Once again, My Hero Academia really deserves credit for how it takes the time to build up Deku’s strength. It allows for both the series and Deku himself to be patient about all of this. So many shows have their heroes overpowered and invincible from the jump and then they just encounter even stronger individuals, but this approach is so much more natural and “grounded” (as insane as something like that may sound for a show about 80% of the world having super powers). This attitude has been present right from the opening frames of the anime’s first episode, but it’s episodes like “What I Can Do For Now” that really emphasize how important this perspective is for the series and how advantageous it is in regard to introducing the audience to this exaggerated world. A common trait of the “shonen” genre that My Hero Academia fits into is that the protagonists are typically these strong, badass archetypes. It seems likely that Deku will eventually get to that stage, but the fact that he begins at such a remedial, disadvantaged level already makes this anime more interesting than so many other similar series.

If Midoriya were immediately in control of his One For All quirk then the stakes present in this episode’s challenge would be considerably lower. The fact that Deku initially breaks down into a sobbing mess, but then gets his emotions in check and can step up is not only a deeply touching scene, but it also speaks to My Hero Academia’s mission statement. This isn’t a show about being a hero, it’s a show about how to become a hero and Midoriya’s evolution in that department continues to be fascinating. Furthermore, Midoriya doesn’t just have to figure out how to use his quirk, but also how to make it his own. He’s inherited this ability from All Might, but he’s not just supposed to mindlessly use it in battle. All Might entrusted Midoriya with this quirk because he knows that he’ll be able to push its potential. He might even be able to do more with the quirk than All Might has done. This means understanding what One For All truly represents for Deku and how he can push it to new levels.

Deku takes baby steps into U.A. High and the world of hero-dom, which makes it that much easier for the audience to process it, too. The audience is still figuring all of this out too, so it’s a great idea to have them be just as unfamiliar with these characters and this world as their protagonist. That all opens up a lot in this episode due to how Aizawa’s test naturally puts everyone’s strengths on display and literally ranks them against each other. Iida and Uraraka are very welcome presences here and it’s still fun to see Midoriya’s group of friends slowly expand. As My Hero Academia sheds more light on Deku and gains a firmer grasp on his character, it slowly begins to feature the show’s supporting characters and bring them deeper into the fold. The audience is also given a little more context on U.A. High itself, like how there are only 300 students in the academy and that classes are split into twenty students apiece (and yet somehow all of the people that Deku has met so far end up in his homeroom…).

It’s also worth noting that the various teachers at U.A. High are already comparing Deku and Bakugo to one another. Bakugo actually leaves the entrance exams in first place and it’s entirely through combat points as opposed to helping anyone out. Midoriya’s assist points put him at a very average seventh place when the episode begins, but he still stands out to instructors because he’s the only fighter to gain a score exclusively through helping others. If the narrative wasn’t already pushing Deku and Bakugo down these parallel paths of heroics, the instructors at U.A. High also seem determined to play them against each other (that moment where Deku finally clocks out Bakugo is pretty sweet though). That being said, the way in which every student uses their powers to creatively gain advantages through Aizawa’s eight tests is a real joy.

The long-awaited reunion between Midoriya and All Might also takes places and the legendary hero confirms that Midoriya’s achieved all of this on his own without him pulling any strings. It’s telling that there’s already a certain level of maturity between Deku and All Might’s meetings versus their initial encounter. It makes All Might comfortable enough to reiterate that his end game here is to eventually retire once Deku’s grown strong enough to replaced him. All Might also briefly expands on the fact that he’ll be a teacher at U.A. High this year and that in spite of how that might bring some unnecessary attention to the school, he’s happy to instruct the super youth of tomorrow. It’s also nice to see that All Might isn’t Deku’s teacher. It’d make for an interesting dynamic for them to juggle, but it’s ultimately better that Midoriya gets to have a different mentor that can help him in other ways.