A stadium hallway argument turns into a confession. Shoto Todoroki explains to Izuku Midoriya why half his power stays sealed, tracing it back to a marriage his father arranged and a mother who could not bear to look at him, while the Sports Festival readies its closing tournament.
Summary
Still rattled by the fire he let slip during their bout, Shoto Todoroki confronts Izuku Midoriya about the link he senses between the boy and All Might. His first guess, that Izuku is the hero's hidden son, gets denied, though the careful phrasing only convinces Shoto that some connection exists. His own father, Endeavor, has spent an entire career stuck at number two, so beating someone tied to the number one hero is worth all the more.
Elsewhere in the stadium the two top-ranked pros cross paths for the first time in a decade. All Might offers a friendly greeting and even asks for advice on bringing up the young. Endeavor waves off the invitation to tea, calls the attitude grating, and stalks away vowing that Shoto will one day eclipse All Might entirely.
Shoto then lays out the rest. Unable to climb past his rival on his own strength, Endeavor arranged a Quirk Marriage to produce a child whose power would carry him there, and Shoto refuses to serve as that instrument. He recalls his mother's revulsion toward his left side and the boiling water she poured over him, then declares he will reach the summit on ice alone, since refusing his father's flame is the fullest rejection of the man. Izuku answers that he owes too many supporters to fall, and throws the same challenge right back.
Once the noon break ends, the festival resumes with every girl in Class 1-A paraded out in cheerleader outfits, a prank cooked up by Minoru Mineta and Denki Kaminari that leaves Momo Yaoyorozu especially furious. The final stage is then announced: a tournament.
Key Events
Shoto voices his suspicion about Izuku and All Might, going so far as to ask whether the two are father and son.
The practice of Quirk Marriages is spelled out, along with Endeavor's use of it to engineer a successor.
Shoto reveals why his left side stays cold, and Izuku throws the declaration of war straight back at him.
Rules for the festival's closing stage are announced.
Notes
The chapter runs nineteen pages, appeared in issue 13 of 2015 on February 16, and is collected in Volume 4 under the U.A. Sports Festival arc. Shoto Todoroki fronts the cover, which also has a sketch version.
Rei Todoroki debuts here. Episode 19 of the anime adapts the material.
Kohei Horikoshi's author comment mentions buying a Gamera MonsterArts figure.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in chapter 31?
In My Hero Academia Chapter 31, Shoto Todoroki confronts Izuku Midoriya about his suspected connection to All Might and explains why he refuses to use his fire, revealing that his father Endeavor arranged a Quirk Marriage to create a successor and that his mother scarred him with boiling water out of revulsion toward that side of him. The chapter closes with the announcement that the Sports Festival's final stage will be a tournament.
Why does Shoto Todoroki refuse to use his fire Quirk?
Shoto Todoroki refuses to use his fire because it comes from his father Endeavor, who arranged a Quirk Marriage specifically to breed a child powerful enough to surpass All Might. Shoto sees rejecting the flame entirely as the only true way to reject being used as his father's tool.
What is a Quirk Marriage in My Hero Academia?
A Quirk Marriage, revealed in Chapter 31, is a practice where a hero arranges a marriage specifically to produce a child with a desired combination of Quirks. Endeavor used one to have Shoto Todoroki, hoping his son's combined fire and ice power would finally let him surpass All Might.
Why did Shoto Todoroki's mother pour boiling water on him?
In Chapter 31, Shoto Todoroki recalls that his mother, Rei Todoroki, could not bear the sight of his left side because it resembled his father Endeavor, and in a moment of breakdown she poured boiling water over that half of his face.
What prank do Mineta and Kaminari pull during the Sports Festival?
In Chapter 31, Minoru Mineta and Denki Kaminari arrange for every girl in Class 1-A to be paraded out in cheerleader outfits during the festival's break, a stunt that leaves Momo Yaoyorozu especially furious.
Sources & Information
Looking for more on Chapter 31? The Dragon Ball Wiki on Fandom has a dedicated page with community notes.
View on FandomThis content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Dragon Ball anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
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