Walk into any anime convention and mention the School Festival arc. You’ll eventually hear it. Someone, somewhere, is going to whisper about the "kid" who follows Gentle Criminal around. It’s one of those things that creates instant friction in the My Hero Academia fandom.
Is she ten? Is she a teenager? Why is a grown man with a mustache hanging out with a girl who barely reaches his knee?
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The confusion is real. Honestly, if you just look at a still frame of the show, you'd think she’s a primary schooler. But the truth is actually buried in the character data sheets and specific timeline clues that Kohei Horikoshi dropped like breadcrumbs throughout the manga.
How Old Is La Brava? The Hard Numbers
Let’s just rip the band-aid off. La Brava is 21 years old. She isn't a child. She isn't a high schooler. When she first appears during the U.A. School Festival arc, she is officially a young adult. By the time the story hits the final, chaotic war arcs in the more recent chapters, she’s nudging 22.
Her birthday is February 14th. Yeah, Valentine’s Day. It’s a bit on the nose considering her quirk is literally called "Love," but Horikoshi has never been one for subtle naming conventions (looking at you, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu).
The "Wait, Really?" Factor
I get the skepticism. She’s 3’7” (111 cm). That is remarkably small. For context, Eri—who actually is a child—is around 3'7" as well.
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This is where the "anime logic" trap happens. We’re conditioned to associate height and large, watery eyes with youth. La Brava, or Manami Aiba, has both in spades. But her age isn't a guess; it's canon. The official My Hero Academia character profiles and the "Ultra Analysis" data book confirm her birth year and status as an adult.
Why Does Everyone Think She’s a Minor?
It’s not just the height. It’s the vibe. The way she’s "coded" in the early scenes feels very much like a dedicated, younger sidekick.
But if you look closer at her backstory, the timeline starts to make sense. We see Manami in middle school. She looks even smaller then, wearing a standard sailor-style uniform. She writes a love letter to a classmate, gets brutally rejected, and called a "stalker."
That rejection broke her.
She didn't just move on. She became a hikikomori—a shut-in. She spent years in her room, hair growing long, eyes getting those heavy dark circles from staring at a monitor in the dark. She was searching for meaning in a world that she felt had discarded her for being "creepy."
- She spent roughly two years as a total recluse before finding Gentle's videos.
- She then spent several more years working with him.
- The math adds up to her being in her early 20s by the time they try to infiltrate U.A.
The Relationship With Gentle Criminal
This is the part that makes people squirm. Gentle Criminal (Danjuro Tobita) is 32. If she's 21, that's an 11-year age gap.
Is it weird? To some, definitely. But it’s not the predatory dynamic people often assume when they think she's 12.
Gentle actually treats her with a weirdly formal level of respect. He tries to shield her from the legal consequences of their actions. In fact, when they eventually get caught, his first instinct is to lie to the police and say she was brainwashed. He wanted her to have a "normal" life because he saw her as a young woman with a future, not a child to be exploited.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you’re arguing about this on a forum or just trying to keep your lore straight, here are the facts to keep in your back pocket:
- Check the Data Books: My Hero Academia: Ultra Analysis is the definitive source. It lists her as 21.
- Look at the Eyes: Her "black rings" aren't just a design choice. They represent years of sleep deprivation and isolation as an adult shut-in.
- The Quirk Factor: Her Quirk, Love, gives a power boost to the person she loves most. The intensity of her feelings is portrayed as a mature, albeit obsessive, devotion rather than a childhood crush.
- Watch the War Arc: In the later stages of the manga, her role shifts significantly. She isn't just a "camera girl" anymore; she’s a world-class hacker holding her own among pro heroes and top-tier villains.
Next time you see a "How old is La Brava" debate, you can skip the guesswork. She’s a 21-year-old woman who just happens to be the size of a second-grader. It's a classic case of character design intentionally clashing with character biography to create something memorable—and, clearly, a little bit confusing.
Verify these details by looking at the Volume 19 character profiles or the official Viz translations of the School Festival chapters.