All Episodes

April 30, 2019 49 mins

This week on Nerdificent, Dani and Ify are joined by Chris Lam of Nerdist to give the listeners a introduction to the world of My Hero Academia. What's a Quirk? Who is All Might? Can you be a superhero? Find out all this and more on this week's episode of Nerdificent!

FOOTNOTES:

Chris Lam on Twitter

The Best Episode of My Hero Academia

Unofficial Boku No Hero Wiki

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hello everybody, and to get another episode of nerdificent. I'm
your host if you want to wait, and someone across
from me as a long always Danny Fernandez. What's up, Iffy?
Not much? You know, reeling? You know at this point?
Uh you know? I mean you have seen the events
an end game Chris. You haven't gotten to see it yet, right,

(00:31):
but he will by the time this drop right, right,
So it was great. I'm sure I love that and
we're not going to talk about it because if he
and I are doing a spoiler episode you can listen to. Yeah,
it will come out later in this week. So to
get your hand off that pause button, because I know
you got afraid of spoilers and you hit the pause
or you might have seen it by now and you're like,

(00:52):
give it to me, won't wait till Thursday? So if
you can, I say something real quickly before of course. Yeah, So,
um you and I had this private conversation which I'm
making public now, but um so some of the because
press normally gets to see it. If you're if you're
wondering why, I don't know. I think everyone kind of
assumed that, but sometimes randomly still get people like how
did you get to see it early. Press and industry

(01:12):
normally get to see it. Um get to see it early,
and um some of our colleagues were tweeting jokes from
the film, yeah, just to I think flex that they
got to see it, and I don't understand that. And
I also think they're credential should be taken away. They
should be a lot of But it's so it's such
a weird gross flex like everyone knows you got to

(01:33):
see it, Like, don't write jokes, are like, it's just weird.
I don't like it. It made me feel weird. Yeah,
I always think it's such an especially you know, having
seen it, there's so much stuff I want people to
be surprised by. I wouldn't even begin to imagine doing
some insider jokes and all that, because we know what's
going to happen. We know there's the the that we're

(01:54):
in that age of the internet where once everybody has
seen it, we're gonna go crazy with the memes, just
like we did with Infinity War. It's gonna be fun.
Everyone's gonna have a good time. So why are you
thinking you're gonna get around to it first? Are you
in risk ruing it and I don't. I don't see it,
but you know, some people just gotta ruin. Thanks, that's

(02:16):
why we can't have nice things. We are not alone today.
We're joined by a good friend of ours. He is
a host you've seen on BuzzFeed also NBC also Nerdiced recently.
That is our friend, Chris Lamb. Hi. Thanks so much
for having me, Thanks for coming on. Yeah, no, I
I used to see Chris quite a bit when I
was working. They had his video and heavy rotation, so

(02:37):
I would I remember I took a picture once. I
was like, hey, it's you. So my claim to fameo lobby. Yeah,
look the lobby and millions of computer screens. Don't sell
yourself short. You know how you been? How's what are
you geeking about the speaking out about this week? Well, um,
I'm seeking about the articles I've been cirt relating the

(03:00):
fact that Marvel is looking for a gay slash by
slash queer Asian guy for the Eternals. I'm just really
happy about it. Um, a lot of auditions, so funny
story about that. On Facebook, Like you know, I run
plenty of circles, including Gausian ones, and several people do

(03:25):
know that I'm an entertainment and stuff what people did
tag me. But the thing is that people just tag
me without reading the article because the article actually doesn't
have any points of contact, you know it. Of course
it wouldn't write its Marvel, and but everybody's like, oh
my god, I'm like, it doesn't say anything in the article,
just saying that, you know, people are being auditioned for it. Um.

(03:45):
And I heard from the grapevine that they already cast it.
I think I did too, But I feel like Chris,
this is just um, I feel like you have enough sweat.
Like if you tweeted at Marvel and be like, hey,
I'd love to be considered. I feel you could get
your fault the words behind you and they would be like,
you know, because it's it's not just you're not just
asking for you know, you you're not asking for the rule.

(04:07):
You're asking to just have the opportunity to audition. And plus,
because you are an entertainer, you're not just like a
random person off the street, right. Yeah. I was toying
with the idea I'll do it in the future, though, Like,
even if they have cast it, hopefully that's not the
only one. You know, in the Superhero franchises. So yeah,
it's exciting that that that they're doing that. I'm just

(04:27):
super excited because, um, this is going to be like,
you know, the first gay Asian representation I guess on
Marvel Movies, which is really cool. Um. You know, it's
definitely something that I've been asking for for a while,
just because I get kind of tired of listening to
straight Asian and talk about how difficult their lives are,
especially when they're hot. They're like, oh, people don't think

(04:48):
that we're sexy, and I'm like yeah, And meanwhile, like
all of the LGBT and women in the room were like, yeah,
tell us how hard it is. Um, yeah, I I
wanted them, and I think that they probably eventually will
have America Chavez, who's a queer um Latin X character.
But I do believe that we're getting one over at

(05:10):
d C, which I can't quite talk about yet because
I think it might spoil some stuff, but I think
that there might be one over there as well. Oh right,
right right. I think I remember totally doing about this too. Yeah. Um,
so that's yeah, I'm I'm it's I'm glad that they're
embracing that I would say that sometimes their fan base

(05:32):
doesn't always appreciate or want that, and so I'm glad
that they're like, well, we're doing it anyways as they should.
I'm just more concerned about actually about all of the
straight Asian men that are complaining about this, because I've
actually seen I actually shared this on my Facebook. I'm
not sure both men and women are like, we're like, oh, like,
doesn't really have to be a gay Asian guy because

(05:54):
like this is going to ruin. This feed into the
stereotype that Asian people are effeminate. And I'm like, so
you're using a white mindset that has been used to
keep us out of Hollywood. Two tell me people like
me that I'm ruining things for the community you exist

(06:14):
like like you exist in in your you deserve to
have a superhero. It's such a weird mentality to be like, um,
we don't want to see this. Yeah, it's you know,
it's it's the same way that I think a lot
of movements are where where it's like they want there's
no there's not a lot of intersectionality, and you know,
there there's you know, there's a lot of people that
are like, oh, you know it's it's the same way,

(06:35):
you know, like in in the um in the women's movement,
where like it was it was white women being like okay,
black women like, let's well, we'll handle it. You guys
be quiet. Yeah, I just I feel like a lot
of times queer people and women of color left out
of the conversation, like as far as what you're saying
intersectionality and so, and also like here on this podcast,

(06:57):
I feel like we try to just remind people that's
not the same for all of us, Like you were saying,
there hasn't ever been a queer Asian character that we've
seen on in superhero form on the big screen that
I can think of. I can't think. I can't think of. Um, Yeah,
I feel you. I think you should still audition. We
gotta make it happen. I'll tweet them, I'll tweet them

(07:17):
if he what are you speaking about this week? I mean,
you know, you know what it is. It's it's it's
in game. No you can't talk about I know we
can't talk about. But that's this is just gonna be
me plugging the bonus episode we're dropping this week, and
that's because that's all all my energy can take. I'm

(07:38):
trying to think of anything else exciting has happened. I mean,
you know, getting getting ready for you know, Borderland's three
E three's coming around the corner. I got my badge.
But all that's on the brain is the end game
on the brain. If he is hardcore plugging our endgame episode, Uh,
that will come out shortly. My thing I guess that

(07:59):
I'm spaking out about is I produced a piece called
The Impact of Black Panther for Nerdice that was this
past summer. Yeah, this past summer was like in May,
um if He is in It? We um interviewed several
black filmmakers and actors and writers and it actually won
an Emmy. And that's really cool because a bunch of

(08:20):
my friends were in it. It was directed by Princess Films,
who's an awesome director. Now I believe she's in the
Disney program. Um. I'm I think that they might have
also seen this because it was so great. I think
it was just this great piece talking about the influence
of it. We had um if he was in it? Um.
Joel Monique, who has been on here, was on it.

(08:41):
Who else? Michael J. White, whose Spawn was on it.
He had his whole family and his girls. He has
two young girls, and they were talking about he was
talking about how he can, you know, kind of pass
on this fandom to fandom to them. Um. So many
people were in it and it was just awesome and
it's it's great that we want a Webby anyways, That's
what I'm getting. I've never been to the Webbys before.

(09:02):
Jenny Slate is Doe Dope, Dope, I haven't. I'm not
gonna say, Okay, today we're covering today. We brought on
Chris because he is such a huge fan of my
hero Academia or Bocono Hero. And I mean literally, like,
I think you're the person I think of as like

(09:23):
the but you and our friend Cheyenne I think are
like the biggest my hero fans. But this is something
that Iffie and I have also latched onto as well.
It's such a great anime. When when did you first
I mean, did you start watching it right when it
came out? No, so I started watching it, um, I
think around season the middle of season two. I think

(09:44):
while season two was running, just because I think I
usually never watch an animy when it first comes out,
unless it's like Sam and Crystal or Car capt Socca.
Because I'm like it was gonna be any good, like
if it's I don't want to latch onto something, if
it's kind of if it might get canceled or something,
or if it's not good. Um without the anime that

(10:04):
has like one season and then you're like, what happened?
What is going on? I mean there's a lot that
goes on behind the scenes at the animation studios. That's
what I hear. Like even with some of the bigger series,
like they'll have the animator cycling now, it is like
a lot and it's just that's sometimes what happens over there,
right exactly when it tells the story and it's done,
Like Tanga Top and Gore and Logan they got there

(10:25):
two seasons. They're like, this is the story we're telling
peace and like cool, I don't have to follow for
the rest of my life. That's how long that is.
It's still wild to me. Like I went to Japan
recently and like they still had like you know, a
one piece children's area like in Tokyo Tower, Like it

(10:45):
was wild. Um, yeah, so you hopped on. So did
you watch season did you start with season one or
did you say that you went into season two? So,
so it was while season two was running. But one
of my friends who is also a super fan that
I actually met in San Diego, we were hanging out.
It was a it was a tinder date that didn't

(11:07):
mean anywhere, okay, but what did come out of it
was he made me sit down and watch the first
three episodes of Book Hero Love It, um and UM.
I think it was just because it was like still
a date and stuff, and so I was still like
kind of like not completely there watching but but like
so so there were like maybe a few weeks where

(11:29):
I was like I didn't really feel the need to
continue watching it, but I finally found time to sit
down and watch the rest of it, and yeah, I
can definitely say that it's probably one of the best
shown an anime like to come out very on brand
for me if he is I had a writer that
you know that I was kind of seen and the
first time he came over, I had the Twilight Zone on. UM.

(11:52):
He kind of made a joke about like, oh, we
should watch dvs, Like there's absolutely no way that I'm
going to hook up with you watching like that's just
too much. No, I'm like, that's just too on brand,
Like I couldn't handle it. It's I can't do that.
That would make me feel sad. It wouldn't be the opposite.
But now I just introduced men into like old episodes

(12:13):
of The Twilight. Um okay. So so my hair Academia
actually first came out. It began as a serialized manga
and weekly shown in Jump that started in July. Now
I seem to be very attract like all of my
favorite anime is shown in. Do you feel that way

(12:36):
or like, why do you think? Sometimes I feel like
it gets a bad rap? Why do you feel that way? Well,
because it's like kids. It's seen as like a little kid. No,
I don't know. I don't think that at all, because
because you know previous shown in anime that have come
before it, like Bleach and Arrow too, I don't feel
like they were kids shows at all, Like you know,
we should preface so people that don't know shown in
is essentially like for young boys. Yeah. Yeah, so so

(13:01):
like DBC One Piece my her Academia, Like yeah, those
are Naruto Bleach one Piece. Yeah, so I definitely don't
feel like they're kids necessary because like they're they're pretty bloody.
H and and also you know there's definitely like some
body horror that Japan loves doing. Um I feel like
actually the reason why everybody's latching onto Bocano Hero, especially

(13:23):
people like Knew who like kind of was disillusioned by
Naruto and and bleached to a degree. Um. I actually
watched like a few YouTube videos in preparation for this,
talking about like how the animals kind of decline in popularity.
Um I think it. Bocono Hero addresses the issue of
the power creep. Um. It addresses the the typical shown

(13:45):
in formula of like, Okay, so we have this super
determined but kind of like off you know, like off
the beaten path dude. Um and he's able to like
use his macho now to be able to like you know,
to kill the first thing, and then the more powerful
than come and then it's stronger than him. And then
he trains for like, you know, two days because he's
you know, he has a lot of potential. Uh you know,

(14:07):
he trains in two days what normally people have to
train for a hundred years, and then then he wins,
and then more powerful person comes. He gets even more power.
The main character gets more powerful, more powerful guy comes in,
main character has another training montage, he gets more powerful,
he wins, and then it just goes on until it
was popularity. That's kind of how I feel the formula is,

(14:29):
and Bocono Hero beautifully addresses that because our main character,
well I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but
our main character, like it's very clear that the power
he attains it's way too strong for his own body,
and so like it's kind of this internal not internal,
but like it's there's a very clear path of progression
in a way of where like he's harnessing the power

(14:49):
that he can right now and he's doing his best
to like not destroy his body. Yeah, so let's just
hop right into decu Um, the main character, which is
mean in him and all might have such a beautiful
relationship at How would you describe Ezuku? I would try
I would describe Ezuku as he's kind of like this

(15:11):
new form of an every man that I think is
just a little bit more relatable and also thankfully, you know,
he's not a meat sack like a harum anime is
what's wrong with meat sack? Um that's stream meats. Acts
can be useful sometimes, you know, Like yeah, but he's like,
so he's high school age, so so he's high school agent,

(15:32):
and like he's I really like his character because he's
basically like a comic book nerd in a world where comics,
where superheroes from those comic books are actually real. You know,
he's he's basically like an almight otaku. Like you know,
he has a notebook that were like he references all
the time, like of every like major superhero that's that's
like working right now. Um, and you know, he has

(15:53):
like every all Might action figure in his room. You know,
he watches like YouTube videos of all my all the
time him And he's also like, yeah, he's just super nerdy.
Like he mumbles himself. He gets really nervous around girls,
which is I'm sure it's very relatable for a lot
of young men. Uh and um he I think what

(16:15):
I find compelling about his journey is the fact that
he slowly realizes that, oh, like this power is for
me to shape and for me to decide how to use.
And I'm like it, I'm learning from what all Might
teaches me, but I'm form my own identity as opposed
to know before where I just wanted to be him. Yeah,

(16:36):
I was gonna say he kind of reminds me not
to compare him to our comics, but Peter Parker a
lot because Peter Parker idol like he has comics, he
idolizes superheroes, and then he gets to be a superhero.
So and you know, yeah, I feel like they're definitely similar. Yeah,
it's it's so funny that you mentioned that because the
creator of the of the manga he actually sided in

(16:59):
two thousand teens commic on that Spider Man is his
favorite superhero. Yeah, so that must have influenced it totally.
Just to give people who who kind of have no
clue about My heroide Academia or Boku no Hero, which
is another one of those anime things where people argue
about the way you pronounced the title. It's like you
don't say that h X Hunter and YadA, YadA, YadA. Anyway,

(17:23):
My Hero Academia is about a world where superheroes are
common and so common that they have schools for them,
and everyone is born with a quirk. Some quirks are
better than others, and in this story, which makes it
unique is Medoria or zuku uh. He is born without
a quirk, which makes him the odd ball out in

(17:44):
a world of of of countless superpowers, he has none,
and like you were saying, he's this huge o taku,
he wants to be one more than anything. So his
world is kind of crushed when he figures out that
he won't be a superhero and he's like it starts
right before everyone kind of transfers to the superhero school
and he has no powers. He has a bully who

(18:05):
has fist that blow up and he and he's kind
of teased for it, but he is. He's in I
think to once again go back to comics. He's kind
of like Steve Rodgers in the sense of, like well,
where Hector was saying last episode that big moment of
him jumping in the bomb. There's a big bad guys
situation where a Zuki zuku Um or Decu as we'll

(18:28):
know him as, runs towards the It gets his butt
kicked eventually, but it catches the eye of all Might,
who then reveals that his quirk or superpower is the
ability to pass on his quirk and it changes everything
and that which I yes, that made me cry too.
I will admit though it was it is a little
bit convenient. I admit that. Um, but those things in

(18:52):
superhero world are right and and and also like I
do think they do a good job like mixing it
into the world where like yeah, like they're they're actually
used to exist this power, like you could give people
a quirk. Yeah yeah, but it's it would I think
one of the things. And that's why I kind of
gravitate towards shown in uh anime a lot is because
it's the same thing that kind of has started my love,

(19:14):
which was dB Z, which is the idea. I feel
like you don't get that as much in American media.
You do. I think the the power creep is commonplace
and never addressed in the sense of like you're strong
and then if you get beat up by an enemy,
you just have to think about somebody you love and
then you get stronger, right Like I remember in Bleach,
like I remember rolling my eyes literally at the storyline

(19:34):
where it's like the last season they've said to the
character if you do this, if you unleash this power,
you will never be able to do anything ever again,
Like you will not be able to seek ghosts like
you will have no powers, but then like the next
season is like, oh, if you just shoot like a
few millimeters away from your heart and it doesn't kill you,

(19:55):
then like it will reawaken your powers. I'm like, but
you just But it's the same thing of like you
know Blade who gets like beat up and then he
gets thrown into the pool of blood and now he's
back right right. Like there's that where it's like a
lot of shown an Enemy, it's like, no, you train,
you work hard, you get stronger. And I think that's
what I liked about my hero that really kind of

(20:19):
clutched enemy was this idea of like, oh, everyone said
this was impossible, and for all intensive purposes it is,
but with the right opportunity and the gumption, you're able
to make your dreams come true. And I was like,
that is the type of info I do want instilled
in kids, where it's like, opportunity changes everything. If you
come ready for it, you can make anything happen. And

(20:41):
oh yeah, um, just like that scene in La La
Land where she just so happens to be a casting
director there and in her little sketch show just so
happened to be there to change my life love la
la la. But I can see where why a lot
of people were very annoyed by it because if you
were in the soul crushing industry, to look at this

(21:02):
move where someone just just at the right place she
went to the little play that nobody would know about,
just so happens this huge person. It's very old Hollywood,
but like it. But but but it does carry into
it does kind of carry into Bocano here where like
all Might literally like I like your hood spot hid truly. Um,
it reminds me that Funk reminds me a little bit

(21:23):
of sky High that Total does. Um, which was this
a school of teenage superheroes? Um, so I've made that comparison.
That's probably the only thing it hasn't common. But um yeah,
so let's talk about all Night because we've said his
name quite a bit. So what should people know about
all Night? So? I think all Might is basically like

(21:45):
the Superman of this world. Um, you know, he's like
the classic superhero like he like even his color palette
is like very American, like he actually has the same
color palette as miss as Miss Marvel as Captain Marvel.
I would say black, red, and yellow, and it's extremely
clear that the creator made this character kind of acknowledging
like this, this American industry of Western superheroes, because he

(22:08):
has moves called like you know, smash towards smashing Texas
and and like also like all my breaks into English sometimes,
which I think is so funny. Um, he's so like, okay,
so if we can, if you can envision if Captain
America like got injected with steroids and was just a
a little bit bigger. Yeah, it is hilarious to me

(22:31):
because I thought it was kind of poking fun, not
poking fun. I think it's a little poking fun at
our superheroes. And they dressed it in like American colors,
and it's like the yeah, the sto not ster but yeah, stereotypical,
big puff blonde, super right exactly. Like like I would
love for him to have like more moves named after
American like pictory smoke like that, just something like that.

(22:53):
That'd be really funny. But so basically, yeah, all might.
He's like you know, the superhero like he's he's ranked
apparently there's a ranking system in this world, and he's
ranked number one, easily ranked number one by far and um, yeah.
He so, yeah, he meets Decu, he saves him from
the situation. Uh. And as he saves him, Deco like

(23:16):
latches onto him and it's like can someone with no
quirk be a hero? And He's like, I don't. I
don't know about that. And then but but the thing
is that because he wasn't expecting for Decu to like
talk to him, uh, he ends up like poofing back
into his actual form. Uh. And his actual form is
like this really real lanky, real sticky guy. He has

(23:37):
like super angular angular features, like super emaciated looking um
and right, and all my basically like, oh crap, you
know my secret, Please don't tell anybody. Um. And he
he shows him like this really horrible scar that he
has like on his abdomen. He's basically saying like, yeah,
I I sustained this this injury, and you know, I'm

(24:01):
like it really weaken me. You know, I had to
do a lot of surgery. I had to like you know,
it permanently damaged me. And so now I can only
hold like my muscle for for three hours and nobody
except like his close confidence, like you know, in the
hero world, in the in the police force, know about
this secret. I did want to go over all my
because we talked about Detroit smash, but he has so

(24:23):
the Texas when you were talking about was Texas Smash,
Missouri Smash, Caroline New Hampshire Smash. I'm surprised that as
much as we watched this, we haven't like picked up
like I mean, I paid attention the Detroit smash one
and the other one I know is the United States
of smash uh in Oklahoma smash. So it really is
a commentary on our on our country, which is it's

(24:44):
just and probably paying nomagin like in some way to
iconic like Marvel DC superheroes. Um So, his his power
one for All? Can you explain to people what that
quirk is? Yeah? So he explains his power one for
All as basically as this power that can be passed
down from generation to generation by something by like you know,

(25:04):
a chosen um by like a chosen disciple I guess
of the current holder of the power one for All,
And it basically just grants you know, like super strength,
like an amazing type of super strength, probably you know,
even better super strength than miser incredible. I would say
by five. Yeah, I think he could easily be defeat
miser incredible and yeah, like you could like level buildings

(25:26):
with that power, like you know, it gives you super speed,
like it just really it's just like it's power that
can that just courses through you. Basically it's all like
very physical attacks though, so like it's it's not like
you can shoot the energy out of your eyes or
anything like that, and it can be passed down by
with the consent of the holder of the power and
by ingesting that person the whole current holders DNA. Basically

(25:50):
that sounds suspicious. Can you just that I didn't think
for people? What are you talking about, Danny? Um, I
would say, so, uh, basically all might all might say
seticulate all right, like if you can do this certain
task of like cleaning up this beach very environmentally friendly. Um,

(26:11):
if you can help us help me clean up this
beach with your own strength, I'll let you eat my hair.
I'll let you eat a strand of my hair. So
that's how it's passed on to him. The thing is
that I don't I don't know. Mh. I'm gonna not
say anything because like spoilers, you know, we're going to
take a quick break and then we're going to jump
back into my hair Academia right after this and we're back.

(26:39):
So Chris, there, there's a lot of characters in this series.
There's a lot of bad guys in good guys um
and so typical shown in Yeah yeah so and of
course like all of his classmates. Who are some of
your favorites, we'll just say some of the big characters
and what their quirks are. Sure, So let's see. I
would say that the first hero that I would say

(27:01):
that comes to mind would be Momo. I really like
her power because she has the power of creation and
it's not you know, an op thing. She she uses
lipids in her bodies to like form whatever type of
material she wants, and so it's not like immediately combat heavy,
but it's like it requires a lot of intellect and
it can also it just offers a lot of utility,
but outside of combat, so she can make like anything

(27:23):
she wants as long as she knows like what the
molecular like shape it is. So what I like about
her is she's very kind. She has like and she
struggles with like an inferiority complex in the beginning, which
and which I really relate to and she gets over
the inferior to a complex on two or three, I think,
so what I like about her also is the fact
that she has like a book instead of like, you know,

(27:45):
a typical weapon. She has a book, so like if
there's something that she doesn't know how to make, she
just pulls out the book and it's like, okay, like
I need to look up how do you make like
you know, heat resistant blanket, and you look at how
you make a subwoofer? Like, um, she can make anything
that she wants as long as it's not a person.
She kill you with knowledge. Yeah, um, I like her.
I mean I think this is very common for everyone

(28:07):
to say. But I also like bacco Go. It was
very difficult for me to latch onto him as hard.
It wasn't as easy for me as other people to
latch onto him. But especially after season the end of
season three, I really understood his character more and I
really relate to him. Uh. And I also think I
also interpret his character as like this representation of like

(28:28):
toxic masculinity actually, because he's so aggro all the time
and his power is Sorry, no, I was gonna say
to me, he's like an antihero totally um like on
the hero team, but as they typically are, But like
he he kind of represents like the typical macho shown
and guy like cranked up to like twenty on a
scale of one ten um and his powers are basically

(28:48):
like he can. I think it's something about like he
can use the sweat on he can. He has like
this explosive sweat gland and he can detonate it whenever
he wants. Yeah, terrifying, don't sweat. Hey, that's that I
have a thyroid disorder. I don't swear. Can you imagine
having me that quirk and having a thyroid disorder? Um? Also,

(29:10):
I would say um, I really like to Chan, I
believe that's her name. That's that's like her. I'm saying
Chan because that's how everybody refers to her now. But
to you, a Sui, she is just a really cute
frog girl. It's like she just she just has a
lot of characters. Yeah, and she's like super level headed,
really really smart. Um, and she's just a really good

(29:31):
person and she's super capable. Yeah, if you what about you?
What are some of the characters that you Yeah, definitely,
I definitely love Deco, but Also I love baku Go
as well because it's just once again, like you're saying,
you have that Nardo sask kind of rivalry and when
you and it's you just see it from the beginning

(29:53):
when baku Go is so mean to him, but he's
just like, come on, man, you know, and and like
I remember, like I think I tweeted it when I
first started watching My Hero was like I just need
Deco to just just wipe the floor with this loser
guy and they're lying, well, just keep watching. I was like, Oh,

(30:14):
they're gonna make them friends, aren't they just like they
do you know, right? And um, I like I remember
thinking about their relationship and I really think that a
lot of bacco Goes confidence is actually based on demeaning Decku.
And so I definitely was fascinated with this struggle that
it was very very subtle, which I actually really appreciate
for a shown an anime where you could see him

(30:37):
becoming more and more insecure because he because he realizes
that he might not be able to bully him anymore.
Because I think it's this very typical man thing. I'm
sure where it's like, oh well, as long as I can,
I know that I'm better than this person. I can
be confident in myself, like, no matter how bad I get,
I know I'm better than him. Um, can you describe

(30:59):
to people, Anetta? I think I said that in a
very Spanish way. Next character in the show Grape he
is he is male anime trash. Um. Yeah, he's like,

(31:19):
how would you say such a thing? Because he wants
to molest girls like all the time. Oh yeah, he's
like the master she Sorry, I'm sorry. Do you like
him as a character? I like? I guess I just
like his cause play like when I was playing. Um,
because he just looks like a bunch of grapes. He
looks like a fruit of the loom, right, um. And

(31:40):
his super moves are like grape rush and um, grape buckler,
which doesn't sound good. Um. Yeah, so I guess yeah,
if you could explain this person. Yeah, so he's like
the super short, stubby dude. He has like these balls
that come out of his head. Um, and they're like
super super adhesive. Um. There is a limit to his power.

(32:02):
That that's another thing that I like about the animals,
that everybody has a limit to their power. The balls
always grow back. But if he throws too many, like
he starts bleeding from the head. Um. But yeah, they're
super adhesive. They're really good for like you know, capturing
people and stuff or like you know, yeah, just incapacitating somebody.
And he really really it's pervy. He's super pervy. Yeah,

(32:26):
that's true. M D. He just likes the great guy.
Like his entire goal is just see women naked all
the time. That's that's the other thing that always comes
with shown and there's always the super horny character. It's like,
we gotta gotta get a horny gotta gotta look at
the hot springs. That's why I like Tinchimo because they
like flipped it on its head where it's like, oh no,

(32:47):
it's these women who are horning for this. Yeah yeah,
yeah so much. But I'm afraid if I went back
and looked at it and be like, oh no, there
we go, I haven't. I haven't gone back and looked
at it. Um Totaroke totoro Kei. Oh my god. Okay,
so Totoroki, I mean he's basically Zuko. I'm just kidding.

(33:09):
So uh. He does have one side of his face burned,
and it is also because of his father um and uh,
he's really cool. He lukes guywalking honestly, who knows it
might be might be influenced rum so totoro key. He

(33:30):
has powers over both ice and fire and both like
one side is ice, one side is fire. And it's
because his parents are you know, one has fire and
the other has ice. And I found his story so
fascinating and I really liked it because in this world,
well you know, there are quirks and they can be
passed down to your children. It makes total sense, right,

(33:52):
there would be like this dark undertone to like, especially
rich privileged families would like set up like two powerful
people to marry other something with that way, they create
a powerful kid with combined powers, you know, you know,
very feudalistic. Um and uh. And he has like this
horrible relationship with his father, Like I think his father
is like his father is abusive. I think I can
just say that, right, he has a pretty abusive father.

(34:14):
He abused in the past, and he abused his mom.
And he's like, you know, the cool hot character in
the bunch. I guess yeah. I think that it's really
fascinating that they allow that conversation to happen. For you
know a quote unquote like kids show. You know, obviously
we don't consider it, but I think a lot of
anime here, like when it was shown on two Nami

(34:35):
and stuff that parents normally would consider it kids that
they're having that conversation because that is a real life
thing that happens for a lot of kids, like maybe
not there in their nuclear family, but in you know,
maybe their friends. They have friends that have divorced parents,
or their parents have been you know, have dealt with
abuse in the home or dealt with you know, so

(34:56):
it's interesting that they're allowing that conversation. Same with know
the stuff that Deco has gone through. I feel like
it was that first episode where he's like bawling in
front of his computer screen and his mom is there
and he's just like, I'm sorry that I can't be.
That was heartbreaking. But it's just like, wow, this is
so because I do feel like I remember well now

(35:17):
but even when I was younger, like it's just you
you blame yourself for your shortcomings, you know, and so
and I feel like it's such a tricky time, like
middle school. Middle school was I don't know you're going
to get middle school is such a weird like now
that he's got I mean, now they're in high school,
but like middle school is such a I think in

(35:39):
that scene he was in middle he was younger, he
was like elementary school, middle school or whatever. But like,
middle school to me is so such a fascinating time
that I feel like more media should focus on because
you're not a kid, Like you're not quite a kid anymore.
You're not on elementary school, but you're not quite a
team yet, and you're like in this this awful, awful
time where you're struggling with your identity. And so in

(36:00):
high school, it's really fascinating to me that they have
that with Deco, where he's struggling with his identity of
wanting to be a superhero and then when he gets
his powers, like still struggling with that, but also struggling
with what it means to be. Maybe that's why I
like shown in so much of shown in that takes
place in high school, is they're not only struggling with
their powers and that identity of where they fit in

(36:22):
the world and their purpose and and like not using
their powers selfishly but also using it to help the world,
but they're struggling for where they are as people, right, Yeah,
Like I definitely feel like this show specifically, it's always
asking the question like what does it actually mean to
be a hero? Yeah, like especially you know in an
age where like it's kind of been commodified. You know,

(36:44):
like there entire industry around being a hero, right, Yeah,
they have like battles and everyone watches and it's just like, yeah,
it's kind of it's almost it feels like Hunger Game
Hunger Game Z like to me, but um, yeah, I
like that conversation that they that the having of um
once it is marketed and branded, what does it mean

(37:04):
to be a superhero? Like what what are you actually
doing with your powers to help the world? Yeah, And
and because of that, I actually kind of think that
this show is almost kind of in conversation with One
Punchman in a way, because One Punchman is also kind
of a response to Passion in as well. Yeah, I
love that One Punchman makes fun of the trope and totally, um,

(37:26):
it's like such a comedic take if we'll have to
do an episode on that as well. But yeah, it
also looks at like how co modified superheroism can be.
Um yeah, yeah, I just yeah. That's one thing I
really do like about One Punchman is because it not
only does it make fun of anime, but it also
just makes fun of the concept of superheroes and what

(37:48):
that is like. And and it is so funny that
they came out so close together because they share a
lot of similar themes, like the ranking of superheroes and
what that means and the effects of those type of things. Right,
and also also like in the world where superheroes are common,
like of course they're going to be like do she
superheroes are like yeah, I'm awesome. Oh yeah. And and

(38:10):
and it's funny because you know, I see Deco in
One punch Man, but not as a central character, but
as Kamal writer, Like that is Deco. He is the
if you don't watch One punch Man, there's a character
who is like he I think he's like c class
trying to make it to be but he has he
has like no, he has no powers. He just rides

(38:31):
a bike, but like he just wants to be a hero.
And like that's that was a scene that got me
was there's an episode where like they they have to
have this last stand against this like Gigantic c King
and it's like Kamu writer and he's like won't go
down and like stuff like that, Like just the concept
because I think it's just so prevalent and important nowadays

(38:52):
of just not backing down and not giving up. So
whenever you see that, anime does such a good job
of just showing that of just like what it really
looks like to stand up in the face of everything
being against you and going at it. And he was
able to hold him off until Saitama got there, and
it really was a beautiful moment. And yeah, we'll talk

(39:13):
about that more on that episode. Like one thing I
liked about that is their color schemes are the same.
They have the same attitude towards it, so you know,
I don't know if it was on purpose or not,
but coma writer and deco are very similar. That's like
such a cool thing. We have to take another quick break.
We'll jump back into some more of our favorite characters
and some of our favorite quotes from Bokunu Hero and

(39:42):
we're back. So we're still gonna go over some more
of these characters because there's a huge roster, so not
gonna tackle every single character ever, But who are some
more of your favorite ones that you've seen the fandom
really latch onto. Other people have the family. Well, there's
definitely U, who is who is known for zero gravity powers.

(40:03):
There is Ida who is like the class representative. He's
like the super stuck up one, but he's also like
super earnest, which I like. He has engines on his calves.
I know, it's so such I love like. However, um
who is the creator again for BOCU New Hero. The
creator's name is Kohei hiro Koshi. Yeah. So he's worked

(40:26):
on a couple of others shown in, but um said
that he was like heavily influenced um by um like
you were saying in a couple of other and Marvel comics.
Um so, I think it's fascinating whenever he was like
brainstorming and these characters. Yeah, um yeah, I love these
powers because they're just so unique in some way. Um yeah.

(40:48):
So there's also a Toko Yami who is the dark
shadow guy who has like this bird being. Yeah. Yeah,
ever since I've been a big fan of bird being combinations.
You need to that bird. You can't kill me. You
got to kill the bird, right. I think I brought

(41:09):
up in our m c U episode at iron Man
UM two with um Mickey Rourke had a parent because
you know, they normally have the bad guys have not
saying that he's a bad guy with the bad guys
normally have like a cat or whatever. I like that
they switched it up sometimes and have a bird. That's
what I want to do. You know what, Jafar, how
do y'all go? So there? Right? So I'm saying, you know,

(41:30):
Claude really started the cat game when he was doctor
doctor No. But before that it was gold Member, right,
I think so, I don't know. I was definitely not alive.
Then I think I think it a gold finger. I
think gold member is the you know what? As I

(41:50):
said gold member, I was like, that's the original, right
is it gold because gold fingers sounded even more suggestive?
Gold member is your member? I know it's your remember,
but at least member could be something else, like a
part of a club where finger is very suggested if
you like he's like he's like little fingers cousin. Yeah, Okay, anyways,

(42:12):
I've taken us off course, staring us back on. Uh
there is let's see where who else? Oh, there's Kilka Jiro,
who she has like earphone Jack's kind of hanging off
of her ear lobes, which is super cool shifts. I
think she can unlease unleash sound waves as well as
like here through just here vibrations. And they have like

(42:32):
a rival team that they go against, right, like a
rival school, right, are you talking about class by? Are
you talking about like the other school, like like the
completely different from you A. They're like the villains. Yes,
so they're not. Am I giving anything away? I don't
think you're giving it. It happens later in later seasons.
It happens a little bit later, but I mean like

(42:53):
at some point, you know, like who, like you expect
for there to be a villain. Yeah, it's called the
League Villains. They're not a school, but the League of Villa. Yeah,
that's all we can say. I guess that's all we
can definitely say about that. There there is like the
main villain that shows up. I don't know, I don't
know if it's a spoiling necessarily saying who he is,
but like he's just super creepy and like a great villain.
Very Kylo Wren. Yeah, so can you talk about some

(43:15):
of the obstacles that these characters face. This like our
our team of um school classmates. Yeah, so I think
I would say that the general conflict in the school
on top of you know, just getting through school and
like you know, the exams are also are the exams

(43:35):
in the school are usually very difficult, you know, like
you have to battle teachers, you have to like run
tests with them, you have to pit yourself against each other.
But there's also you know, in the meantime, the very
real threat of the League of Villains. And the League
of Villains are basically a bunch of people, you know,
anarchists who are unhappy with the way that the hero

(43:56):
industry is right now. And it's not field until later
who's pulling the strings. But this person has a connection
with all Might, And I think what I'm understanding is
that people are seeing that all Might is weakening and
so and because all Might is teaching at you a,

(44:20):
they're now like targeting the high school students to get
to him. And and they're targeting him, you know, like
during their training sessions sometimes, like so it's very aggressive
and like in response, the school is like accelerating their
studies and like you know, making all of its harder
to prepare them for attacks and stuff. What what is

(44:41):
an episode you want people to get started in, because
we are like, what three seasons so honestly, yeah, we're
three seasons in, so honestly, people do could catch up?
What is the other anime? I'm like, now you're gone.
I'm sorry. Yeah, like some of those you're good, go

(45:03):
go go watch one punch Man. So but yeah, you
can definitely catch up, especially since I know a lot
of y'all seeing you all on the timeline if you
were able to burn through all the Game of Thrones.
So many people are like, I don't rewatched the whole thing.
You got time to watch my hero. You got time
to watch my hero, and you should definitely check it out.

(45:23):
Uh yeah, I think it's it's great. I think, you know,
I kind of nailed at least for me. Said why
I love the series and why I love series like it,
It's just I love a series where someone achieves their
goals through just hard work and determination and just someone
really standing up for what they believe. And I feel
like it's such a strong message, especially in times like now. Totally,

(45:44):
and you know, like I said initially, you just feel
a lot more happy for the characters when they do
win something, when they gain something, because you're like, Okay,
I've seen like how hard you've struggled actually to do something,
as opposed like I said before, the whole thing of like,
oh wow, have so much potential. You mastered something in
an hour that usually takes people years. So what is

(46:06):
your pitch for everyone to watch this? My pitch for
everyone to watch this would be that it is a
great action anime while understanding all of the previous action
animes that have come before it, that it has a
lot of heart to it, and that it also doesn't

(46:28):
shy away from like the darker parts of what a
hero is. In a real world where heroes would be
would just be around all the time. I like that
there's a character for everyone, yes, like even if you're
not necessarily latched on a deckoo Like, I feel like
there's other characters. I don't know why I don't go
for bad guys in real life, but I do in

(46:50):
my anime. Very ndorious though. Um yeah, so I feel
like I like to Like you were saying that it's
real world, what would happen if you've got superpowers? Because
not all of them act in a way that I
would say superheroes should like. So they're not all pure
of heart. Um, and so it shows so even if
you're not pure of heart, you're still awarded superpowers. You know,

(47:14):
what do you do with that? And um, I like
those implications because I never I mean, I like the
characters that are pure of heart, but I feel like
there's so much harder to relate to, right yeah, yeah,
all right? Well then Chris, where can people find you?
People can find me on all social media as one
we and Chris. And also, if you liked what I

(47:36):
was saying about Bocono Hero, you can also check out
my episode on Bocono Hero on my show Chris lamb
Recommends on gam Ray TV, where I recommend Animate to newcomers.
And uh, I also have a live show weekly where
I make my straight friends watch drag Race with me.
I'll do that for free. And I love me some

(47:57):
drag Race. You know. I love seeing ch Angelus thrive
after they've screwed her a million times anyway, truthfully, Uh,
and you know me, your boy. If F Y n
W A d I W E on Twitter and Instagram,
you can definitely get some of that nerd Difficent merch
on t public dot com slash Nerdifficent. We got lots

(48:17):
of different constantly updating it. Uh. And you know if
D's on Twitch come through. A lot of the nerd
fam has been coming through and blessing me with them
Twitch Prime subs and as always, you gotta reap the
sub every month of y'all pulled up to the stream like, oh,
I didn't know, thanks for reminding me on the castle.
Now I'm not gonna do it every time, but thank

(48:39):
you all so much, truly appreciate you. And Danny Um,
I'm at Miss Danny Fernandez M S D A and
I F E R n A N D e Z.
I plug it every week. I guess watch my show
w z r D. We have new live from w
z r D. We have new episodes that drop on
Verva every Thursday. It's a very good show. Yeah, it's
so funny. I love it, and it's really weird and
bizarre and looks it is a very good. My friends

(49:03):
love me. Um, but I really want to I really
want to season two with my friends, and they let
us have several of our friends on so that I
just want to keep giving jobs to my friends and
playing with my friends. But even if you don't like me,
well you'd probably like Danny. If you don't like what
I'm saying, I'm just saying there's some good spicy Danny content,

(49:26):
uh you know. Or you can come to my instagram.
You'll bring the spice. Spicy too. It's spicy too. Yeah. Yeah, no, no,
that's what I was saying. Oh no, I forgot to
plug one thing. If you are in the Phoenix area
this weekend, I will be doing the Phoenix Improv Fest
with my group White Woman. Definitely go to the white
Woman instagram for details on that and come see us

(49:48):
make you laugh and like we always say, stay

Nerdificent News

Advertise With Us

Follow Us On

Hosts And Creators

Dani Fernandez

Dani Fernandez

Ify Nwadiwe

Ify Nwadiwe

Show Links

About

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.