The Silenced Symbol

Reasonable people avoided the topic of All Might like the plague.

There were two facts people of Japan knew. Firstly, the man known as All Might, was a vigilante. Secondly, the government insisted that he was a con man, a fraud, a dangerous criminal, and anyone associated with him in any capacity risked jail time or a "mysterious" disappearance.

What those facts meant, however, widely varied among the population.

The official stance – the safe one – was agreeing with the authorities. All Might was acting illegally, no matter what his true intentions were. If he were a real hero, people said, he would have gotten himself a hero license. There was nothing stopping him, right? Clearly he had the skills. If he was refused one, it meant shady business. He might be doing good work – saving people from villains, avoiding injuring the police while resisting arrest, minimizing collateral damage – but if he cooperated with the government, he could be doing a lot more.

The unofficial stance, privately shared by many, was that if someone of All Might's caliber hadn't gotten an official permission to be a hero despite decades of successful rescues, crime busting and constant popularity... it meant something bad about their government. Something really, really bad. And people were afraid that if they dared to speak up in All Might's defense, they might become the next ones to be silenced.

But propaganda was a powerful thing, and people were easy to manipulate. Most who haven't met All Might in person believed whatever rumor they heard. Some claimed he was a thief - that he used the excuse of vigilantism to fill his own pockets. After all he didn't work legally like the rest of them, the money that disappeared from the crime scenes had to have gone somewhere, didn't it? Some claimed that he was a womanizer, using his rescues to seduce women and leaving them after using them. There were many women claiming to be pregnant with All Might's children, right? Some suspected him of drug trafficking. What was he doing in that dark alley before the attack, huh? Just look at him, he's probably on steroids. Some of being an American spy. He's being sneaky by deliberately, attracting attention and pretending to be a hero. Some even claimed he was a pedophile – he got real close with those kids he saved from that fire, didn't he? The list went on. There wasn't a crime someone hadn't accused him of at some point. All Might was a great scape goat for everything that was wrong with the world: whether it was people disappearing, villains attacking, or the wind blowing in the wrong direction. After all, All Might could change the weather with a single punch...

Everyone opposing the government – be it villains, other vigilantes, or secret rebel groups – tried to bend All Might to their own purposes. However, he refused to be swayed from his ideals by anything: be it bribery, patriotism, liberalism, he would not listen. He would carry on with a smile, saving those in need, protecting the innocent and the suffering, and threatening the unjust. He would not argue his cause with words, but proclaim it by actions. "I AM HERE," he said as he arrived, and the people knew everything would be alright. He installed the feeling of trust and safety in those who were afraid, and the feeling of fear in those who threatened others. He was an unshaken symbol, untouchable by anyone. Not even those who wished him dead and had all the power in the country.

Not even All For One.

The ancient villain was getting frustrated as years went by. Who did that upstart think he was? This was his domain: he was the one pulling on everyone's strings. He should have been able to get rid of that nuisance by now. And All For One really did try: he tried hostages, he tried spies, he tried trickery and mind-games and painted black all over All Might's name. But the stupid child refused to see reason, running around with that ridiculous grin on his face, dressed like an American flag had vomited all over his costume. All For One hated him with passion. Some days, he was tempted to just march over to the hero wannabe and publicly teach him a lesson.

The problem was with how absurdly strong One For All had gotten by this point.

Something All For One had noticed about quirks, was that with every generation they got stronger. First generation quirks really were simple in mechanics, compared to the fourth and fifth's. But One For All cheated the system, changing hands faster than generations were born, exponentially gaining power in a way All For One couldn't replicate with any quirk – not even the artificially created ones. At first, One For All was an annoyance at worst. Now, it was becoming a threat.

It was only the matter of time before the two forces clashed, shaking the very foundations of Japan.

In a world where All Might fought with the government's backing, the fight could have been covered up. The police could have kept all witnesses away, secret services and pro heroes using their skills to conceal the terrible battle between Titans. But in this world, the police was rushing to arrest All Might, the news cameras filming them the entire time. The whole world watched All Might furiously fighting an unidentified man with a terrifying power and an even more terrifying presence, and the whole world saw All Might brutally taking his head off, leaving a bloody splatter on the ground.

To say that it caused a controversy would be an understatement.

Izuku Midoriya loved heroes since he was a little boy. Even though his mom told him not to look into vigilantes, the nine-year-old knew about All Might, and admired him greatly - if silently. His notebooks were hidden in his closet, but he lovingly recorded every incident All Might was ever involved with. He admired his smile, his bravery – and most of all, his unwavering stance against all the people who told him he couldn't be a hero. Because All Might was one, Izuku had no doubt about it. Everything they said about him in newspapers and on TV was a lie. He knew kids his age who were rescued by All Might once – in low whispers, they described him as someone you instantly knew you could trust, someone that would keep you safe. Someone Izuku inspired to be, one day, even if the whole world was against it.

When Izuku saw the incident live, he was terrified. He'd never seen All Might like this – this reckless, this... angry. And in that moment, despite being only a child, Izuku understood something: whoever was that terrifying man in the suit, All Might really, truly hated him. So much that for the first time ever, All Might committed murder.

Izuku's mother banned TV in their house that day. As much as it sucked, he couldn't blame her.

The thing was, no one had expected that to be the outcome of the fight – that's why it was live in the first place. Everyone expected All Might to finally get arrested. They hadn't expected him to get injured, murder a man with no name, and then disappear into the shadows.

Sometimes, the fight haunted Izuku's dreams. He saw it only once – he wasn't allowed to look it up online, his mother had forbidden it under the threat of grounding him for a year – so he couldn't even remember the most gory details, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. Who was that man? He had to be a villain, but why did the news never report his identity? Why was All Might fighting him, what had he done to earn such hatred from the vigilante? And most importantly, what happened to All Might? Why did he disappear?

Almost six months passed before All Might returned. The public was in an uproar. He hadn't appeared nearly as often as he did before, disappearing even faster from the scene after doing is rescue, and expertly blending in the shadows. No one could track him. No one could find him. Some raged for All Might to stand trial for murder, but like a quiet current under surface finally reaching the shore, a growing number of people started to show their support out in the open. Stands with All Might's merch appeared. Some people finally came out with testimonies of how All Might personally rescued them. The rumors of both sides were at war. All Might was either the incarnation of all evil, or a blameless savior.

Then, The Video came out.

Izuku was lucky to be in school during a break when it aired, watching it with the others on another kid's smartphone. For the first time ever, All Might released a statement. No, more than that – he released an entire interview. Izuku watched in awe in disbelief as his secret idol appeared, staring directly at them from the screen.

"We'll, let's get this party started, shall we?" a cheerful voice said from behind the camera. "Please, introduce yourself."

"Hello everyone," All Might said with a blinding smile. "I'm All Might, and I have been a vigilante in Japan for 30 years."

"No no no, everybody knows that," the voice interrupted him. "Start from the beginning!"

"Very well," the vigilante chuckled. "My name is Toshinori Yagi. I've wanted to be a hero since I was a child. I graduated from UA high and held a provisional hero license for the period of two years, before it was revoked."

"WHAT?!" a girl screeched, children around all muttering in disbelief.

Izuku gaped at the screen, his brain blank. Did All Might seriously reveal his name?

Wait a minute, he used to be a licensed hero?!

"What happened?" the previously cheerful voice asked with sympathy.

"Officially it was on the basis of property damage, and failure of upholding the hero laws. However, in instances like that, heroes are usually called in to argue their case, and more often that revoking their licenses they get warnings, or get punished with fine penalties first."

"You didn't receive a warning or a penalty?"

"Not a single one. I wasn't even told what incident supposedly cost me my license – although if I'm being honest, I doubt there was any real basis to begin with."

"So your license was unjustly stolen from you."

"You can call it that, yes. Even though there was footage of me in three UA sports festivals, all of it has been censored, and my name was erased from the graduate registry. There are heroes who remember me graduating with them, but they were forbidden from speaking out on the threat of losing their own licenses and being on the run from the government."

"How did that happen, though? And why? Who was behind it all? Please share it with us."

"That is a bit of a complicated, and frankly unbelievable story. I suppose it first started when quirks appeared... in those chaotic times, when laws and human rights lost their initial meanings, a man rose in the shadows. Someone with the ability to take quirks away, and bestow them upon others, or keep the power to himself."

All Might paused, his usual smile fading as something truly terrifying appeared in his eyes. For the first time, Izuku understood the fear villains must have felt upon facing him.

"All For One."

A shiver went through the audience at the grim sound of the name.

"One who steals quirks away knows no limits. Anything's possible for him. Quirks that halt aging are nothing out of reach. As time went on, this villain made connections everywhere – even the government, the police, even within the hero society. He lived in the shadows, pulling strings, masking his existence. You've probably heard rumors at some point, didn't you? It was all dismissed as a hoax. But people disappeared and no one ever found them. Those making any controversial claims either conveniently find themselves locked in a fight with an unbeatable opponent, or are suddenly arrested on some unexpected charges." All Might has a far-away look in his eyes as he continues. "I first met him when I was eighteen years old. My mentor pushed me out of the way of his attack to save my life, and paid for it with her own."

Izuku gasped in shock. He wasn't the only one.

"I know about all the things people accused me of over the years. The reason I never tried to defend myself, or make an announcement about All For One, was because I knew it would be yet another thing held against me, used to obscure his presence from the public even more. I did everything to interfere with his plans the best I could, collaborated with those who weren't bound by his power. And a year ago, I finally faced him."

"You are talking about your infamous fight against the unknown villain, right?"

"Contrary to all belief, he is not dead. His body was never found, or buried. Yes, I injured him significantly – but everyone saw how he held multiple quirks for him to command. He certainly used a healing ability to survive. He's still out there, in the shadows, we are not free of him yet. However, his power is weakened. He's finally losing his grip. And now, the time has come for the people to know."

All Might's smile suddenly returned.

"I am not making this announcement to plant fear and doubt into your hearts. I wish to give you hope. Finally, the reign of All For One is ending. We are on the brink of bringing him down and exposing him for all the world to see." He lifts his fist, clenched in determination. "And I promise you this: I will not rest until everyone knows what happened to those who disappeared, until the truth sees the light, until the victims will get their justice, and the corruption that has been festering in our government is brought down. I am promising this, not as a vigilante..."

All Might reaches down, and pulls out a card, holding it directly in front of the camera.

"...but from today onward, as a licensed hero."

Izuku burst out in a tearful cheer, his voice mixing with the excitement of his entire class.

The world turned upside down. All Might was instantly elevated from a murderer and a vigilante to a hero, a martyr, and a victim of social injustice. Everyone suddenly was on his side, the few voices insisting on his crimes outmatched ten times by the shouts of devoted supporters. Turns out, Izuku was far from the only one who secretly hid notes in his closet. Everyone had something good to say about their newly licensed top hero.

"He saved me from a villain attack..."

"He carried my entire family out of a fire, we owe him our lives..."

"I felt so safe when he saved me, I couldn't believe it..."

"He comforted me when I cried on a park bench at night, he was so nice to me..."

"He donated money to support my business, I'm so happy I can officially sell All Might merchandise now..."

"I was lost on my way home, he lend me his coat, see I still have it, even though it's like ten sizes too big for me..."

"I remember meeting him 10 years ago, he helped me find my cat..."

"All Might inspired me to be a hero..."

And Izuku cried from happiness. Finally, the world was seeing All Might for what he truly was. Finally, the people stopped being afraid.

It was like breathing freely for the first time.

Their long silenced symbol had risen, at last.

Author's Note: (I apologize if it's long, but please read it.)

If you're unaware what the controversy is, here's a piece of an article concerning what the name "Maruta Shiga" refers to:

"As Caleb Cook, who translates the manga for Viz Media, noted on Twitter, "Maruta also means log, and was the dehumanizing term used by Imperial Japanese Unit 731 during WW2 to refer to the people they conducted human experiments on. Possibly a nod to that, given what Doc Shiga has done." Cook also added "Maruta" could mean "round + fat" and is, in fact, "Daruma" spelled backward in Japanese kana.

Unit 731 was a division of the Imperial Japanese Army that participated in developing chemical and biological weapons around World War II. During the 1930s, Unit 731 experimented upon - and killed – approximately 3,000 Chinese and Korean people. As The Guardian notes, "According to historical accounts, male and female prisoners, named 'logs' by their torturers, were subjected to vivisection without anesthesia after they had been deliberately infected with diseases such as typhus and cholera. Some had limbs amputated or organs removed." The unit's actions are among the many war crimes committed during that period by the Japanese army, which continue to cause tension between the nation and its neighbors."

How accurate this is, I honestly cannot know – the censorship and prejudice concerning things that happened between Japan and China in WWII is so high there is no telling which accounts are understated or exaggerated. As a citizen of Europe, I know very little of Asia's history, as it was not covered in school, and I don't have any history degree. However, what I do have are the accounts from a Chinese and a Japanese friends of mine – not concerning this particular controversy, but the long-standing animosity between China and Japan.

Even to this day, the Chinese and Japanese highly dislike, if not outright despise each other. There two countries have some really bad history, and their government do nothing to repair their relations. If anything, they fuel the tension. The fact that the My Hero Academia manga was BANNED in China was not because of a single name. Allow me to repeat: this was NOT the reason. It was the excuse. No matter how many Chinese people love (or loved) this series, the fact was that it's Japanese: and there had always been bad blood because of it. The name might have been like poking a needle into a beehive, however that beehive has been mad and buzzing for a long time, just waiting to explode.

Personally, I despise the fact that not only the name was censored, but the author suffered because of it. I won't bore you with arguments about why it was undeserved, because like I already said, I do not believe the controversy to be caused only by a single naming choice.

War Crimes like that should be acknowledged, not banned from the public. Am I really supposed to believe that such sudden and overwhelming censorship just happened out of some hurt feelings and pure intentions? I am not claiming that it's some crazy conspiracy, like the Chinese government was actually responsible or anything like that. But ask yourself, why are they making such a big deal out of it? They are deliberately defaming a manga artist over a single name, and even if it was "insensitive" - which it isn't, because I believe that past like that should be remembered so we can learn from it (think about how many people in America found out it at all, thanks to this whole mess! They never would have bothered to research it otherwise!), not buried like a shameful taboo, because human experimentation should. not. be. swept. under. a rug. It makes people delude themselves that it doesn't happen in our reality, when it clearly does.

Don't try to tell me I have no right to say that because I'm not Chinese and can't relate - WWII was a mess for everyone involved, my own country and family included. I have been to concentration camps, the monuments of literal hell on Earth. I heard live testimonies of people living in fear, unable to speak about war crimes committed against their families. I may not have lived through that or have anything to do with this particular tragedy, but I understand the feeling of it being personal.

If this was the case of someone making fun of a massacre victims, then I would understand the controversy, however this was not the case. Aside from the blatantly innocent intention of having a name mean "This guy is Super Evil", the author publicly apologized, yet they keep that hate train going full speed. That does not come from people who were truly affected by the tragedy: if a Japanese author named a character "Pearl Harbor" in a book you previously liked, would you burn the entire collection? That is plainly unreasonable and ridiculous. This whole circus is a travesty, it stinks of manipulation and propaganda, and I will never believe the whole blame was on the man who simply wanted to give a character a name with a shocking meaning.

That, at least, is my opinion on things.

So hey, people, why don't you got support the author? He deserves it for putting up with all this crap. He made a mistake, but it was like accidentally stepping over a lawn and getting shot in the head over it. In my opinion, he's done nothing wrong. I sincerely hope he knows that, and won't let people destroy his entire work over this.

So please, go and support him! Otherwise, this may be the end of My Hero Academia, and I know many of us will be very saddened for it.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you read on.

Best wishes,

-Blue Teller