Tsubaki Akaibara Interview

Rin Yazawa: So, why do you want to be a hero?

Tsubaki Akaibara: Well, simply put, it's my duty. My father was a pro hero, as was his father, and his father's mother. It's a legacy I must carry on. When my father died, the media was all about how the Akaibara legacy went out with a bang. But, they're wrong. The legacy isn't nearly over.

RY: So, you're training to be a hero because you're expected to. Do you ever feel that this path was forced upon you? Would you rather do or be something else?

TA: Not at all. In all honesty, even if it was only my father who had been a hero in my family, I would still be drawn to the profession. He helped so many people. I would be honored to have the opportunity to be even half as altruistic as he was.

RY: How and when did you learn about the gravity of his work? Did he talk about his job often?

TA: On the contrary, he rarely spoke about it, even when I questioned him about it specifically. It wasn't until I was about eleven, when he started taking me into the agency every once in a while, to spend the day with him. Every time he'd bring me in, there would be baskets upon baskets of flowers waiting for him in reception, thank yous from the family and friends of the people he saved. I asked him what he did with all the flowers one time, and he brought me to the back of the building. The entire wall was covered in dying flowers, creating a sepia mural of me. He waved his arm in front of him, and the flowers regained their color, reinvigorated. He told me, "A hero must always the how and the why they do what they do. I keep each and every flower I receive, to remind me how I'm able to be a hero. It's only with the people's and trust. And, seeing your face in this mural every day reminds me of why I'm a hero." He never explained that last part, but I was old enough to know it wasn't the proper time to ask.

RY: Is the mural still there?

TA: Definitely not. About a week after his death, I went there. There were hardly any flowers left. Everything had either crumbled to dust or was blown away by the wind. I tried to restore what was left, but my quirk doesn't effect pre-existing plants. I can only summon my own. I thought about trying to recreate it, but knew it wouldn't be the same. The flowers I create wouldn't be the flowers that were given to him.

RY: My sources tell me he left the agency to you. Obviously, it will be in your mother's possession until you're old enough, but do you plan on restoring it once you're a pro hero?

TA: Definitely. I would never let something of his dwindle out if I could do something about it. It's true that maintaining it has cost us some money. One of my dad's sidekicks handled the paperwork. It's no secret that our family isn't anywhere near short on money, but there was a time I actually considered selling it, so it wouldn't continue to drain our money.

RY: Now I'm confused. You say you had every plan to use it. Why did you consider selling it, especially since, as you said, you have plenty of money to spare?

TA: Because, for about a year, I believed I'd never be able to use the agency. After my father died, my mother became bedridden in grief. Completely despondent. I had to take care of her. I hired a home nurse for when I was at school, but I couldn't just toss the work of taking care of her on somebody else. She's my mother. I still had to take responsibility whenever I could. I knew I'd never be able to take care of her and be a pro hero. So, I figured I should sell the agency to somebody who could use it, somebody who could make the world better, like my dad did.

RY: What changed?

TA: On the anniversary of my dad's death, my mom got better. She looked at me, and told me she needed to stop holding me back. Everything...wasn't normal. It will never be, with him gone. But, it was manageable. I had the opportunity to follow my destiny.

RY: How inspiring. Was that the biggest hurdle in your journey to become a hero?

TA: I would say so, although it's not the only obstacle.

RY: Tell us something about the other problems.

TA: Hm, well, the first issue was that my quirk developed a year late. As a kid, I was terrified that I wouldn't have a quirk. My parents brought me to the doctor, and he said something about my bones and how I should have a quirk. I just didn't. Needless to say, I was teased. I don't hold it against them, they were all kids who are repeatedly told that not having a quirk is outside the norm. Still, being quirkless meant I couldn't be a hero.

RY: So, you wanted to be a hero before you even developed your quirk?

TA: Yes, although back then, it really was just because my dad was. What kid doesn't want to be like their famous dad, if they have one.

RY: So, what was it like when you finally used your quirk for the first time?

TA: So satisfying. There was one kid in particular that would mock me. One day, he made me so upset. I started screaming at him. My eyes were clouded with angry tears, and I was hysterical. When I finally calmed down and wiped the tears from my eyes, I saw the room was a jungle. My quirk had created overgrown plants all over the place. And the kid was pinned against the wall, unable to move. I felt like a badass.

RY: That does sound extremely powerful, especially since it was your first time using your quirk. Does that mean that now, after years of having it, and training with it, it's even more powerful?

TA: It didn't become more powerful as I grew older. I realized that my quirk is very responsive to my emotions. The more ionate I felt, the more powerful it was. The kid had just really struck the right chord.

RY: Obviously. Well, it was fascinating to get a peek into the life and struggles of the famous Clover's daughter, but it looks like we're out of time. us next time, when we interview Hope Berkeley, another student of U.A.'s class 1-A.