Eri’s story is by far one of the most tragic and hopeful in My Hero Academy universe, as few characters in the series suffered as much as she did. Still, despite all the pain she went through, the white-haired girl found people who cared about her and gave her a new chance at a peaceful and happy life. At the end of the story, she started to live a normal life, even going so far as to apparently start a band with her friends.
This small but significant detail found in chapter 430 of the manga suggests that Jiro Kyoka, one of the series’ most underrated characters, is a huge inspiration for Eri. Earphone Jack’s performance during the UA School Festival was vital in Eri’s development into a joyful teenager, proving how meaningful her music was to the traumatized child.
Kyoka’s performance shaped Eri’s future
She returned not only the smile, but also the passion
In episode #86 of My Hero Academy anime, the students of class 1-A revealed to the world the performance they worked so hard on. Although they undoubtedly wanted to impress the participants of the UA School Festival, they were also trying to make Eri smile again. After being tortured for years at the hands of Overhaul, one of the series’ most powerful and cruel villains, the white-haired girl has forgotten what it’s like to experience true joy. Fortunately, her happiness was quickly regained when Kyoka began singing the beloved song Hero Too.
Seeing Eri smile with genuine joy was a touching moment not only for the students in class 1-A who fought hard to rescue her, but also for fans of the series. Interactions between Jiro and his younger friend became scarce from this point on, with them only seeing each other on numerous occasions before the end of the story. Even so, the moving performance she gave during Eri’s first festival left a lasting impression on the white-haired girl. In chapter 430, a teenage version of Eri can be seen walking to school.
She is chatting with her colleagues, a wide smile adorning her face, free from any kind of pain and suffering. What makes this moment even more special is the fact that the three students can be seen carrying musical instrumentsimplying that they started their band. This panel may not reveal much about who Eri became after the series ended, but it does indicate that Kyoka was a huge influence on her life. She probably wants to spread the same joy she felt as a child when the headset sang to her with the rest of the world.
Headphone contributions often go unappreciated
Despite being vital to Eri’s story, she is rarely mentioned by the girl.
After being rescued from Chisaki’s control during the Shie Hassaikai arc of the My Hero Academia franchise, Eri began to see Deku and Lemillion as her saviors. This is understandable, as they are the warriors who risked their lives to ensure that the Overhaul could no longer harm her. The pair inspired her to be brave, which led her to become an asset to the heroes’ victory during the Final War. His sibling relationships with Izuku and Mirio are among the most endearing and touching in the series.
However, chapter #430 makes it clear that Jiro was also essential to his developmentas it helped her find her passion for music. The series rarely focuses on the importance of the headset to Eri, preferring to give credit to Deku and Lemillion. Each of the heroes who played a role in creating a better future for gray hair should have been given due credit. This is why the final chapters of the manga are so important in determining Jiro’s importance in Eri’s life.
In addition to his brief appearance during the manga’s epilogue, Eri can be seen in chapter #429 singing during Aoyama’s farewell party while Jiro plays the guitar for her. Although it has not been specified at this time, this appears to be the beginning of his musical journey, with Kyoka as his mentor. Their interaction may be minimal in the manga, but moments like those found in the last two chapters of the manga serve as a reminder of how important the headset is to Eri and the story in general.
THE My Hero Academy universe constantly reminds readers that every small action can have huge repercussions on a person. Eri suffered much more than most children her age, but the care and concern that characters like Deku and Kyoka showed helped her overcome the pain. Showing her sharing precious moments with the heroes who save her makes her story much more wholesome and emotional for fans.
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child he always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia revolves around Deku and a class of heroes in training at UA. This school turns young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the “One-For-All” quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off against dastardly supervillains.
- Release date
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April 3, 2016
- Seasons
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7
- Franchise
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My Hero Academy
- Producer
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Bones