Hilarious, simply hilarious. That’s how we’d describe My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 16, titled “Win Those Kids Hearts”. Is it because we missed them in the first half of the season that we found every weird expressions and every banter between Katsuki Bakugo and Shoto Todoroki so funny ? Probably yes, but getting to watch the other heroes get the screen time they deserve shows us that My Hero Academia is adept at handling the large world of heroes it has created over the last three seasons.

The latest episode of Boku No Hero Academia put Bakugo and Todoroki through a rather unusual task of winning the hearts of unruly kids from Masegaki Public Elementary School. Joining the heroes from U.A. High are Camie Utsushimi and Inasa Yoarashi from Shiketsu High. 

Their inclusion makes sense because they have a past with the heroes from U.A, and reminds us again that the world of heroes is pretty huge. Also, My Hero Academia teases the threat posed by League of Villains, as the events of Camie being drugged and Himiko Toga using her body transform to take part in the test is revealed. It is interesting to note that we still don’t know upto what extent Toga can influence the proceedings as she could transform into a handful of our young heroes right now (and that’s a scary thought).

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Put to test by none other than Gang Orca, winning the hearts of the kids seemed like a daunting task, as the aspiring heroes struggled to connect and bring the chaotic children under control. They tried to come up with a number of strategies like yelling and threatening the kids (no points for guessing who did this), trying to find the leader who was instigating the children and also making efforts to deliver speeches like pro-heroes and be friendly, which of course went in vain.

However, by the time the episode came to an end, the four seem to have come up with a plan, as Bakugo and company prepared to fight the kids using their quirks.

Endeavor, All-Might and Present Mic were in audience watching over the young guns. We also get to see a slightly different side of Endeavor as he engages in a conversation with All-Might asking him what “Symbol of Peace” really meant, all the while cheering Shoto. 

The dank commentary of the ongoing by Present Mic and Seiji only add to the humor of the episode as they roast our contenders and their inability to complete the task at hand.

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My Hero Academia tries to focus on the bigger picture here, as the talk between the two pro-heroes notes the rising crime rates since All Might retired. The conversation picks up a similar tone to the theme that has been emphasized this whole season, that a “Symbol of Peace” was needed now, more than ever.

“Win Those Kid’s Heart” is a pleasant and humorous episode which changes the tone from the Shie Hassaikai arc, which was probably one of the darkest and the best written arc in My Hero Academia. With the U.A cultural festival set to be in focus for the remainder of the season, the series will probably continue in a relatively light hearted manner until the league of villains and their new hero shows up, which is acceptable. 

However, the latest episode is not just about Bakugo and company being pointlessly hilarious while trying to tame a wild bunch of kids, it goes much deeper than that. As Gang Orca told them before their test begun, while all four of the individuals were strong, they lacked empathy and helping, inviting aura that a hero needed in these trying times. The challenge is all about how they would band together and try to bring out a side of them that could reach out to the kids. The way these four handle this situation could go a long way in helping them mature as heroes and would undoubtedly be an important part in their character development arc throughout the rest of Boku No Hero Academia. 

That said, we can’t wait for the next episode when Bakugo tries to roast some of these nagging kids with his quirk. Aren’t we the villains now.