The following article contains spoilers from Season 6 of My Hero Academia, currently streaming on Crunchyroll. Although Gigantomachia has been around for some time now, he is almost forgotten amidst all the chaos of war, while he quietly waits in anticipation for his moment to shine while lurking in the basement of the Paranormal Liberation Front's headquarters. The bulking bodyguard wastes no time jumping into action once Shigaraki awakens from his slumber and follows in his master's footsteps with his own path of destruction.
Nicknamed the "Walking Natural Disaster" (which is pretty on the nose), even an entire army of Heroes struggles to incapacitate Shigaraki's seemingly invincible pet. Gigantomachia shocks everyone with his sudden upgrade in Season 6, episode 8, leaving many viewers wondering: what else is the beast capable of accomplishing?
Machia the Muscle House
Just when fans thought that the villainous forces couldn't get more potent, Gigantomachia arrives on the scene (well, again) to help Shigaraki assert himself onto the mantle that All For One left behind. Towards the end of Season 5, Dr. Ujiko decides to allow the League of Villains to become better acquainted with their incarcerated leader's "guardian" while also giving them some much-needed training (and kick to the ego.) At this time, it becomes clear that Gingatomachia should not only be feared for his incredible strength and intimidating bulk, as this miscreant is quite the multi-faceted fighting machine with plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
Thanks to Gigantomachia's Energy Saver Quirk, he can relentlessly commit to combat for an entire 48-hour period (with a bonus of 44 minutes for kicks) without slowing in strength or stride. Once his cap is reached, the beast needs only three hours' worth of rest to recharge his batteries before he can get right back to business, refreshed and renewed at full force. Much like Marvel's The Thing (but on steroids) Machia is equipped with rock-hard muscles and an almost impenetrable outer membrane (hence Momo Yaoyorozu's orally administered sedative.) This high-level endurance/strength combo causes pretty much all physical attacks to simply bounce right off him, without so much as a scratch.
Gigantomachia does not base his attack style around reacting to his foes, as there is little he needs to do to defend himself; attacking is generally the priority at hand. Even Dabi's blue flames, (which burn hotter than 3600 °C or 6512°F) do little to perturb the mighty monstrosity, who may as well have been doused with a pleasant perfume, considering how ineffective fire is to his health. Gigantomachia's breath alone is enough to cause significant damage to the landscape (and anyone caught in between) and he is also quite fast for such a big guy; once Machia gains momentum, there is very little that anyone can stop him. As a frustrated Shigaraki so eloquently puts it, Gigantomachia simpy possesses way "too much HP," superseding most superhumans and, surprisingly enough, without any genetic modification treatments from Dr. Ujiko; Machia is essentially au naturel (with a few bonus boosters.)
Man or Machine?
The menacing Machia did not need additional augmentations to his body to bear the brunt of multiple Quirks, (such as in Shigaraki, Kurogiri, and many other cases), allegedly due to his unbelievable stamina; although his colossal size is likely also a contributing factor. His original Quirk, Endurance forms the perfect basis onto which the mad scientist can build, without the intense physical repercussions that so many others have faced. Although Gingatomachia is not exactly the brightest bulb in the chandelier, he does not lose (additional) cognitive abilities when more powers are melded with his DNA, and can still consciously function with seven Quirks in tow.
Gigantomachia's Quirks
- Dog- He possessed an advanced sensitivity to sound and smell, which makes him great at tracking and difficult to catch off-guard.
- Endurance- His own resolve and excitability (morale) can be absorbed and redistributed as physical energy and endurance.
- Energy Saver- He can function for extended periods without needing to refuel on food, water, or sleep.
- Fierce Gains- His rock-hard muscles become even more durable and robust.
- Gigantification - The already-oversized beast gets a boost in size when his adrenalin gets pumping.
- Mole- His jaw transforms into a helmet as he grows tough, shovel-like claws to dig through the earth (and practically anything else) with ease.
- Pain Blocker- He possesses no pain receptors to reduce distractions during battle.
Machia has proven capable of strategizing to a degree and, even if his task is rather single-minded, he can assess the situation and determine the best path toward success. If Plan A doesn't pan out as expected or is simply taking too long to accomplish, then it's time for a change-up, which is quite a stark contrast from the mindless, destructive fighting styles of most Nomus (High-Ends excluded.) Gigantomachia would prefer the simplicity that comes with following orders, as being a subordinate seems to comfort the beast to a certain extent, hence the desperate attempt to reunite with his master. Machia also always ensures to have a radio on hand, presumably to receive instructions from whoever holds authority over his 25-meter tall bulking form.
A Desperate Do-Over
He may have been "undercover" at first, but this is not the first time that the Heroes have faced Gigantomachia, particularly in Mina Ashida and Eijiro Kirishima's case, who first met the beast before their UA High School days. While looking for the Springer Hero Academy, the enormous brute intimidated civilians along the way, which spurred Mina into action as a natural-born protector. The redheaded tough guy, however, remained rooted in place due to overwhelming fear and survived the ordeal with a significantly bruised ego.
Gigantomachia's brief interaction with these youngsters inadvertently sparked their enthusiasm to pursue a Hero career with the utmost passion and drive and, considering how Mina and Kirishima take charge in Season 6, episode 8, the proof is clearly in the pudding. Not only has this pair become exceedingly courageous over little more than a year, but Kirishima has repaid his debt by taking Mina's place on the frontlines against Machia's menacing attacks (and doing quite a respectable job against the "invincible" creature.)