My Hero Academia is a Japanese anime created by animation studio Bones and based on the manga of the same name by Kohei Horikoshi.My Hero Academia, an anime based on the successful manga by Kohei Horikoshi, brings new life to the Shōnen genre. The studio behind Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood also shows with this anime that they can seamlessly transform source material into an interesting anime. In the first season of My Hero Academia we see the Entrance Exam Arc, the Quirk Apprehension Test Arc, the Battle Trial Arc and the U.S.J. Arc.
You can become a hero!
Meet Izuku Midoriya (Daiki Yamashita, Psycho-Pass), the fourteen-year-old protagonist of My Hero Academia. He lives in a world full of people with superpowers, but unlike about 80% of the world, Midoriya is 'Quirkless', which means he has no superpowers. Nevertheless, he harbors a single dream: the desire to become a hero. Unfortunately, this dream remains far beyond his reach due to his lack of supernatural powers. Despite his timid and reserved personality, Midoriya still manages to attract the attention of the legendary hero, All Might (Kenta Miyake, One Piece). The number one hero chooses Midoriya to inherit his Quirk, but before that can happen, Midoriya must train his body to properly control the power. He aims to use this power to pass the UA High School entrance exam.
Training does not go smoothly, but Midoriya eventually manages to take the entrance exam. Here he is introduced to future classmates, including Ochaco Uraraka (Ayane Sakura, Psycho-Pass), and Tenya Ida (Kaito Ishikawa, Assassination Classroom). After an explosive performance on the entrance exam, Midoriya is welcomed with open arms at UA High School. But unfortunately, the future heroes soon have to deal with their enemies. The first season concludes with the U.S.J. Arc, in which we witness a real attack on the UA High School by the 'League of Villains', a collection of criminals and villains. The attack makes a deep impression on the young heroes, but the students manage to hold their own and gain their first valuable experiences in the world of 'Pro Heroes'.
My Hero Academia knows how to find the right balance between comedy and emotional depth. It's both inspiring and funny, and the season really feels like a true introduction.
My Hero Academia starts with a short first season. A common feature of many first seasons in the world of anime. Like other first seasons, this season offers a good taste of what's to come, and despite the limited episodes, this season still manages to engage the viewer with intriguing characters and a compelling storyline. And if we talk about the storyline of My Hero Academia, it manages to find the right balance between comedy and emotional depth. It's both inspiring and funny, and the season really feels like a true introduction. Moreover, subtly mysterious elements are added that arouse your curiosity and still encourage you to watch further (and you can watch thirteen episodes in no time).
Studio Bones' animation quality is undeniably high. The fight scenes in particular are a visual spectacle. The fluid movements and attention to detail take the action to the next level, making every confrontation a feast for the eyes. The voice work is also exactly what you would expect from a Japanese anime. The voice actors bring the characters to life and convey their emotions well. There is simply nothing to complain about, which adds to the overall quality of the first season. The My Hero Academia soundtrack also fits seamlessly with the story. The soundtrack heightens the emotions and tension in the right scenes, which makes the series all the better.
But the characters are also well-developed and recognizable. They each have their unique personalities that match their unique Quirks perfectly. For example, there is a character who looks like a frog, acts like a frog and has the name of a frog, so she is a frog too. All the characters also contribute to the overall dynamic of the story, something I don't see very often in anime. This makes it easy to identify with them and ensures involvement in their development throughout the season.
In short, season one of My Hero Academia is an ideal introduction to the world of Quirks, superheroes and villains. With an inspiring and funny story, My Hero Academia manages to mix with series such as Bleach or Hunter x Hunter. Unique characters know how to strengthen the story in a good way, without taking over. It just comes down to the fact that the first season of My Hero Academia is worth your time.
