This movie has one of the best messages in any animated movie: no matter how hard you try, study, and want to do something, there are some things that you just can’t do, and that’s ok.

Some says that Mike Wazowski wasn't scary enough to become the greatest scarer in the program for Monsters Inc., but I would definitely freaked out if there's a one giant eyeball standing around the bedroom late at night.

I have ALWAYS liked this movie and I have NEVER in my life understood why people have always hated it. I always hear the same complaint that "oh we know the ending, Mike and Sully become friends and work at Monsters Inc., therefore, this movie is bad". Like bro, it's an origin story, a prequel, of course that's how it's gonna end.

Honestly, that ending sequence of Mike setting up the perfect horror scene for Sully to terrify multiple adults is probably the best part of the movie. It's incredible teamwork.

I appreciate Monster University for how brutally realistic it was. Especially in the last act. It hits just as hard as Ratatouille.

When I hear "You're not X, you Y" it basically says more about the person and society than the individual. Yes, Mike wasn't scary, but his intelligence and coaching capabilities allowed him and Sully to create one of my favorite scenes from that film: successfully scaring the adult humans. I could watch that scene ad nauseum and study it. The adults were already tense given something was in the kids cabin. Given Sully was sort of seen, they now believe it was a bear, adding to their tension. Once Mike and Sully begin causing things to move around without being seen, the adults were primed for a scare. As soon as Sully reveals himself and roars, the adults were screaming and running for the hills. Proven that if done right, even an adult is a good target for a scare.

Sully's breakdown at the lake is still one of the best scenes in any Pixar movie, it's so impactful when he says "I'm scared all the time."

One of the other things I love about this movie is it actually gives more context to Monsters Inc. warning: long analytical essay incoming. Sully meets Boo and after seeing the damage that scaring can do, decides he doesn’t want to do it anymore. This makes sense considering his attachment to scaring was primarily due to the society telling him it was important, rather than he believing it was. In contrast, Mike becomes infuriated with Sully and is laser focused on the top scare boards, getting rid of “the kid” and staying as the top scarers. This also makes sense since he truly values scaring as a dream he’s always had but couldn’t achieve and now could AT LEAST be the coach who got the star there. It encompasses the argument they have in the cave and it also explains why Mike abandoned Sully at first. Mike: “We we’re about to break the record Sully! We could’ve had it made!” Sully: “NONE of that matters now!” Mike: “what about me? Don’t I matter?” This line becomes so much more important when you watch Monsters U. Mike lost his dream. He essentially failed in his aspirations. He was able to find a new purpose in helping Sully, and that would give him at least a sliver of what he could’ve had. But…that didn’t matter. Because Sully never truly wanted to be a scarer. “I act scary Mike, but the truth is, I’m terrified.” This gives SO much more context to Monsters Inc. and even makes the conclusion to that movie much more satisfying. Sully can’t make children laugh (which is more powerful) but Mike can. So they have now essentially switched roles, where Sully is now the one in support and Mike finally can take his place through that door. If you read through this whole thing, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. 🤓

I know this movie has many flaws. But it's in my top 5 favorite animated movies of all time, it's like comfort food.

I wasn't aware people even disliked this movie, I always thought it was a lot of fun and very good. Makes me wanna rewatch it, been a hot minute since I've last seen it.

I actually really enjoyed this movie because i sort of understand both Sully and Mike's plight. I know Mike's struggle of aiming for a dream just for it to be shut down. And i understand Sully's struggle. Not the familial promises and such, but the success without trying mindset. I enjoyed this movie because i was able to relate to both protagonists, especially as a college drop out myself. I loved the message as well. It really hit me in the heart. Am i oversharing a bit? Yes. But it was something always on my mind with this movie

As someone who has ADHD, this movie meant SO much to me as a kid. It felt so special to finally see a character who was straight up disabled not be able to do something, and instead of magically getting "healed", they just do something else in the field. It's the reality for a lot of disabled people, so this message is SUPER important.

Big MU fan here, what I take from this film is: even if you can't do what you had in mind, don't let your passions be deemed worthless! You can still utilise that passion to shine in an entirely different way. Mike knew the theory behind scaring inside and out, which is what made him not a great scarer, but a great mentor.

That one scene where they’re just sat by the lake and just talking, is so realistic in the sense of how’d you talk to someone about a problem, and the picture itself of the moonlight reflecting off of the water is just so beautiful.

After so many years of people dumping on this movie, it's nice to finally hear some positivity towards it 😊

I have learning disabilities and this movie SPOKE to me. I adore the message. There are just some things I can’t do but that’s ok because I can still enjoy my interests and life in my own way. That’s a very important thing a lot of people need to be told. When everyone was saying “it’s just an unnecessary sequel” it was so frustrating to see something that resonates with me so deeply have it’s incredibly important message ignored. Thank you for giving it a chance!

As a disabled person, I find Mike's story extremely compelling. There are certain things I will simply never be able to do, and that's okay. I have other skills and I bring value another ways. The sugary sweet "You can do anything if you try hard enough!" messages never spoke to me because they were never true. Monsters University spoke to a part of me everyone else wanted to ignore, and that is why it's my favorite Pixar Movie. Thanks for this video :]

When this movie came out, my little 9 year old brain was essentially "Mike and sully in college go brrr", but now that I've graduated high school and presumably the same age as Mike in the movie, it just hits different, and as someone who went to a trade school so college wasn't necessary, I think I have to agree, you don't have to go to college, and now this movie not only affirms the choice I made, but now I can relate to Mike and sully as I personally felt similar to them in different points in my life. Great vid all around

I still cant believe people brush this movie off as "a mediocre sequel or prequel" when its one of the best films pixar has to offer so thank you JS for making this video so more people understand why this film as a masterpiece :)

I'm so glad that Monsters University is getting more attention nowadays! I've always thought this movie was unique compared to the other 2010s Pixar sequels (or prequel for MU), and I love the approach and payoff from the message!

I highly appreciate the message that this movie sends. Just because you can’t get the biggest, flashiest job in a field that doesn’t mean your skills aren’t wanted. Not everyone can be a firefighter, but there’s always a place for the people who make/maintain the equipment. (Edit: also, what was wrong with Finding Dory? I though that one was pretty good. I don’t see how FD’s considered worse than Incredibles 2.)

So basically all of the movie’s lesson boils down to this “There’s always somebody that’s more smarter than you. So the only way to be happy is to make the most out of what you got” Phillip J Fry

I really love the theme in this. So many other shows and movies say you can do whatever you set your mind to and all it takes is work and effort. But the fact is, some people are just naturally gifted at certain things. Instead of trying to force yourself into something, specialize into something you can do well. This is similar to Wreck-It Ralph, actually where Ralph has to learn that no matter how hard he tries, he'll still be the villain of the game, but that he can do his job well.

I absolutely love some of the scenes in this movie. The scene at the lake is one of those moments that always hit me hard, where Mike realizes the rough hand he’s been dealt. I may be a bit biased, Monsters Inc is in my top 3 Pixar movies, but MU really did work for me.

Now JS needs to make more videos about underrated prequels/sequels.

I remember this movie, it was one of the first movies my parents took me to the cinema to watch. The message is just something everyone needs to hear, specially with so many movies going the complete unrealistic opposite of "anything can be done if you want it enough", a childrens movie actually going for "Hey, not all dreams come true, and that's not the end of the world" is good, i love it

This was THE movie that revived my love for cartoons and animation, like the match that just started a bigger fire in me than I had before. I was starting college when this movie came out. It’s because of MU I am who I love being today.

One of the most relatable Pixar movies, and one of my favorites. I've had health issues since birth making it difficult for my body to gain weight. People would say cruel things to me because I was underweight, it was just something I'd gotten used to. They'd say I can't do certain things because I was weak, which of course meant that I was mocked for not doing those certain things. I've always been told what I can't do because of the way people see me, and that's what I see reflected in Mike in this movie. He's constantly pushed down and mocked because he looks different than the others and doesn't have the right looks to do what he's always wanted to do. Aside from the story and the characters, the way I see myself as Mike just makes the film even more motivating for me to push against the odds people have set for me. Even if I don't achieve that goal, it wasn't because people made me quit

the lake scene where they just have a heart to heart with each other is easily my favorite part. it takes a standard underdog story and elevates it to another level by giving every other moment in the movie that much more significance.

This is exactly what I love about the movie. It's a total subversion of expectations, Sully was faking it trying to live up to expectations, and Mike was trying to prove everyone wrong about being what he wants to most. It's so real, it can hurt not being able to do what you love but finding something you're good at and capitalizing on it is can lead you to success, albeit in a way you might not have hoped. It's relatable, trying to meeting expectations is scary and failing to do what you want no matter how hard you try is painful

Monsters University is such a interesting concept I wouldn’t expect to work but I love it. It’s great

I think that’s why I love MU in comparison to a lot of the other Disney/Pixar films. A lot of them basically give a message of hope in some form or another. It’s still a good thing to give your audience (especially a young one) hope about what they can do with their life. But MU gave the somewhat harsh but true message which is not everything can or will go your way. The lake scene hit me so hard it made me cry bc it reminded me about my own struggles in college and made me ask “am I really going to do well in my major” a scary thought but a necessary one. But I still liked how the ending showed that maybe you can’t get the dream you want but you can get close to it and that’s okay

7:21 I know that pretty well. Wanted to be a game designer, but my art skills are shite, doesn’t help my hand is jacked up, and I can’t code for my life, as blunt force head trauma has left my ability to memorize in the gutter. What I do excel at, however, is story writing and conceptualizing. I’ve used my skills to help push a buddy’s company he started in high school that allowed him to finance both his and his sister’s college tuition, housing, and other expenses. I got a couple Triple AAA studios to implement some concepts I had for their games. Sure i’ll never reach the goal I had set for myself two decades ago, but I can still make an effort.

This movie has a special place in my heart and is because it released on my first year in university.

I'm so glad this movie is getting more praise! I actually was in college when I saw this movie, so I was really attached to it. It's also a good movie for the morals and story it has!

Funny story: i actually hated Monsters Inc. my least fave of all of Pixar's catalog, including Cars. My niece really loved it tho and when Monsters Uni came out, even tho i figured i would hate it just like its predecessor, i told her i would take her. Imagine my surprise when i got 10 mins in and was immediately into it, so SO deep. The jokes, themes, and interactions always landed and made me genuinely actually like the characters. To this day, the scene of the mom in the car with the rollers in her hair blaring death metal makes me CACKLE. The team behind it really just knocked it out of the park. One of the best pixar movies and definitely the best prequel sequel Ive ever seen aside from the Lion King 1/2.

I saw this as a kid and rewatched this before entering college and it still hit me as hard as it did then. Love the movie, adore the animation and that scene where Mike fully realises he will never be scary hit absolutely hard at a time where it felt like none of the schools I wanted wanted me despite all the hard work I put in

I personally love Finding Dory the most due to the characters, but this movie is still very underrated and I’m happy to see someone share about how great it is.

I was obsessed with this film when it came out. Its so uplifting and so real Nz it made me genuinely feel like I always had another path if the standard way didn't work for Me. One of the best pixar films honestly

My favorite Pixar sequel will always be Toy Story 3. For Monster's University, I did see it at the theater. What I did like about it is it's more of Mike's story. Also, the montage of the duo trying to outrun each other was pretty much my favorite part of the movie, mainly because of the soundtrack.

As someone who was a gifted kid with undiagnosed disabilities, this movie will always hit home for me. It sucks to admit but it took me years to accept that I can't do things others expected me to or that I expected me to. At least, not on my own, not in the way that I thought I "should". And I think that's why this movie has such a resounding message. It is a prime example of why listening to other people tell you how you "should" do something can hold you back, but also how enforcing your own expectations can blind you to what you are really capable of. It's easy to say that you can do anything you put your mind to, that hard work is all that it takes. But if you set your sights so narrow on who you "should" be that you end up being unaware of your limits or even hating who you are, all that does is hold you back from all that actually could do now and become in the future. I think in a way we still do get a triumphant ending from the underdog in this movie during the scene where Mike and Sully work together to scare the adults. They've both accepted that they have limitations and only in that acceptance can they work as a team and with their combined strength do something that was thought to be impossible for anyone, let alone two people that had been regarded as failures by a respected university. And in the end, they find happiness in taking a different route than was expected of them or that they expected themselves to take. Still working towards their dreams, but accepting that it might look a little different than they thought it "should". While I still hold a nearly all of pixar movies in high regard, this one will always pull on my heart strings a little more personally. Woah got a little ranty there.... uh anyway loved the video! If you're still reading this far, remember to be patient with yourself!

I honestly don’t think Monster University is a really great movie, but it still doesn’t deserve all the hate it gets PS: Thank for showing that Shinso is an amazing side character FINALLY

The themes story and morals the film had were extremely relatable and real. Who hasn't felt and gone through what Mike went through in the film at least once in their lives!?! It legit hurt to watch especially near the end. Huge props to giving a bittersweet and super realistic outcome for the plot of the film too. It's basically Pixar's "Ping Pong The Animation" of Pixar films.

I loved this movie when I first saw it. Seeing that Sully started out as a jerk before becoming the teddy bear we know from the first film was an interesting idea, as well as him and Mike going from rivals to friends (coincidentally, the vice versa happens between Randal and Mike). Someone said it was just another "college movie" to which I say... how? Almost every college flick I had an R-rating, not sure MU could get away with that xD Sure, Animal House and Revenge of the Nerds had the underdog element... but that's it. That's the only similarity I can see between those movies and MU. (Also the scene depicting everyone cramming and 1 student had like 4 arms full of coffee mugs was both hilarious and relatable, and it was the FIRST time I saw that sort of joke in a movie set at a college!) Each college-based movie, though using similar ideas, have their own spin on things. RotN actually ended on a solemn note, and Animal House "made me wanna shout" with it's party scene. Road Trip/Euro Trip took the characters to different places. And MU served as an origin story for memorable characters, with the messages you clearly pointed out: You can't always reach your goals, but that doesn't mean you're worthless. ...Now, would you please stop popping up in my room at 3 AM, dude? Or at least wait til 5 when I actually have to get up?

This was amazing!!!! In MU, there are so many allegories to be found, from straight up differences in learning styles and areas of intelligence to conflation of academic prowess and intelligence as worth, "Gifted Child Syndrome" and its long term effects, and disability in a whole host of situations (societal, academic, social).

This movie is so underrated. I loved this movie and its sad that a movie with such a great message is almost forgotten nowadays. Thanks for talkin bout it Brax

If monsters University has 1000 fans I'm one of them. If monsters University has 100 fans I'm one of them. If monsters University has 1 fan I'm that fan. If monsters University has zero fans I don't exist

the way you talk about things is so interesting, the whole bit explaining what a sequel is and how its confusing was so good dude

It's really nice to know I'm not the only one who loves this film. Seriously, so often I always hear 'Well, why couldn't the entire movie be like that final third?' Because if it was, the film wouldn't have subverted your expectations. That was the entire point. It's like how Coco starts off really typical then throws a complete curveball at the audience at the final third. Funny how everyone appreciates and notices that yet gets after this film for not having the twist sooner.

My little brother has severe special needs where he can’t talk or do much but he LOVES Pixar. Like he’ll watch the Monster’s movies or the toy story movies all day every day and it could be the same one and he’d still be just as excited. I can guarantee I’ve seen this movie over a thousand times but I still enjoy it bc of him loo

I always liked Monsters University more than the original Monsters inc and I was already a teenager when I saw the sequel. I was like "Wow I feel bad for feeling nostalgic for the first one and not this." It was really refreshing conceptually and pacing-wise. I love this movie

Mike wasn’t the best scarer in Monsters University, he was the best student they ever had.

I now realized that MU is actually better than I remembered. I think its a good movie, but glad to see some people still love it. Also happy 100th video.

I saw this movie at age 7 or 8 and loved it. Now, hearing some one else talk about it, I think I know why. Edit: I’m famous!!

It’s a prequel not a sequel. The sequel is monsters at work

I truly appreciate how they work their way up from the mailroom. The way Brad dissed the job reminds me of what people say about food service workers yet benefit from the labor.

This was an excellent video! Always felt this movie was under-appreciated, so it's nice to see some genuine love

I feel like this movie plays really well with the original movies ending. Mike is repeatedly told that "he isn't scary" and isn't worth much because of it. However at the end of Monsters Inc. The market changed as a new industry opened up, with laughter being more powerful than screams. In this environment Mike being funny makes him way more valuable, and he most likely adapted better than those who were only good at scaring.

As someone who has adhd and possibly undiagnosed autism while also being seen as a “gifted” kid this movie helped me cope and realize that grades aren’t the biggest factor in success. There are other ways and if grades and dumb test scores aren’t showing your level of smart fully then your actions will. I would always get so bent out of shape because I got a damn C+ instead of an A. That stress isn’t worth it especially if they way things are doesn’t work for you. I had to remind a friend this recently. Be happy with what you can do not what you can’t do.

One piece of genius that I notice in this movie is Mikes coaching regimen. It streamlines the scaring by making it so Sully is prepared without even needing to glance at the kids file. In a way, this also sets up Mikes beef with Roz, since neither he or Sully need to look at the paperwork, it becomes an afterthought.

Let me just tell you something about this final scene. I sat through this whole movie thoroughly enjoying every last little bit of it. I even made a running motion when the first two gifs happened. When the movie finished my boyfriend was very very quiet and he looked a little sad. I was very confused because it was a fantastic movie. He turned to me and asked "*is that suppose to represent how our education system doesn't make enough accommodations for* [mentally] *slower students?*" Monster's University was a little deeper than I thought

I love how the moral of this story is "those who can do and those who can't coach" 🤣

Don’t you mean Prequel? Since it does take place before Inc. I dunno. Good to see someone talk about this movie again though 🙂

This movie is so neurodivergent coded and helped me a lot growing up.

Holy moly, the analysis you provided here has not only made me relate heavily to this movie, but also has felt like a major wake up call for me. I was once the underdog that could never accomplish anything meaningful. I was picked on for being weird and dumb but I picked myself up in middle school and got straight A's for the longest time, almost effortlessly as well. Now it's my senior year in high school, and I feel like Sully. I'm already recognized as a well achieving student, so I just stopped trying, and now I'm actively edging on failing calculus and feeling like the world's greatest dumbass, especially because there's a freshman in class doing way better than me. I need to start applying myself again, but more importantly, I need to recognize that just because I'm bad at certain things doesn't mean I'm stupid or worthless. I don't need to do things just because they'll make others think better of me, I need to do things that I can do and accept it if I can't do them. I don't know if you'll read this, but thanks for the wonderful video.

Most of the other movies or tv shows wish they had such a strong message like in Monster University. Nowadays, the main protagonist would prove all the other that dismissed him/her to be wrong, and he/her proving to be the best there is at everything.

I think everyone got focused on the filler stuff like the college movie cliches or upset we didn’t see Boo, that they kinda missed the important message of “sometimes you don’t get what you want and you can find usefulness in something else.”

ignoring the 1st movie's explanation of HOW these 2 met and become best friends for life, University is a mix feel but I appreciate the message it was trying to give. Sometimes it takes a big scary reality of quick experience to realize that maybe your not fully cut out, despite showing all the study, knowledge, and years working yourself to say "I can be this." It's like telling yourself you wanna be a Doctor or a Nurse. You go and read every book in your library as well as every dictionary about the study of many currently known germs and diseases to having flash cards telling you signs and symptoms of possible ailments. Having it all crammed in your brain so well you can figure out how to tackle majority of these with logical answers and advise, but the moment you see a sight of blood from your patient or anyone else's blood you faint in a matter of seconds.

Alot of people think that Mike can be really scary if he uses the right tactics,but you also have to consider that the mindsets of young kids can be WEIRD. I have a cousin that at one point when she was between 4-5 years old,SOMEHOW managed to open FNAF in her brother’s laptop and started laughting when she got jumpscared.

I definitely felt that last point about college not being the be all end all. I graduated HS in 2022 and I watched all of my friends move away for college, but it never really seemed like my thing. 6 months later and I’m studying my real estate license and I’m a salesperson at one of the top solar companies in the country.

2:54 “monsters live in a society”

It’s definitely the best Pixar prequel

Monsters University is one of my favorite Pixar movies ever and definitely my favorite Pixar sequel. Amazing video! I agree with so many of the amazing points you made in this video!

Even though this had a generic plot it was a masterpiece

I like Monsters INC don't get me wrong But, Monsters University was such a fun time.

9:45 oh my god now I'm thinking about the scream can design class they went to. "Some may say... a waste of a monster's potential"

Ok let's be real here. If a one eyed torso-less green demon with horns came into my room, I would shit myself within a seccond. Meanwhile sully is a polka dotted bear who granted has fangs and a deep roar but mike is just pure nightmare fuel if he actually existed.

This is definitely going into my catalog of movies/media for my future kids.

Happy to see someone else who loves Monster University for all it is. Thanks for the video.

As an artist who struggled to keep up with my peers, this movie really hit home for me. I loved the message that just because your aptitude is different from other people, that doesn't mean you can't realize your dream in another way than you expected.

ok, that has gotta be one of if not the best videos you've made so far, and that's very epic + cash mone

Y'know what. You won me over. Never really thought about the movie that in-depth before now. Well done. ^^

i remember watching this in the cinema early because i won a radio disney raffle to go watch it. i loved it and it was a great bonding movie with my dad. i didnt get the big messages but i did understand some surface level ones. i love this movie. and i think it truly is a movie for all ages. not just kids.

A lot of people seem to not like this movie because of the “retcon” from the line Mike said in Monster’s Inc, about being jealous “since the 4th grade”. Which, yeah, they definitely didn’t think they were gonna do a prequel in the future when they originally wrote that in. But honestly, that could easily just be brushed off as an exaggerated phrase for the Monster World, or something like that. It’s not like they constantly talked about being in the 4th grade throughout the first movie. It was one throwaway line, that could just be tossed aside as exaggeration.

Watched MU ages ago and I liked it because I liked Monsters Inc., I forget what my family thought about it but while it wasn't life changing for me I definitely loved it, and thought all the dissent about the movie was just another popular kid sentiment to ignore. That it was, and this video is why. Nice video, time to go rewatch these two films :)

I actually really loved this movie, and even thought it was better than the original Monsters Inc. when I was younger. I was always surprised when people said they either never saw it or thought it wasn't that great, I mean film itself was an underdog.

You know, this really makes me view this in a new light. I only saw this once as a kid and thought it was alright

I love you sir amazing video has me tearing up already

I liked MU, but the most memorable part of the movie for me was it was the first time I saw the trailer for the LEGO Movie and it blew my mind.

Love the work

i love this video and also this movie!! you did a great job explaining what makes the film so great. and something awesome about the series as a whole is it’s always subverting your expectations, probably not as much so in MI but in monsters at work the final episode also subverts your expectations of what you think it’s gonna do. i’d go into detail but i don’t wanna spoil the series for anyone who hasn’t seen it. if you haven’t seen the series please go watch it’s genuinely so good, it’s about the events of what happens directly after MI (well, like a month after) !! anyway i agree so hard that mike and sulley are the best duo and have the most chemistry out of any pixar duo. i could on for so long about how well their differences balance and mesh with eachother but how they also have such similar experiences in different ways, and just DAMN i love these movies and i wish MU got more credit bc it’s genuinely such a good movie

I needed this. Thanks

I’ve always loved this movie. Besides everything said in the video here, I’ve always just liked the novelty of an animated college flick. While it’d be great if the film had a bit more spice, it’s really nice to see a college film without a bunch of like… sex, drugs, ect. Really widdles it down to some of the deeper emotions one might feel at that time in ones life. The risk one takes going to college at all: you might not succeed. Ah, I’ve gotten off topic. Love this video!!! Good work!

God, the finale for this movie with the Camp Rangers is such a masterful scene and is, in my opinion, one of the best scenes Pixar has made.

I just have to say JS, I'm glad you're being honest with what you like as of late

I’m glad you talked about this I love this movie

I personally just can't really take the message seriously for one reason: Mike not being scary is bullshit. Not only would it actually probably be scary to just see a one-eyed monster in your room at night, but it's even more stupid that he of all monsters gets singled out for not being scary. Like what about the purple Muppet-lookin' one? You're telling me HE'S scary? And Mike ISN'T? It just seems too contrived, even if the message and how it's delivered is really good. Also, I get Monster's University has strengths and is underrated, but you are actually out of your mind if you think that it's messages are deep and Toy Story 2's aren't.

This... might be just what I needed to hear.

Mike's personal realization reminds me of something Iv noticed in sports. A lot of famous coaches actually started off as players but at some point realized that they weren't talented enough and so moved to coaching where they excelled and they were still involved in the sport they loved, just from a different part of the team. Mike isn't physically scary but he became a pretty good scare coordinator for others like Sully who had raw talent but needed direction

12:15 putting additional elements like: What counts as an answer? how far can it reach? how long can the person be affected? its so simple yet can have so many applications, like you could be controlled without saying aything verbally? like merely responding mentally causes a connection into it. such a powerfully dangerous ability that is sidelined because it isn't as flashy, Shinzo did deserve better as he would've been the one person Deku before being given a free boost of power instead of making use of what his limited too, having him use his knowlegde of heroes to his advantage as it taught him alot about strategy so in preapering against Shinzo he would've seen the pointentiall noone else would repsecting him by challenging him on his level. But due to his character it was limited, still SHinzo perfectly shows the major flaw inforcing a idea that every shape has to go into the square hole or they're useless, not that a everyshape has its own fit even if they can't be in the square hole.