Especially lately, with the high-stakes Final War arc that is currently airing, leaving a multitude of characters dead or injured, and shifting the overall tone of the series to a place of utter hopelessness. Although the anime does contain some of shonen's most action-packed and serious arcs of all time, I love My Hero Academia for an entirely different reason.
From Bakugo's kidnapping to Sir Nighteye's death, My Hero Academia has proven it can portray deep, heart-wrenching moments well. Impactful deaths like Midnight's and Star and Stripe's and jaw-dropping fight scenes like the ones between Deku and Shigaraki are not just horrifying and cinematic, they are some of shonen’s best. However, the moments that shine, in my opinion, are the series' lighthearted scenes. While the fights do capture my attention, it is even more entertaining and heartwarming to see the characters interacting like normal high school students, because these occurrences uncover what really matters and what everyone is fighting to protect.
Fun Moments Remind Me the Characters Are Still Normal Teenagers at Their Core
These Scenes Helped Me Connect and Relate to the Heroes and Their Average High School Experiences
Casual depictions of school concerts, flirtatious banter between crushes like Deku and Ochaco, blossoming friendships, like the one between Kirishima and Bakugo, antics in the U.A. High dorms, and other high school experiences enhanced my viewing experience even more than the fight scenes. In a world filled with never-ending war and overcharged superpowers, it was very refreshing to realize that the characters are just normal teenagers when it comes down to it, enjoying the same fun with friends and hilarious moments as average kids. Not only did these scenes remind me of my youth, they grounded this otherwise fantastical show in reality.
My Hero Academia: 35 Most Powerful Quirks
From the ability to freeze enemies in place to the ability to steal quirks from others, here are some of the most powerful My Hero Academia quirks.
Getting into U.A. High is a prestigious achievement, and the hardworking students who received this honor are anything but ordinary. Their superpowered Quirks are some of the best and most promising in My Hero Academia, from Bakugo's Explosion to Momo's Creation. It is easy to see these aspiring heroes as otherworldly powerhouses like the Pro Heroes, but watching them have fun together, bond as a class, and enjoy school events proves they are teenagers first and superheroes second. Not only did these moments make me laugh, they helped me appreciate and connect to these characters on a more realistic level.
Seeing the Character’s Normal Lives is Comforting After the More Devastating Arcs
After Major Deaths and Despair, Joyful Moments of High School Fun Always Seem To Follow
Because of its bright, colorful animation, peppy music, inclusion of humor, and mostly happy tone, My Hero Academia is often considered to be one of the least dark shonen series, when compared to shows like Attack on Titan or Jujutsu Kaisen. However, viewers will know that the storylines get surprisingly grim at times. In particular, the Dark Hero, Shie Hassakai, and Final War arcs contain very saddening character deaths, gory violence, and a general feeling of despair. One facet of My Hero Academia I love is how, after its most distressing arcs, a more upbeat story seems to always follow.
For example, after the horrors of Bakugo being captured by the League of Villains and All Might losing his powers forever, the U.A. students began moving into the dorms and had a hilarious room decorating contest that showed off each hero's personality and interests, allowing viewers a glimpse into the funnier, relaxed times in these characters' lives. The humor in these scenes provides lighter moments in the midst of some of the series' darkest arcs, giving the story a balance between comedy and seriousness that is difficult to strike, making these moments more than just "filler."
My Hero Academia Is a Comfort Show for Me and Many Others Because of These Calmer, Funny Scenes
These Moments Are Not Just Relatable and Entertaining, They Develop Character Relationships Beautifully
Attack on Titan is my favorite anime, but there is no getting around the fact that it is devastating to watch. Lighter scenes are few and far between, and although it is a masterpiece, it is difficult to watch without feeling downhearted. In my opinion, because of its mix of humor and gravity, My Hero Academia is a lot more fun and less depressing to watch than some other shonens, and that is what made me truly love the story and sets it apart as unique. Silly moments would ittedly feel out of place in some series, but they work in My Hero Academia.
10 Best Hero Deaths in My Hero Academia
While everyone dreams of being a pro hero in My Hero Academia, sometimes a hero must sacrifice their life. Here are 10 of MHA's best dead heroes.
Because of its primarily younger cast of U.A. High students and high school setting, My Hero Academia can get away with showing situations like school plays, sports festivals, and ordinary classroom moments, mixing normal life and situations almost everyone has experienced with supernatural fantasy scenarios. These scenes are not just "filler," to eat up time, they contribute to the larger narrative and show the development of meaningful relationships between the characters, from friendships to romances. These moments hold a special place in my heart because of how they remind me of my own high school days and the hilarity and joy they add.
My Hero Academia’s Darker Moments Are Made More Impactful by the Lighter Scenes
The Perfect Amount of Humor and Lightheartedness Makes the Darker Moments Even More Devastating
The overall events of the story would still stay the same without these scenes depicting the characters coming up with distinctive hero names for themselves, enjoying a mall day, or training at the pool. However, I feel the story would be lacking a lot of heart and viewers would not become nearly as attached to the characters. Without them, My Hero Academia would never have become such a comfort show for me. Furthermore, the darker scenes, battles, and My Hero Academia hit even harder thanks to these upbeat scenes that prove the characters are just teenagers fighting to protect their futures.
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk s into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the "One-For-All" quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
- Seasons
- 7
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
- Franchise
- My Hero Academia
- Production Company
- Bones
- Number of Episodes
- 159
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