Wiz: But when a hero uses that strength to inspire others, they truly stand out from the crowd.
Boomstick: Like All Might, the Symbol of Peace from My Hero Academia.
Wiz: And Might Guy, master of ninja combat and bushy brows from Naruto.
Two mentors from the world of anime set the stage in the sixteenth and final match-up for season six. Both born powerless by their series' standards, they chose unarmed combat to be their forte as beacons of hope for society, with similar aliases and optimism pushing them forward. Two unwavering heroes, masters of fighting barehanded, are to be examined, compared, and, one last time this season, brought to blows. All Might and Might Guy are both paragons to look up to, but only one can truly claim to be a greater fighter; who among them takes this honor falls solely upon the fate of a death battle.
The first of the episode's two combatants is All Might, born as Toshinori Yagi. In the world he hails from, an overwhelming majority of the human population has developed superpowers, otherwise known as quirks. Toshinori, one those born without a quirk, still had ambition fueling him to become a hero beloved across Japan and the world at large. He found a means to fulfill this dream through Nana Shimura, professional heroine and holder of a unique quirk. This power, One for All, enables it to be handed down in a chain of teacher and apprentice. Under Nana's tutelage, Toshinori inherited One for All from her, becoming the mightiest hero in the nation. Toshinori adopted the mantle of All Might as he set out fighting the growing crime wave in Japan for several years. Successful as he may have been, even becoming the most acclaimed hero across the country, a heavy price was extracted from his heroics; the constant battles took a toll on All Might, and these injuries reached such a point that they hinderd his usage of One for All. Knowing his time as champion to people worldwide would someday reach an end, Toshinori gained tenure at U.A. High, the premiere academy in all of Japan for training to hone one's quirks. He found a protégé of his own in a fellow quirkless, Izuku Midoriya. Even after bequeathing One for All unto the young soul and becoming Midoriya's personal mentor, Toshinori would still use the vestigial remnants of his quirk to give citizens a figure to look up to.
All Might has continuously worked hard to live up to his own self-set expectations ever since the fateful day he received his powers, and thankfully, his efforts have paid off countless times over. Like the superheroes his setting pays homage to, All Might bears physicality on a superhuman level; in his heyday, he could throw punches capable of altering the weather, and he jumped to reach such altitudes that passersby mistook him as flying. One for All stockpiles power and gives All Might this signature strength and stamina. Through refining his skill, Toshinori can then unleash this power through specialized attacks known as Smashes, named after territories in the United States where he received further training after Nana's own teachings and even his time as a student at U.A. High. These Smashes and their corresponding effects are evocative of aspects from their namesake states; for example, his attacks named after Texas and Oklahoma, two states known for a high frequency of tornadoes, generate cyclones upon impact. Other Smashes have more specialized effects, like the New Hampshire Smash propelling All Might through the air. However, his trademark super move would be the United States of Smash, an overhead punch that channels the remains of One for All into a single blow. So overwhelmingly strong is this attack that it can create tornadoes as byproducts of a force equivalent to nearly twelve thousand tons of TNT.
Toshinori's status as the Symbol of Peace is well earned. The number one hero of Japan is assumed to be comparable in strength to the mountain-busting Gigantomachia, and he can maintain bursts of speed at Mach 29 even as time began to take its toll on him. In an encounter with one member from the collection of Nomu mutants, Toshinori claimed that he would have needed only five punches in his prime to match the devastation wrought upon the Nomu with 300, including a finishing blow that launched it hundreds of meters. Taking this comment at face value, All Might was 60 times stronger than he is at present day. In this way, the greatest of Toshinori and One for All's weaknesses becomes clear; his injuries gained during hero duty were to a severe enough degree that would limit both the time he can spend actively tapping into his quirk's power and its overall strength. While this episode uses All Might during his peak days as a hero for a baseline measure, the point stands that even One for All's power can be overwhelmed by sufficient force. By extension, the fact that Toshinori received notable injuries that hindered his time as All Might shows that One for All's defensive capabilities do not include accelerated healing. Although Toshinori's connection to One for All eventually became severed entirely, forcing him into retirement, his efforts and heroics helped pave the way to a new generation of heroes, with One for All becoming greater than it was in All Might's already-worthy hands.
From All Might, the episode moves on to the final combatant of the season, Might Guy. Konoha, the village hidden in the leaves, is home to ninja talented in several martial disciplines. Might Guy, much like his father Might Duy, was an exception. Guy had little inherent talent in the ways of quasi-mystical arts like genjutsu and ninjutsu, but this did little to deter him from fulfilling his life goals. He instead dedicated himself to the art of hand-to-hand fighting styles, earning his enrollment at Konoha's ninja academy through his training. Guy went on to complete hundreds of missions on behalf of Konoha, his reputation developing from a source of mockery into being one of the village's most celebrated ninja. By the time of the present day, Guy was able to pass on his wisdom to a proud youth, Rock Lee, another ninja whose circumstances required him to master unarmed combat. Even with his newfound role as mentor, he continued to put his skills to good use in service of Konoha.
Guy's training in close-quarters combat, known within Naruto canon as taijutsu, helps to give him a more unique method of fighting. As stated before, he has minimal experience in the way of ninjutsu or genjutsu illusions; at best, he can summon tortoises to aid him. Thus, his specialty lies with a martial art known as the Strong Fist, an offense-oriented style focused on breaking bones and overwhelming force. From his training in Strong Fist, Guy can use several special attacks, such as the Leaf class of techniques that rely on kicks and Dynamic moves that open a fight with a surprise attack. The power behind such attacks is fueled by a universal life force, chakra. Ninja use chakra to perform techniques in any school of combat, something even Might Guy adheres to. However, to protect the body, only a fifth of one's natural chakra supply can be normally drawn from; this limitation is overseen by specific pressure points called the Eight Gates. Guy learned how to disable these Gates from his father, allowing him access to further chakra. With each Gate opened, he gains both additional chakra and further boosts to his impressive physique. In Guy's case, opening the later Gates also amplifies his power to such an extreme that he develops additional taijutsu. Examples of such Gate-exclusive taijutsu would include the Evening Elephant series of leaping kicks; the Daytime Tiger, a punch that releases a current of condensed air pressure; and Night Guy, a kick with such extreme speed that the space around Guy is distorted.
Through his training in taijutsu, Guy has risen from unassuming origins, and the Eight Gates only elevate him further. The taijutsu expert is considered an equal to his closest friend and rival, ninjutsu prodigy Kakashi Hatake; as Kakashi can react to lightning at speeds of over Mach 2000, Guy should be able to perform the same. Several of his Gate-exclusive taijutsu are among his most powerful and lend additional weight to his reputation, such as how they have been shown to obliterate islands or ignite the air around Guy with their speed. Similarly, Night Guy under the effect of having all the gates opened is powerful enough to almost kill Madara Uchiha, who could withstand a chakra burst capable of boring a hole through the moon. The Eight Gates give those who unlock them tremendous power, but should not be taken lightly by anyone, Guy included. The Gates exist for a reason: the human body is incapable of surviving the amount of chakra that opening them releases into it. With every active gate, the user experiences increasingly detrimental side effects; the first few will simply leave the user exhausted, while later ones shatter bone and tear muscle. Opening the eighth Gate is an irreversible process, and in doing so, the user's body continuously heats up until they roast themselves alive. While Might Guy was able to return from the brink of death thanks to Naruto Uzumaki's chakra-laden healing jutsu, opening all the Gates still permanently crippled Guy, requiring the usage of a wheelchair as a consequence. Even if his time as an active combatant came to an end facing Madara, it cannot be understated how his journey proved that his own values and fighting styles as a ninja were as valid as any other, and his own successor would proudly carry on this legacy.
These two men have been looked over and given enough study to present them at their best. One advertisement for the ExpressVPN data encryption service later, and now, it's time for a death battle!
In a park at the outskirts of Musutafu, Japan, the taijutsu expert Might Guy is immersed in a comic book chronicling the exploits of the local heroes. A booming thud breaks his concentration, and his ensuing search for the source behind this disturbance lasts for only a few brief seconds. A second figure plummets down from the heavens into the grassy field below. With his muscular frame clothed by a bodysuit rife in primary colors, All Might, the Symbol of Peace, presents himself to the ninja. Guy is instantly enraptured by the superhero standing before him as he waxes lyrical about the dignity and appeal mustered by All Might. After the Konoha native proposes they have an arm wrestling match, All Might welcomes Guy's offer with equal vigor. The pair take opposing positions at a park table...
FIGHT!
... and grasp at each others' opened palms with such energy that multiple shockwaves erupt outwards. The table begins to splinter from the sheer strength exuded by both men, yet each is so nonchalant with their competition that they psyche themselves and each other up with jovial banter. Might Guy and All Might continue to trade compliments and brawn alike until the strain forced upon the table by both brawlers becomes too much for it to bear. The wood furnishing bursts into fragments while the two take an upright position, still evenly matched. As if perfectly synchronized, the two heroes collide with headbutts before the ensuing knockback sends them flying away from one another. Even for having met so shortly, the respect each fighter has for the other is ironclad, encouraging his foe to give his all in this match. The two close the distance as Might Guy tosses a kunai towards Toshinori. Sidestepping the dagger, All Might fares less well against a Dynamic Entry kick that sees Guy drives an outstretched foot into the Symbol of Peace.
Toshinori stands his ground, grabbing the taijutsu practitioner and launching him skyward. All Might cocks a fist back as Might Guy plummets, just in time to land a Texas Smash on the shinobi. Launched deeper into the wood by the ensuing tornado, Guy reorients himself through a display of acrobatic flips. The number one hero pushes the assault, but Guy ducks under the Carolina Smash. Immediately after, the ninja catches All Might with a series of kicks and an overhead hook to knock the pro hero into another tree. All Might takes hold of the tree and hurls it at Might Guy, giving him an opportunity to close in on Guy's position. Plumes of dust are stirred up in the park as the fighters continue to trade blows, All Might swerving out the way of a diving kick. Back in close quarters, the two heroes exchange fisticuffs, taking and dishing out punches in equal measure; that changes once All Might throws an overhead punch that destroys the boulder Guy stood in front of moments before. Thrown off balance by the failure of the Detroit Smash, the number one hero is left vulnerable to a number of sweeping kicks. Might Guy lands a chakra-filled strike that sends All Might rocketing away once again. The pro hero witnesses the pro ninja leaping towards him, but is prepared to catch Guy's fist this time.
After Rock Lee's mentor lauds the effort from All Might, he demonstrates the power of the Eight Gates and how they have served him well in the past. The first six Gates are opened instantly, waiting for Guy to draw from them. The Konoha shinobi immediately pushes the attack, fireballs erupting from his fists by the Morning Peacock taijutsu. Toshinori is caught by surprise, but he buys himself some time to react by slamming into Guy with a New Hampshire Smash and tossing him back into the sky. As the fight becomes a war of projectiles, every single one of the Morning Peacock fireballs is met by a plume of wind stemming from All Might's punches. Flames and wind continue to collide before they build into a tremendous explosion that forces Guy to touch back down. Opening the seventh Gate, Guy is enveloped by a radiant aura that manages to surprise his foe. The Konoha native summons the Daytime Tiger in the wake of his enhanced power. As the taijutsu's namesake barrels towards All Might, the tutor of Izuku Midoriya catches the felid apparition by its bared fangs. His confidence begins to falter, but he recomposes himself by dissipating the tiger and dashing towards Guy. Surrounded in a massive cyclone, All Might roars aloud the name of his grandest attack as soon as he reaches striking distance; the United States of Smash making contact with Guy immediately after. The impact of the ensuing punch blows a crater into the park, and as the winds die down, the pro hero watches warily as his fist is ran through Might Guy's torso.
An agonized groan escapes the ninja, but he refuses to back down. Resorting to his final measure, Guy offer Toshinori a thumbs up before plunging it into his own heart. The Eighth Gate is opened. As he draws from all the chakra his body can muster, the surge of energy blasts All Might and Guy back to solid earth. The pro hero stares in awe as the ruddy complexion consuming Might Guy, but his confusion gives way to excitement. The ninja readies a final taijutsu as a crimson dragon appears behind him; All Might, in response, rears his fist one last time as Guy charges in. The world seems to stop for a second before time resumes, as Guy slams into All Might with the Night Guy kick. A flash of bright red follows as the dragon tackles All Might, a killing blow for the Symbol of Peace. Guy stands above the fallen fighter, but has no opportunity to savor his victory, as the opened Eighth Gate continues to wear away at the shinobi. In his final moments, Guy gives All Might credit for such an intense fight before he succumbs to the chakra overload. Even in death, both men are united in their respect for each other as their corpses lie motionlessly upon the crater floor.
K.O.!
As the final match of the season comes to a close, these last two combatants are given their due. All Might's feats have been calculated while he was operating past his prime; as a generous estimate, these numbers have been multiplied sixty-fold to estimate his peak potential, as per Toshinori's own estimate when fighting the Nomu. In the way of strength, All Might is comparable even in his weakened state to the villain Gigantomachia, who has been shown to destroy mountains. The calculations behind this feat gives Gigantomachia a total of two and a half gigatons of energy; factoring in the multiplier, All Might's prime could comfortably bear slightly over 150 gigatons worth of power to his name. While this scaling on its own means that All Might would be stronger than Guy without the latter opening the Eight Gates, the multiplier can also be applied to All Might's greatest feats. Using the multiplier on Toshinori's weather-changing Smash punches gives Toshinori an estimated 1460 gigatons of TNT of strength at peak performance; twenty-eight thousand times more powerful than the largest real-world nuclear weapons. While similar scaling cannot be done with Guy to provide a solid estimate for the Night Guy taijutsu, he can be measured to baseline Naruto. Madara was able to withstand an attack comprised of Naruto's entire chakra reserves, which, by blowing a hole through the moon, would be equivalent to 480 petatons of TNT. With even one petaton being a million times greater than a gigaton, Might Guy with all eight gates open, who inflicted severe injuries on Madara, would be well beyond anything All Might at his strongest could compare to. By scaling to the lightning-fast Kakashi, Guy is also faster than Toshinori was even during his prime. Guy has been training in taijutsu his entire life, thus giving him the edge in experience, and he had greater versatility in his skills and abilities. While opening the final Gate would guarantee Guy's death, it would also give him the power boost he would need to finish off All Might before that happened; by Death Battle standards, that falls under a win in his favor. In short, while All Might may have held the advantage starting off, it is Guy, his superior skill, power boosts, and speed, who would be granted a victory in the long run.
Wiz: The winner is Might Guy!
Next time, Death Battle starts a new season, bigger and better.
All Might vs. Might Guy contains examples of:
- Broken Win/Loss Streak: It's the first time a Naruto character wins after Naruto vs Ichigo.
- Continuity Nod: This being the fifth time a Naruto character has appeared, there's plenty of references to the title character's debut on the series and how the last time he was used as a scaling reference was not that long ago.
- Empowered Badass Normal: The main similarity between the two combatants:
- All Might was Quirkless and had to rely on his training until gaining One For All, which enhanced his physique to the point of being able to generate gusts of wind and change the weather.
- Might Guy was a ninja who wasn't so adept in "ninja magic" and had to make up for it with his training. However, Might Duy taught him how to access the Eight Gates. These gates empowered Guy to the point where he can ignite the air around him and unleash astounding chakra attacks that take the form of animals like a tiger or dragon.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: During the trailer for season seven, pausing at the various points show hints at what characters will appear.
- The point where it says "Next Season" will allow one to see Miles Morales' famous "rising" scene.
- The point where it says "Bigger and Better" feature Lord Beerus battling Goku.
- The point where it says "First Sundays" has Danny Phantom seen.
- Friendly Enemy: Both of them have nothing but respect for their opponent and compliment each other on their strength, even as their arm wrestling match has escalated to a fight to the death.
- Good Versus Good: This conflict focuses on two heroes who inspire others with their determination and strength.
- Hiroshima as a Unit of Measure: To emphasize how powerful the All Might's feats are, the hosts compare them to the Tsar Bomba.
- Lighter and Softer: Compared to the last season finale, this episode has a much lower body count. Despite ending in a Mutual Kill, at least neither of the combatants suffers a Fate Worse than Death and the relationship between All Might and Might Guy is much more amicable than that of Thanos and Darkseid.
- Mundane Made Awesome: The fight starts with an arm-wrestling contest between the two combatants, which cracks the table they use and craters the ground around them.
- Mutual Kill: Might Guy takes the win in this fight, but he dies shortly after due to using the Eighth Gate for it.
- Passing the Torch: The analysis of both characters start off by looking at how their protégés (Izuku Midoriya and Rock Lee) are ridiculed for not having any powers like their peers, then transition to how their mentors also started out from not having powers to developing incredible strength and becoming inspirations to all, conduct the full analysis, then end by them passing the torches to said protégés to Book End the analysis.
- Shout-Out:
- Boomstick throws out consecutive references to The Incredibles during All Might's rundown: first when comparing Syndrome's "when everyone is super, no one will be" ideology to the origin of quirks, and later paraphrasing a certain memetic line
from Dash's principal after seeing how All Might's Smashes have traits of their namesake states. - He also starts singing America, Fuck Yeah when gushing about the United States of Smash.
- When Might Guy enters the 7th Gate, All-Might becomes hand-drawn, making a face similar to Saitama's memetic "ok."
- Boomstick throws out consecutive references to The Incredibles during All Might's rundown: first when comparing Syndrome's "when everyone is super, no one will be" ideology to the origin of quirks, and later paraphrasing a certain memetic line
- Taking You with Me: After being Impaled with Extreme Prejudice by the United States of Smash, Might Guy unlocks the Eighth Gate of Death, which without outside assistance to help shut it off is guaranteed to kill the user, and curbstomps All Might before collapsing shortly after. As such, while both All Might and Guy die as a result of the fight, Guy is ruled to be the victor overall by virtue of him defeating All Might first prior to passing away himself.
- Unfortunate Name: It's pointed out that Guy's father wouldn't likely have a pleasant fate in store, what with Might Duy being a homophone for "might die".
- Worthy Opponent: In the match proper, both men have nothing but praise for each other and their values.
