7 Reasons to Watch My Hero Academia

If you can’t decide on an anime to watch next or to add to your watch list, you might want to consider checking out My Hero Academia. Boku No Hero Academia, or more commonly known as My Hero Academia; an anime series adaptation of the famous manga of the same title. This anime series is set in a modern world where superpowers, or “quirks,” as they are known, have become the norm. However, this does not mean that everyone has a quirk; although having a quirk has grown more common, there are still a few individuals who are born without oddities. Surprisingly, the primary protagonist of the novel is unremarkable, yet he aspires to be a great hero capable of taking on super villains front on, much like the pro heroes he adored as a child.

Because My Hero Academia season 5 is now released, and season 6 is in the works, you won’t have to worry about finding another anime series to watch for a few days or weeks, or about having to wait too long to see what happens next in the series. If the brief synopsis of what this anime is about wasn’t enough to persuade you to start binge-watching it right now, here are 7 reasons why we believe you should start watching My Hero Academia right away.

1. It’s a great shonen anime.

Through the course of time, we’ve come across a lot of great animes that left a mark on us. Popular animes such as Naruto, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan and the like are all well-loved animes by many; despite each being vastly different from each other, they all share the similarity of being classified as shonen animes. Shonen animes are usually filled with series of action and fighting with common tropes like strong friendships, tragic flashbacks, and the like. My Hero Academia falls under the same category but still maintains to be uniquely different from the cliche with its own twists. It takes inspiration from common tropes without making it overly repetitive for the audience. So, if the aforementioned anime titles are some of the animes you enjoy watching, My Hero Academia might just be up your alley.

2. The anime adaptation stays true to the manga series.

Like any other movie or series adaptation, the risk of the plot being altered is always a present worry of many readers. Despite this, My Hero Academia has constantly stayed true and on track with the manga’s series of events. Another great thing about the anime adaptation is that it expounds on some aspects of the manga, which allows the audience to have a better grasp of what’s going on. Although there are times when condenses some things as well, which is rather common. Overall those who have read the manga can attest to these, which is why the experience of watching the anime adaptation feels much more exhilarating because you get to see the events unfold in live action and appreciate the plot more.

3. It has an inspiring and relatable plot line (minus the superpower aspect, of course).

While superpowers aren’t real in our world, seeing the manifestation of real life occurrences in an anime really helps us relate better to the characters and the plot of the series. My Hero Academia takes you through the journey of the weak and powerless protagonist, Izuku Midoriya or “Deku”, who aspires to be a hero that can save others from villains. Despite being ‘quirkless’, this never hindered Deku as he constantly studied the heroes and their quirks. 

Aside from Deku’s tearjerking origin story, the anime is able to showcase how life is not equal. Similar to Deku’s situation, there are people who are born with quirks and those without, which affects how they are treated and seen in society. And also, the anime is able to showcase how even heroes don’t have it easy. While we may think those with great power are living life in the best way possible, My Hero Academia makes it a point that they have their own struggles too. 

Even the pro heroes have weaknesses and face adversities, just like everyone else. These are some of the many occurrences in the anime that mirror real life events that allow us to connect with the anime and its characters beyond pure admiration for it, even going to the extent of inspiring us in different ways.

4. There’s a good balance between touching and comedic scenes.

In addition to its inspiring and relatable plotline, My Hero Academia is well-balanced with regard to touching and comedic scenes. There’s bound to be some pretty heartfelt scenes along the way, those of which would require you to stock up on tissues; from Deku’s origin story to the other characters’ story arc, you’re in for quite the tear jerking ride. 

On the flip side, the anime also sports some really interesting and comedic scenes, ones that balance the touching scenes and fight scenes that we often encounter throughout the series. Overall, My Hero Academia shouldn’t be too overwhelming or emotional for you, but it may just be quite the rollercoaster ride that you need right now.

5. The characters have unique superpowers.

The quirks seen in My Hero Academia are unique as compared to the ones we usually see in other animes. They’re not your typical super strength, invisibility, and the like – it’s much more different and cooler than that. In My Hero Academia, the quirks of the characters are incorporated in their physical appearances and aren’t limited to the general list of powers that we’re familiar with. 

For example, we have Shoto Todoroki, whose quirk is half-cold half-hot; this quirk allows him to create ice with one side of his body and flames with the other. Pretty cool, right? It doesn’t stop there though, because his quirk also influences his physical appearance wherein the right side of his hair is white and the left is red while his eyes are turquoise and brownish dark grey respectively. Another pretty interesting example would be Tenya Ida, whose quirk is ‘engine’; because of Ida’s quirk, we can see car-like engines in his legs that allow him to move quickly. Take note that these are just two of the many diverse and unique quirks we can see in My Hero Academia, which makes you wonder what other quirks are there? The uniqueness and versatility of the concept of quirks make the anime much more appealing and interesting.

6. The anime has a diversified set of characters.

Each of the My Hero Academia characters are uniquely different on their own. Given that shonen animes typically follow certain tropes, this anime breaks free from the norm by diversifying the characters and allowing each character to stand out on their own. If anything, My Hero Academia really tries to promote inclusivity by including a wide range of character sets from transgender characters to those without quirks. Because of this, fans grew to appreciate the anime more for the various representations it included. 

In addition to this, each character has its own story arc that allows fans to better understand and grasp each character’s personality. The story arcs show how the character came to be and their reasons for their goals, which showcases how they each have their own purpose in doing what they do. Whether you’re a main or side character, each character is able to showcase their skills and let the audience know them more through each episode. 

Katsuki Bakugou and Ochako Uraraka are two of the main characters that really show how diversified the set is. Bakugou has always been recognized and praised for his strong quirk, however, his personality is similar to that of a ticking time bomb. While Uraraka, known for her kawaii looks and zero gravity quirk, is bubbly and innocent. They’re polar opposites but each are strong and unique in their own ways, just like the rest of the characters in My Hero Academia.

7. Lastly, the animation and soundtrack are amazing.

While the manga is known to have outstanding artwork, the anime adaptation really stood out with its amazing animation. From the very detailed aspects of the fight scenes to the cinematic scenery, there’s no doubt that they really put in so much effort to make the overall experience of watching the anime worth it. And as a finishing touch to wrap things up nicely, even the soundtrack complements the animation so well. The songs played are timely and in tune with the current scene, which helps emphasize the current events and give the audience a great experience as they watch.

Through the years, My Hero Academia has amassed quite a fanbase and we can understand why there’s so much hype for it. Ultimately, it’s a great anime that is worth watching or adding to your anime watch list. It was quite a struggle to encapsulate our fondness for the anime in just seven reasons, but hopefully, this helps you get a better feel as to whether you’d like to give this anime a shot or not.