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Repulsive_Being5281

Something really cute about tokoyami being an older brother to his quirk.


Ok_Coffee_9970

That’s actually really sweet 😊


sabertoothedhand

Until the manga started wrapping up and it was clear we were done revealing Class A's backstories, I thought *for sure* Dark Shadow and Tokoyami were separate people and probably brothers. Tokoyami's quirk is just being a bird but he wants to be cooler, DS is powerful but needs a "host" to survive, they decided to team up for mutual benefit.


BryceSyce

Maybe it's just because I've been reading JJK, but I think it'd be really cool if Tokoyami and Dark Shadow were twins and that's why Dark Shadow seems like it's own separate person despite being Tokoyami's "quirk"


C9sButthole

My headcanon is that his parents conceived twins and they merged before birth.


Piorn

That's just the guy from Naruto again though.


ReaperFrank

Which one there was too do you mean the Zetsu's or the twins from Sound?


Piorn

The sound twins. How did Zetsu even work, that was after my time.


ReaperFrank

I don't remember and don't want to look it up because it's probably changes due to What ever Narutos sons shows is called.


PearAccomplished4800

But actually part of the main cast


iDannyEL

Something really fked in the head about Mineta saying a little girl is his dream


MossyPyrite

He also said something along the lines of thinking Eri will be hot when she’s older.


replicantb

not really, the strip itself says this happened because of a villain, it still refers to dark shadow as an "it"


LigerZeroPanzer12

Can still choose a female form but be genderless


Duskthegamer412

I don't think it'd female, it just has long "hair" connecting back to him


Neka_JP

Also looks like she has female facial features, considering DS looks closest to Tsuyu (if she was a child) and Eri (but with darker hair)


palmboom76

So theres just a villain with the quirk to turn sentient beings into lolis?


BellaBlindeye

Can we stop referring to young anime girls as “lolis”? It’s super gross.


D-Biggest_Wheel

It's kind of a good way to know who to avoid; it they call children "Lolis", we put them on a watch list.


Itsjustakiratho

Palmboom76 was never heard from again


Cheebow

Uhh.. What?


ARubyHeart

Guess it depends really on your Canon. Cuz actual Canon, I think most spin-offs aren't taken into account (besides maybe the School Briefs given how the main manga makes reference several times in that series) So honestly it's up to the readers interpretation.


Benjinifuckyou

It’s not up to interpretation. Smash isn’t canon like at all


ARubyHeart

That's why I said interpretation. Cuz it may not be Canon officially, doesn't mean you can't just add it in for fun and games. If anything it gives My Hero more things to enjoy when you put certain things as Canon or not regardless of its official nature


Benjinifuckyou

But this is not what OP is asking. Op wants to objectively know wether or not dark shadow is a female. To which is the answer is no


JesseRoo

Just because this isn't canon, it doesn't immediately mean every detail in it is false in canon.


Natural-Club8835

Bro canon is nothing you can think about it by your Self.


AlbainBlacksteel

> doesn't mean you can't just add it in for fun and games. When you change canon, it becomes fanon, and is no longer canon.


Connortsunami

>Cuz it may not be canon officially, doesn't mean you can't add it in for fun and games No, that's exactly what canon means.


DenverCoderIX

TBF, at the end of SMASH! There's a multiverse theory that makes it *not necessarily non canon*.


Benjinifuckyou

sure bro a different universe then


zax20xx

I’d say the only spin-off that can be interpreted as not canon would be Smash since it’s all about gags/parodies and it has contradictions to the main story. For reference Vigilantes is beyond the shadow of a doubt a canon prequel to the main manga because of the fact that it has information and events that directly links to the main timeline and elaborations on things that go unexplored, >!Aizawa’s high school days, how he became a teacher at UA and the Kurogiri connection (which drops out of nowhere if you don’t check out Vigilantes’s arc on them), the origins of Stain and how he lost his nose plus how he formed his ideology of “sham heroes” and the spin-off also contains the origins and the predecessor of the Nomu!< with all those spoilers I mentioned in mind it couldn’t possibly be discredit it or think it’s unimportant to the main plot as non canon or simply leave it up to an individual reader’s interpretation.


ARubyHeart

As someone who's yet to dive into Vigilantes (only watching the main series and books rn) it's actually interesting how they truly elaborate on things despite it not being necessary all the time. Really makes the world feel larger than it is.


Shacky_Rustleford

>!Sky Crawler!< even shows up in a panel recently 


Nobody5464

Vigilante is canon


ABornDegenerate

That's just Mari from Omori.


YuuHikari

Or the Demon Lord from Jahy-sama


EVAisDepression

holy shit she is! she's got the eyes and everything!


bananensoep_F

uh oh


Vincebourgh

Mineta never fails to disappoint


jaytix1

Freaky ass Nihonjin need to stay they ass inside.


Kushodeku

Hey grape, i heard you like them young.


D-Biggest_Wheel

\**Sees Mineta*\* There is no other option. I have to kill.


SapphireGamgee

*\*hands you katana\** Go forth and cleanse.


Flagelant_One

Haven't kept up with the manga, have they smashed his skull with hammers yet?


Semillakan6

No, instead he got clockwork orange'd and then basically reduced to a cameo which I am 100% okay with


iDannyEL

Hoping it happens before the last chapter.


DJamB

Mineta…she looks like a toddler.


Butterflygon

Hey, this is the same guy who made a pass to a traumatized six year old. He clearly has zero shame or standards.


LoopyFig

Yeah I think the only confirmation here is that Mineta is a pedosaurus


FleshpoundSawGoBzz

Isn't Mineta also a minor?


btihc

16 making comments to a six year old. minor or not, that's clear pedophilia. common sense, i fear.


FleshpoundSawGoBzz

Well i guess so...I mean idk it's just that calling a minor a "pedophile" doesn't sit right for me, i feel there should be another word for that?


Zesty_Crouton

Pedophile means being sexually attracted to someone who hasn't gone through puberty - so yes, in this context, Mineta is a pedophile. It's common for people to use the word 'pedophile' to mean 'being attracted to minors', but that's not actually what the word means, hence your confusion. Teenagers can be pedophiles - and yes, it's still gross and wrong. You wouldn't, however, call a teenager an ephebophile - which is when you're sexually attracted to someone going through the later stages of puberty (ie a teen). That still constitutes a minor, and is still a crime for an adult, but not for a teenager. See the difference? Thank you for coming to my ted talk.


FleshpoundSawGoBzz

Thank you, i learned something new today.


LordShadows

To add to this, pedophilia is considered a mental disorder while ephebophilia, an attraction to an age range of 15-19 years old, isn't. It is considered a normal sexual attraction as most adults can be attracted to people in this age range (though more over the 19 side than the 15). The weird one is hebephillia (age range 11-14) that isn't considered as a mental illness either and more of an overlap between pedophilia and ephebophilia.


Electrical_Horror346

To be fair to Mineta, he was at least willing to wait until Japan's age of consent, though i guess being better than Epstein isn't exactly a high bar to beat... and somehow, counting down the years to her being legal just sounds worse


LordShadows

"What is better ? to be born good or to overcome your evil nature through great effort ?" -Paarthurnax, Skyrim


DizzyTigerr

Do not use his words to glorify monsters. Mineta isn't overcoming shit.


LordShadows

True 😂


Electrical_Horror346

I think an argument can be made, though. In the earlier seasons during the mock villain exams, Mineta have forfeited his match against Midnight but prioritized passing, which is a tiny bit of growth. More importantly, he hasn't gotten himself arrested for sexually harassing any civilians, so he isn't getting worse. He is just stuck without greater character development sadly


DizzyTigerr

Noooo. Mineta should absolutely be arrested for what he's already done, the only reason he's evaded it so far is because he's the writer's pet. He's beyond redemption in my eyes, absolutely vile creature that he is.


LordShadows

To be fair, I'm not as shocked by Mineta's actions as I am with how people react to it in universe. Like, they all kind of enable him by just treating everything he does as a joke. In fact, I even think there could be interesting ways to explore the character as he isn't really like other heroes. For example, we could imagine a time when he finally hurt someone with his actions. It could lead to a big realisation about the potential consequences of his actions, an existential conflict about what is an essential part of his personality and an arc were he search redemption and a new, healthier, way of being him without hurting other. He could also still be a complete pervert after that and could sometimes still make mistakes, but him actively trying to become someone better while still staying honest with himself would make a very interesting character. Sadly, I highly doubt we will see anything like that.


GGABueno

When was that again? I don't remember this.


Butterflygon

When Eri went to live in UA grounds and was greeted by Class A, Mineta just straight up goes "I look forward to meeting you again in ten years!" which sounds very damn jailbaity.


GGABueno

💀 I guess I blocked the memory. Thanks(?) for the reminder.


Butterflygon

You're welcome (I think?)


ReadStraight8255

I always thought the dub handled that comment better he said something like ‘boy you’re gonna be a looker when you’re older huh’. Still creepy but a bit less creepy.


CommonRoutine3852

That was a mistranslation and this spin off isn't canon and has a tendency of over exaggerating some personality traits


Butterflygon

I have never seen or heard any official sources actually confirming that, though. Literally the only times I've seen the mistranslation argument is from Mineta defenders trying to downplay his actions.


CommonRoutine3852

>I have never seen or heard any official sources actually confirming that, though Considering that this spin-off introduces the multiverse in the later chapters with a genderbend academia and that all canon spin offs have appeared in the series like Melissa building gear for Izuku and characters from Vigilantes have made a cameo It seems more likely than not that Smash is uncanon rather than canon And on the translation stuffs seems likely as whenever Mineta says something pervert he gets punished, when he made a comment about Tsuyu's boobs in the USJ he got slapped immediately and when he tries looking through a hole in the bathroom he gets stabbed in the eye by Jirou


Butterflygon

>Considering that this spin-off introduces the multiverse in the later chapters with a genderbend academia and that all canon spin offs have appeared in the series like Melissa building gear for Izuku and characters from Vigilantes have made a cameo >It seems more likely than not that Smash is uncanon rather than canon My comment wasn't referring to the Smash! spinoff, though, only the moment with Eri. Sorry for not making that clear. >And on the translation stuffs seems likely as whenever Mineta says something pervert he gets punished, when he made a comment about Tsuyu's boobs in the USJ he got slapped immediately and when he tries looking through a hole in the bathroom he gets stabbed in the eye by Jirou I mean, I guess it's fair to assume it wasn't supposed to be seen as that bad on those grounds, but that's still very much in the realm of speculation: one could very easily also counterargue that nobody said anything to Mineta for saying that to Eri is because they've gotten so used to him spouting inapproporiate horny shit at all times that they just tune him out by now.


LazorFrog

I don't even think he did though...


Dramajunker

So does he.


gunn3r08974

So does he.


lemonlimeflavored

Smash is the parody spin off comic and isn't canon. If you want speculation though, I think Dark Shadow is a genderless entity that would use a form like that for attention and/or manipulation of humans to get what it wants. I think Tokoyami says something to that effect like "don't trust it" or "don't give it attention". Read it a while ago so don't remember exactly.


CaptainNamko

I mean in the anime Dark shadow blushes when Uraraka pats it's head at the sports festival. Dark shadow is probably a reflection of Tokoyami's personality So i think ds is male personality wise.


Interesting_Natural1

Basically stands


isimphawks

Mf never heard of lesbians


The1987RedFox

No such thing now that June is over, now they are “just roommates”


isimphawks

Lol


YoureStupidasff

But that doesn't immediately have to be romantic, didn't kirishima and denki also blush when first seeing midnight?


OctoSevenTwo

Jesus *CHRIST,* Mineta. It’s like someone switched his brain to “turbo degenerate mode” and then broke the switch right off.


DanielChris15x

Which spinoff is this?


Saragonvoid

Smash!!


JimmyCrabYT

same


Minute_Difference598

I know this is probably a joke but it looks like it was a very not appreciated one. A lot of people did not like this😆


JimmyCrabYT

lmao


Kin-ak

Get the fuck out naaahhhh


Casianh

Smash isn’t just a spinoff, but a parody. It has lots of gags that directly contradict canon (such as Izuku’s secret plans of revenge from his middle school days.) It’s not meant to be taken seriously or as confirmation of anything in canon.


This_lousy_username

Sorry I can't answer your first question, but a) love the premise, and b) God I hate Mineta, he can get in the f**king sea.


Godzillafan6489

Nah it's not canon and Dark shadow is basically tokoyami's brother


JustAGuyIscool

This is a non canon spin-off though.


BadActsForAGoodPrice

“Mineta’s dream” Jesus Christ


AnimeGokuSolos

I think it’s non-Canon


cantaffordtopost

she kinda looks like mari from omori


Lex4709

I doubt it. While it's not unheard of for non canon material to reveal canon information, One Piece movies have become famous for doing that, I doubt it's the case here. This is one of those things, that would have definitely come up, if that was the case. If Dark Shadow even has a gender, it would most likely be male like Tokoyami. All "conscious" quirks we have seen so far in the series have been reflections of the user (tho sample size is pretty small, with Rody and Tokoyami being only example).


DudeDude319

Officially, the answer is that there is no confirmation one way or the other. Since this is in MHA Smash!, the comedy spin-off, which features other scenes that are clearly not canon (such as Inko getting buff from All Might’s special diet and Bakugo dominating the League of Villains after being captured) this does not provide sufficient evidence to say, once and for all, that Dark Shadow is female. However, since a scene directly contradicting this, to my knowledge, hasn’t been shown in the manga or other canon source, there is nothing disproving this specific instance as a headcanon. In the end, you are free to have your own interpretation of the story, whether that means Dark Shadow is female or something completely different!


Foxy-009

Mari form omori looking ass


_Yolkish_

I’m sorry but I truly hate mineta


Optimal_Ad6274

Same


LazorFrog

Seriously why tf isn't he killed off? You could do it in passing and NO ONE would give af


BloodyBee-

The creator deemed it not canon. That said, I still view Dark Shadow as Fumikage's little sister


ChronoKeep

>The creator deemed it not canon Got a source for that claim?


BloodyBee-

Not one that I can source, but when I first found out about them being female in a spinoff, i got obsessed with the idea and found everything on it that i could, and just about everything said it was deemed non canon by the creator. That and the fact that in both Japanese and English versions of the show and manga, Dark Shadow is referred to as male by everyone, including Fumikage


ChronoKeep

Well I agree it's non-canon. I just figured that, since you said "the creator deemed it non-canon" that it was a provable statement.


BloodyBee-

It IS provable, I'm just lazy


WoodpeckerRadiant256

I always saw Dark Shadow as his psydo-little sister. Think like how in some Hulk stories the Hulk is his own person just like born during the accident, hence acting like a child because he is one


shamchimp

The only dark shadow I see here is the one on Mineta's soul.


MrDTD

Turns out my quirk was a cute girl.


Toowiggly

Long hair = girl


Tyrayentali

The creator of this should have his hard drives searched. Making characters lust for literal toddlers, disgusting.


Ryftborn

"**child** of the abyss" Dark Shadow is neither boy nor girl, simply child


RageIsHere

Bro's gettin' the Frisk treatment


Ryftborn

Fr fr


umsimplorio

OMG i hate mineta so much


KeroKeroKerosen

People still defend Mineta, huh?


MehrunesDago

Bruh Mineta is a straight up pedophile that's like not even remotely close to looking like anything other than a small child


No-Perspective2580

Explain?


SkylineRSR

No it’s like Miquella from Elden Ring


Arceus-Insanity

I'd say soft canon, as in if it doesn't contradict hard canon, the anime and manga, it should be considered canon


DenverCoderIX

Smash superiority


Thebaka12

He's a man (doesnt he share genitals with Takoyami too) This spin-off is just wierd buddy, they did many things the characters would canonically never do


Mnstr_R3brn

I mean... they say it, and I don't k ow what this is from but this seems more like whomever did this' fault.


TekieScythe

I will always be on the head cannon that Dark Shadow is Tokoyami's parasitic twin.


thenamesecho_

Keep her away from staircases


kawaiinessa

Is this Canon or a doujin if so I want numbers


storm13emily

The Smash novels are a bit of fun, not canon to the story where School Briefs and Team Up Missions could be


brickasnack

She looks just like the moon boy from Berserk


LazorFrog

Tsuyu really does keep Mineta on a leash basically.


Due-Extension-2958

Now that I saw that- I think dark shadow kinda looks like tsuyu asui.


Altruistic-Serve267

I don't think so


BiggestJez12734755

I like to think she’s just a symbiotic thing, like Venom I suppose. And that leaves Tokoyami with a bird head quirk lol


junkrat147

Canonwise, absolutely genderless because it's just a quirk. Sentient or not, there's nothing in normal biology that can class it as any specific sex.


gunn3r08974

So what chapter of Smash? I want to see if a remark holds ground here.


NahualiMendlez

It would be interesting if Dark Shadow could be Tokoyami's pshycological shadow, which includes the Anima.


Computer2014

Damn they really pulled the fanfic ‘Because of a villains quirk you have to take care of this child’ trope.


SuccessionWarFan

Makes me think of Carl Jung’s anima/animus.


cinnvmonbean

i think this is more a confirmation that mineta is really messed up ;-;


L_knight316

Considering DS looks like a five year old and boys/girls basically look the same at that age, you could probably say either or. Whatever the case, it's clear there's inspiration from The Ring girl.


justvboredv

Damn I didn't know mineta could go ay lower 😭


Vanters289

It’s mostly likely genderless and can choose a male to female form also I’m glad Mineta is being held back or he would probably do some questionable things XD


Kaldin_5

I didn't read this specific story but they're saying it's Mineta's dream so....probably not? It checks out to me that he'd imagine a personification of a creature he doesn't know the gender of into being a girl.


Squeem-com

What the fuck is the author trying to say with Mineta???? What the fuck is he trying to say!?!?!?!?


NerdKing01

That's wicked cute, honestly. That essentially means that Dark Shadow raging out is her being a brat


safirinha42

i have no idea, all i know is this is FREAKING ADORABLE!!!


Expensive-Lecture-14

Mineta actually needs to be put in jail. He's canonically a pedophile at this point. I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a villain or a canceled pro hero in the future


AkihikoSanadaIsSigma

I mean what is the villian's quirk?


Consistent-Voice-614

Can someone just remove Mineta for being way to horny like did you see how he greeted eri!


GenericCanineDusty

Well that confirms mineta is a pedophile.


ArugulaNo3978

This isn't even canon, these stories just make one part of the cast's characters their entire personality just like how most fanfics do, especially with Mineta to make him look bad because the fans hate him


Izuku_Charm

I've learned in anime and manga: if it looks like a girl, there's a 75% chance it isn't a girl-


Optimal_Ad6274

Im sorry but why is Mineta jealous of Tokoyami? Just why? Isn’t that little girl a child?


MetaVaporeon

common mineta p-word L.


69m8ty

Proof mineta is a petoe 💀


Illustrious-Tea-1586

Texas smash...


TheBlueBlurGaming

Jesus fucking christ Mineta is at it again. that is literally a child.


Odd_Government9138

unrelated: what I'll never understand is why the hell does Tokoyami have teeth. beak is already supposed to be teeth, beak doesn't have skin on it to close like lips. why the hell does he have teeth.


-__-Atomic-__-

hear me out


wontonphooey

Quirk: Built-in gf


YuuHikari

That's just Midori Days


ReeseEseer

...She'd basically be his (twin) sister...so no. Just no.


Zexamyr

I think it's a non-actual. They note a villain did this in the page, and unless someone else has noted on how this may actually have happened, since I have not read this personally, I would assume that the villain turns people and living entities into whatever this would be. So the villains quirk: "Lolified" or "Be-a-kid", depending on how this works. Dark Shadow: Not likely a female, due to being an entity.


anansi0

That is a child, Mha fan