This autumn I was recommended by a trustworthy friend to start watching My Hero Academia. I had just started my second year at university and was definitely looking for a show or more specifically an anime to help me spend my time doing things other than coursework. I had also taken a long break away from anime and this time was looking for something a bit more light-hearted and it turns out MHA fitted the bill perfectly.

THE PLOT

My Hero Academia takes place in a world where a certain amount of people have a unique power or what they call Quirks. Some quirks are quite small but others allow people to use that power and become superheros who fight to protect the city. However, Izuku Miridoya (Deku) our main protagonist is born without a quirk but still has a dream and strong desire to become a hero. But just when he is close to giving up his idol and top super hero All Might reveals that he can pass down his quirk to him allowing him enrol at UA Academy to train all whilst keeping it a secret that certain quirks can be passed down.

I really enjoyed following Deku’s jouney at UA academy and seeing him go from a kid who struggles to master his quirk to growing in confidence. It was fun to see all the different types of training and preparations the students have to go through in order to become a hero and how each of them grow and change at the same time. Another great aspect of the plot was of course the villains that were added in too creating a sense of mystery and suspense which worked really well in terms of balancing the humour that the seasons had too. But if anything I wanted a more fleshed out back story of the League Of Villans leader Tomura Shirigaki because I’m super interested in what made him how he is today. I have to say though season three revealed a lot of shocking things and by the time I finished it I was stuck wanting season four to be in my grasp already!

THE CHARACTERS

My Hero Academia includes a lot of characters but successfully makes each and every one of the distinctly unique from each other. But in my eyes the seasons tend to focus on four main characters which are Deku, Tordoroki, Barkugo and All Might.

Deku the protagonist is both a likeable and relatable character who you grow to like rather quickly. It’s almost immediately you start to root for him to do well and master the quirk he was given. Plus he certainly grows in confidence as you progress through the episode and he truly was the underdog of Class A having these little moments where he shined. The rivalry that he has with childhood enemy Bakugo also added a lot more substance to his character because although he has a strong desire to become a hero he also wants to surpass Bakugo to prove he is worthy of being a hero just like he is.

Speaking of Bakugo I didn’t particularly like him at first. He was rather hot headed, violent and egocentric. However, I have to say it did grow on me as the series progressed. Yes he has anger issues but his desire to become a hero and protect society made him admirable in that sense. Somehow his snarky comments and hotheadedness became enjoyable to watch if not slightly comedic.

Everyone sort of has there favourite character in My Hero Academia one way or another simply because there are so many characters. So my favourite of MHA is Todoroki who has quirk allowing him to produce hot and cold which I found super cool. But his character has that air of mystery around him and he was clearly great in what he does but never showed off in fact just kept to himself. It was interesting to find out who his dad was and why he refused to use his fire based on something that happened in the past. He’s a broody character but I definitely feel like there is still a lot more to learn about him.

Finally last but not least its All Might, the number one hero of this this anime! Honestly who doesn’t love his character? His mentor relationship with Miridoya is superb in a number of ways and they had a heart warming on screen dynamic. But his character also shows that even the powerful and successful have there weaknesses as he tries to hide the fact that his best hero days are now possibly behind him with the injury his has.

THE FINAL VERDICT

My Hero Academia is a fantastic anime if your looking for something a little bit more lighthearted and ready to become attached to the many characters this anime has. It is a touching, exciting and heart warming adventure that keeps you engaged and interested with the humour and action it brings. Plus after the ending of season three I am one hundred percent ready to see what happens next to Deku and the gang at UA.