In a world where superpowers are considered normal, superheroes are commonplace and the streets are excerpts from comic book pages, Izuku Midoriya yearns to be just like his idol and number one hero, All Might. But being born without any powers may put a damper on his dreams.
What’s The Plot?
My Hero Academia is the story of a high school boy named Izuku Midoriya. Set in a world where 80 percent of the world is born with special abilities called “Quirks”, Midoriya belongs to the powerless population but still dreams of being a superhero.
Despite being constantly bullied by his classmate Katsuki Bakugou, like a true underdog, Midoriya continues to persevere. The fanboy in him never gives up as he keeps following his favorite superheroes, analyzing them and taking constant notes. When a villain attacks and he steps up to save Katsuki, Midoriya runs into his superhero idol, All Might. Sensing the potential of Midoriya, All Might bestows upon him his Quirk “One for All”, allowing Midoriya access to momentary superhuman strength at destructive levels, increased agility and superhuman speed. And the ability to name all his moves after American Locations.
After intense training rivalled only by Saitama’s own regime, Midoriya obtains the ability to use “One For All”, although being unable to fully control it leaves him prone to massive recoil and self-injury to whichever body part he uses to channel the power. With his new-found Quirk and under the guidance of All Might, he joins the prestigious superhero high school U.A. High.
Your typical Zero to Hero story, although styled after American comic book superheroes, it definitely appeals to a younger audience, as it should. The plot is straightforward and the typical Shōnen elements are all there: high-octane action, a young protagonist with a burning desire to be the best and massive dollops of hype. As we approach the end of the season, the fights that take place go down as some of the best moments of the show. The story develops with great pacing and there’s rarely a dull moment. Although it can get a bit too predictable, it does not take away from being an enjoyable experience.
The Characters
The show has quite the ensemble indeed. Our main protagonist aside, there is a flurry of characters that the viewers are introduced to, each with their own special Quirks. Ochako Uraraka serves as the usual cute female side-character we’ve come to expect in this genre of anime, albeit with the powers to make objects float. Tenya Iida is the not so cute side-character, serving as an honest and strict friend with a brother to look up to. I wonder if this is starting to seem a little too familiar to some people…
Going into all the other characters would require an article on its own, but it definitely deserves one. Each character is unique in their personality, abilities and weaknesses. My favourite has to be All Might, who at first appears to be the generic rip-off of an American superhero but quickly turns out to be much cooler than that. With a goofy side to go with his muscly and impossibly toned physique, he does a terrific job as young Midoriya’s mentor.
Artwork, Animation and Adaptation
My Hero Academia or Boku no Hero Academia is adapted from the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Kouhei Horikoshi. Being one of the staple manga series of the popular Weekly Shonen Jump since July 2014, it only made sense that a highly capable anime studio would take the lead on its anime adaptation. Of course, BONES Studio had no intention of disappointing us. With anime like Fullmetal Alchemist, Soul Eater, Space Dandy and Noragami under their belt, they showcased their strength throughout the series’ explosive action scenes with dynamic visual effects and fluid character movements.
The artwork is based on the American-style comic book superheroes and may seem off-putting for some, but it doesn’t detract from the overall quality of the show. It may lend a more childish theme to the series but kudos to the studio for following the manga author’s artistic vision.
The soundtrack ties in with appeal of the show and helps raise the spirits of an already obvious Shonen battle anime.
Worth Watching?
If you’re a fan of the shonen anime genre in general, then My Hero Academia will definitely strike the right chord with you. The characters, the setting and the fight scenes are more than enough to capture the audience. Even with such a simple premise, there is depth to the story which you would not expect at first. Incorporating the ideas of teamwork and friendship with the massive array of drastically unique characters marks the main tone of the series along with Midoriya’s journey to be the Symbol of Peace.For those of you who enjoyed the first season, let the hype continue. Season 2 has been confirmed and we will update this post with the release date as soon as it is announced.
