well."

'Ore wa dare yori tsuyoku naritakatta' 「俺は誰より強くなりたかった」 "I wanted to be stronger than anyone else"

Okay so this was meant to be solely about Enji's past but I can't skip this line. The English translation decided to translate 'takushita' (託した) with 'gave' but it's not like Enji gave Shouto everything Shouto wanted... it's that Enji entrusted his dream, his everything to Shouto. So he's not really depicting himself like a doting father but as a father who planned to have his kid fulfil his dream.

The relevant part in this little dialogue is that Enji became Number 2 at 20.

Considering he started U.A. at 15 and should have finished attending it at 19, it's quite a fast climbing.

The mountain is probably Sekoto Peak (瀬古杜岳 'Sekoto take'), where Enji said he used to train in the past and where Touya will 'die'. (Chap 291).

According to Hawks, Enji was the only one trying to surpass All Might.

Technically though, considering Hawks is one year younger than Touya and got interested in Endeavor after he was saved, he only witnessed him post marriage and it's hard to say if this applied also to when Enji was pretty young. Anyway the previous generation of Heroes come out pretty lame as now the kids at U.A. wants to surpass All Might while before only Enji considered doing it.

And so we get to Enji deciding he can't surpass All Might and therefore must produce a heir who will do so for him... but as that part was transposed in the anime, for a better comparison I'll put it in a part 2.

Todo-men solo twitter sketches

You ever think that whenever Endeavor stubs his toe, he shakes his fist at the sky and shouts something like, "Damn you, All Might"?

Inspired by this

If you don't mind me asking how come Teka and Yoshi don't fit your interpretation of Enji as a character? If I'm being honest, I'd just really like to hear your thoughts on them. I remember being obsessed with them because Enji was my fav character but no one ever made content of him so Acker was my saving grace lol. I'm glad I have ur todofam stuff now too <3

I interpret Enji as growing up poor, like Uraraka. I view him as a 'self-made' man, Quirk, hero reputation and all, including financial status. Rich parents doesn't suit him imo, he doesn't give me Iida or Yaoyorozu vibes.

Enji doesn't give "old money" vibes, or even new money. He has no interior design skills (the Todoroki Abode is "default traditional Japanese" you'd see in a catalogue, and his Agency Office, what is that combination, he better not have picked that), and his clothes are just as plain, HOWEVER he has that darn tacky gold necklace (which, hot, but bro). Everything "expensive" about him is either in default setting, or it's his Agency. Yes he has a chauffeur, but that's more for efficiency. Unlike Iida or Yaoyorozu who almost flaunt their riches as if they're the norm (look at their rooms), the Todoroki don't emit that. Idk how to explain it. Have money but dunno how to spend it and are actually quite careful with their expenses. Lots of "just in case things go south" savings account.

Again, super traditionally Japanese, very proudly Japanese, the antithesis of All Might, and from what I've seen, Teka and Yoshino aren't that.

I know Teka and Yoshino were made before Enji's backstory (i think), but I've always had a vibe that Enji never had a female figure in his life, and only his father is mentioned so, idk, Enji gives 'raised by a single father' vibe. He's too "a man's man" to have had any female influence in his upbringing.

I've always envisioned Enji as alone, so him having family outside of his kids and Rei is just a no. He has work colleagues and that's IT. No friends, no family, no nothing. Even Rei's mother was mention in Sports Festival flashback, yet Enji's? Nada.

Teka and Yoshino's personalities don't match what I view for the family. I based Haruo on a mixture of Fuyumi, Enji and Natsuo. S2 Endeavor was like that because Enji was ✨️mentally unstable✨️ and his obsession All Might is gone, he becomes like how I write him in My Father's Warmth. Teka and Yoshino don't fit that.

They're just not my cup of tea as characters, nor as a couple dynamic.

More than his backstory, I vue Enji's obsession with his weakness coming from his parent. They were weak, and told him not to be like them, and thus, Enji internalised that (especially after the accident). Teka and Yoshino don't give that.

Enji to me gives "abandoned" and "had to fend for himself" and "had no guidance" vibes as well, so him having a well-off, alive mother, no matter how good or bad she is, just doesn't fit.

I wasn't in the fandom until I started making my AUs (I was invested with DSMP for 3 years, still am), so I never joined the hype of Teka and Yoshino, thus never got attached.

And also I just don't like fanmade family member OC before we get the whole picture of the story, and other more nitty gritty and thematic stuff but that's the general take. Acker is phenomenal and I give em all the kudos for making such beautiful art and Enji content, but yeah, Teka and Yoshino just aren't my thing. Hence why I've got Haruo and Akihime instead (or lacking thereof because Haruo is dead and Akihime peaced out and acts like she was never married (the past never dies MUAHAHAHA))

plz don't take this as hate, it's not, it's just personal preference, I don't interact with the content and mind my own business ✌️

Remember when some fans screamed about Hori being an abuse apologist because he wrote a redemption arc for Enji? I bet they're hiding in shame now.

Hori did not force Natsu to reconcile with Enji in the name of "family unity".

Natsu is not being deliberately unforgiving here. There is no childish pettiness in his resolve. No misplaced need to get back at Enji by clinging to negative feelings. Some sins take too much emotional labor to forgive, and some abuse victim cannot afford it and need to focus on their own healing away from the source of their trauma. This is what Natsu needs, and I'm glad he's giving himself what he needs without thinking of himself as unkind.

Hori showed that Natsu still cared about Enji because that is still his father. He showed him being able to have civil interactions with Enji, being able to look at his character objectively, and even joke about viewing Enji as cool for the first time in his life. But he still allowed Natsu to keep his distance from Enji and go to his own path.

Enji didn't have to be an irredeemable monster for that to happen. Natsu didn't have to be consumed by hate, rage, and resentment for that to happen. Sometimes, it's best for family members to keep a safe distance from each other. Sometimes, it's the only way for healing to happen.

Family can still be family without wholesome togetherness. There is a space for family bond to exist between "cut them off" and "reconcile".

did you know red snapper can live for over 50 years…. whatre they DOING down there ( this used to say 100 because i CAN NOT read )

Family ties

I have a headcanon that since he does have a personal driver, Endeavor does not know nor has he ever learned how to drive. In Japan, you can't get a driver's license until you're eighteen. He would have graduated UA by then, and after multiple years of using public transportation, he probably had the practical mindset of, "If it ain't broke," and just never bothered until he was successful enough to hire someone. (Actually, headcanon that he just lived in his office until he made it big.)

In contrast, Rei definitely knows how to drive and prefers to floor it whenever possible.

He got into a car with her behind the wheel once and vowed never again.