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| “ | To carve my name in history, for future generations! So that going forward, someone out there... will give a moment's thought to the way I lived, and aspire to it. And this dream is no longer mine alone. Today marks my first step towards true infamy. My dream would be trifling indeed if your words could move me to abandon my course! As you are a U.A. student... I assume you can comprehend... my penchant to dream. | „ |
| ~ Gentle speaking with Izuku Midoriya |
Danjuro Tobita, also known as the Gentle Criminal or simply Gentle, is a major antagonist in the My Hero Academia franchise. He is an infamous criminal seeking to spread his name across the media as the villainous criminal he is today. Tobita was once striving to become an iconic Pro Hero, but after facing tragic rejections and failures, decided to seek fame as a villain instead. He is also the partner of La Brava.
Following his fight with Izuku Midoriya, he turned himself in to atone for his crimes. He later became a major ally for the heroes in their fight against All For One, Tomura Shigaraki, and the Paranormal Liberation Front.
He was voiced by Kōichi Yamadera in Japanese and John Gremillion, who also voiced the Holy Sol's Shadow Captain in the English dub of Fire Force.
Appearance[]
Gentle has the appearance of a well-defined and dressed gentleman, wearing an outfit that sports a jacket with a coattail and massive collar, a scarf and striped pants. He is also seen carrying a cane.
In general, Gentle is depicted with white hair that is combed well and facial hair that is kept clean and neat.
Personality[]
Living up to his name, Gentle puts on an exaggerated persona of a flamboyant gentleman. He has a clear sense of identity, including his specific favorite tea and fashion style. So pleased with his charismatic act for his Internet videos, he's absorbed aspects of his online character into his real-life personality. He's confident in himself, as he is not afraid of the amount of crimes he commits and how many heroes would come after him. It's his obsession to be remembered in history before he dies in obscurity. While having periods of depression where he allowed others' criticism to get to him, Gentle has always been able to bounce back, regaining his optimism and pride no matter how far he falls.
Unlike other supervillains, he has a conscience and a minor code of honor, disliking the use of violence, especially towards innocent people. He tries to target those he deems as "ungentlemen-like", but still keeps most of his crimes as merely attempted, only doing it to make a statement. Though when he's forced to choose between achieving his aims and staying loyal to his convictions, he's shown to falter, giving in to frustration and using more brutal methods. Those moments of cruelty are due to high-stress situations, so when Gentle is able to calm down, he returns to his disciplined ways. For example, when he was defeated by Izuku Midoriya, he heavy-heartedly turned himself into the police and respected Izuku as the rightful winner.
Especially in his teenage years, he was fiercely passionate to achieve his dreams, but it caused Gentle to become somewhat delusional about reality. When failing exams proved his lack of competence to become a hero, he still eagerly declared he could succeed. Choosing to blind himself to his faults such as his poor grades and impulsiveness, Gentle pretends to be more skilled and well-known than he really is. When the public doesn't give Gentle the reputation he desires, he doesn't bother to reflect on why, instead blaming them for being unable to see his true potential. While he's not a malicious person, he's incredibly selfish, prioritizing his dreams over everyone else. Though he's in denial about it, coming up with flimsy arguments for his actions when questioned about it.
Despite seeking fame, Gentle cares very little for things with value such as money. He simply seeks to make his name an iconic symbol in history that everyone will remember. Instead, he values his loved ones, even more than himself. He bore no ill feelings towards his parents after they cut their financial support and lied about brainwashing La Brava so she wouldn't be criminally charged.
Although he is a criminal, Gentle still holds some side of heroism to him. He always intends his crimes to have a grand purpose and be for the greater good, though he can clutch at straws to justify it to himself. He has even shown disgust for villains that are far worse than him such as Tomura Shigaraki and Stain. He also fears La Brava becoming a more heinous criminal, if he were to ever be separated from her. Ironically, his slow progression towards fame pushes his crimes to escalate, so Gentle unwittingly becomes more similar to the extreme villains he prided himself in being more civilized than. This can be seen when he's angered into using his full power on Izuku Midoriya trying to arrest him and endangering an elderly bystander's life to distract the hero in training, though he admitted it was simply a faint to maneuver Izuku into a trap, and fully intended to save the elderly man himself if Izuku hadn't.
In the end, Danjuro’s stubbornness and his obsession with making his mark on the world would lead him further down into villainy. Despite their quarrel, however, he did tell Izuku that he respected his ability to be able to follow his dream, and hopes that he will continue to do well. Furthermore, when questioned by a police official, he fell into tears after being told that he still had a chance to reform himself and turn his life around.
History[]
Background[]
In the past, Gentle was a young teenager named Danjuro Tobita, who dreamed of becoming a Pro Hero. However, he was struggling greatly in high school, as he was continually failing his classes. Despite this, Tobita continued his best to be a hero and attempted to save a window cleaner who had fallen off a skyscraper. Instead, however, he had gotten in the way of a Pro Hero that was trying to save him, ultimately leading to the window cleaner receiving serious injuries. Tobita ended up getting charged with obstructing justice, and his parents landed in deep debt to pay reparations to the victim, as well as for Tobita hindering a hero and using his Quirk while unlicensed. Eventually, Tobita was expelled from school and his parents threw him out, refusing to support him any longer. Tobita was eventually able to gain rent and earn money as a part-timer.
Sometime later, Tobita met one of his old classmates, who had recently became a Pro Hero named Takeshita. His friend did not recognize him, however, leaving him greatly shocked and saddened. Tobita eventually gave up his dream of becoming a hero, as he realized that he could never accomplish his goal.
U.A Cultural Festival Arc[]
Gentle and La Brava's debut.
As time goes by, Tobita resurfaced as the criminal known as Gentle and was accompanied by his partner, La Brava. The two had finished robbing a store, as La Brava filmed the scene. She eventually uploads the video online, which gains a lot of views. Gentle begins to think of how people can start taking him more seriously.
When the two reach back to their hideout, Gentle explains that he does not commit crimes simply for his attention, but with a reason as well. He then reveals that the only reason he attacked the store was that they were hiding the expiration dates on the branded Fluffy Pudding when they were about to expire. The two then look back at the documentary video made about Stain, which they believe stole their attention. Gentle then reveals that his next plan is to infiltrate the U.A.'s Cultural Festival, hoping that the commotion will bring him as the center of attention.
The next day, Gentle is seen brainstorming in preparation, while also observing the U.A. High School itself. La Brava asks if he plans to get the students involved in the incident, to which he replies that the incident alone is enough to grab their attention, much to her satisfaction.
Gentle meeting Izuku Midoriya.
Gentle and La Brave then make their move in disguises, until they come across Izuku Midoriya, who was out getting supplies for the Cultural Festival. The two attempt to leave in order to avoid blowing their cover, but were stopped when he asks about Golden Tips Imperial Tea. Gentle was pleased to see that he knew of the coffee shop, but Izuku was then able to figure out who he was. Having no choice, Gentle decided to reveal himself, while La Brave begins film.
The two then engage in a battle. Gentle attempts to shake him off by using his Quirk on him, flinging him back away. Izuku was able to catch up to them, but then gets caught by one of Gentle's attacks again, sending him back away. When La Brave reveals that they're facing off the Izuku Midoriya, Gentle attempts to keep his distance further and rush to the U.A. However, Izuku was able to knock him back into a construction area.
Gentle battling Midoriya.
Gentle gets caught in the construction beams, but eventually frees himself as he bounces back up into the air, only for Izuku to charge at him. Gentle tries escaping serval times, bouncing off the construction beams, but Izuku manages to sidestep into his every path. Backed into a counter, Gentle slams a mental bar towards an elderly bystander to distract the young hero. When Izuku accuses him of harming a civilian, Gentle argues it was a certainty he'd be saved, either Izuku caught the deam or Gentle used his Quirk to make the deam bounce harmlessly. With Izuku pinned, needing to hold the massive weight, Gentle prepares to escape by slingshotting himself and La Brava with a nearby crane. Izuku attempts to stop them with a charged attack, but the two were able to escape.
Eventually, however, Izuku was able to confront them once more, having them cornered. Gentle was able to free themselves after receiving a power-up from La Brava's Quirk. The two then collide into each other once more. Gentle begins to overpower Izuku with his strength. Before finishing him off, Gentle asks him why Izuku wishes to become a hero in the first place, to which he replies that he wishes to bring a bright future that everyone can be around for, much to Gentle's satisfaction. While Gentle continues holding him down, La Brava begins to hack into the U.A's network to disarm the security.
Midoriya finishes off Gentle.
Gentle then disregards his plan of creating attention and instead focuses solely on defeating Izuku, after developing respect for the young hero. Izuku sends a couple of wind attacks at him, but Gentle is able to evade them with his Quirk. Izuku manages to land one hit on him, however, causing Gentle to lose his balance. With a clear opening, Izuku finishes him off with a St. Louis Smash, finally knocking down Gentle for good.
Gentle and La Brava's defeat.
Seeing Gentle defeated, La Brave rushes to the scene as she begins hitting Izuku, demanding that he lets him go while yelling how Gentle worked so hard to achieve this one goal of his. Gentle then begins to fear that if he allows La Brava to escape on her own, she will commit worse crimes than he has done. Refusing to accept this fate, Gentle sends Izuku flying back while wishing him to bring a brighter future for La Brava's sake. The two are then confronted by the Pro Heroes Hound Dog and Ectoplasm, placing them under arrest.
As Hound Dog interrogates him, Gentle begins to reflect on his past, on how he's lived for himself and was glad to spend his last time battling Izuku Midoriya. At the same time, he reflects on the crimes he's committed, coming to the conclusion that his worst one is manipulating La Brava. Eventually, Izuku returns to clear up the situation that he was simply a prankster that he got in a dispute with. Hound Dog hesitantly accepts his words, but nonetheless, prepares to take him the police station to clear up the story with Gentle. Before he is taken away, Gentle tells Izuku that he was like him in the past; someone who wanted to be a hero that was born out of despair. He wishes for him to bring a bright future for others that reach to it.
Gentle sat down with one of the officers, who was going over his crimes and checking his background. He tells him that he was scared as he simply wanted to achieve his dream, regardless of the path he was going on. The officer tells him that it was a good thing they stopped him and that he should focus on rebuilding his life. Gentle makes one last request, in which he asks for black tea to drink, much to the officer's annoyance.
Powers and Abilities[]
Despite his well-defined appearance and polite nature, Gentle is a powerful fighter. Izuku Midoriya even admitted that out of all his battles, Gentle may be his toughest opponent yet.
Powers[]
- Elasticity: Gentle possesses a Quirk that allows him to bend and manipulate anything he comes in contact with, almost as if they were made out of an elastic substance.
- Lover Mode: Lover Mode is a power-up granted by La Brava's Quirk, boosting his strength, speed and the power of his Quirk. The more intense her love is, the stronger Gentle becomes.
Trivia[]
- Horikoshi revealed in volume 19's omake that part of creating Gentle was from his hobby of watching YouTube daily.
- Similar to Tomura Shigaraki, Gentle can be seen as a dark reflection of Izuku Midoriya, and is an example of what the boy could have become if he never met All Might and received One For All.
- Midoriya also rushed in to help with an emergency similar to how Gentle did, although thankfully he was only chastised by the other heroes and not charged with reckless endangerment.
- Gentle is one of the four villains (along with La Brava, Stain and Lady Nagant) to join forces with the heroes in defeating Shigaraki and All For One and putting end to them once and for all.
External links[]
- Gentle Criminal on the My Hero Academy Wiki
- Gentle Criminal on the Heroes Wiki
- Gentle Criminal on the Pure Good Wiki
- Gentle Criminal on the Magnificent Baddie Wiki
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