My Hero Academia Review

My Hero Academia is a series that started strong, capturing a lot of attention with its take on the hero genre and a unique setting where almost everyone has powers, known as Quirks. While the premise had a lot of potential, my experience with the series has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Here's my detailed breakdown from Seasons 1 to 7.

Season 1 - 15/20

Season 1 introduces us to the world of heroes and Quirks, setting up Deku's journey from a powerless fanboy to a budding hero. I actually related to Deku's struggles here; his perseverance and emotional drive made him a sympathetic character, and his growth was inspiring at the time. This is honestly the only point where I felt connected to Deku or most of the students, as they often fell flat or repetitive as the story progressed. The season does a good job of establishing the stakes and the basics of the hero society, even if I was never fully sold on the “heroes vs. villains” dynamic. The school environment gave it a fresh shonen feel, and Deku's struggle to keep up while learning about One for All was something I genuinely enjoyed.

Season 2 - 14/20

Season 2 introduces one of the best arcs in the series with the Sports Festival, which gave us some of the most entertaining tournament-style action scenes and character moments. It felt like a classic shonen setup but with a unique twist, showcasing each student's unique powers. Stain, who is easily my third-favorite character, comes into play here. His twisted ideals add a level of depth to the villain roster, and his clash with the heroes felt impactful. However, as promising as he was, Stain's arc ultimately went nowhere, leaving him as just another brief antagonist rather than someone who could shake up the hero world. Despite the wasted potential, Season 2's tournament and Stain's introduction kept it engaging.

Season 3 - 13/20

Season 3 is all about All Might vs. All for One, and that final showdown was everything I'd hoped for. All Might passing the torch with the iconic line, “It's your turn now,” is probably the most powerful moment in the series. Unfortunately, the rest of the season just didn't live up to the same energy. While Mirio's introduction as the next big hero was interesting, he was yet another character with tons of potential who ended up underused. The season had too many filler moments and failed to keep the momentum going outside of the All Might fight, which made it feel like a mixed bag overall.

Season 4 - 12/20

This season brings in the villain vs. villain dynamic, which was a refreshing break from the usual hero-school routine. The group battles between villains were the standout, but the real highlight was the character of Gentle Criminal, whose arc brought an unexpected depth and nuance. Gentle's ideals and motives made him far more compelling than most of the other villains, and his story was a nice change of pace. The main plotlines of Season 4, however, felt drawn out, and while there were memorable moments, they couldn't save the season from feeling somewhat hollow.

Season 5 - 10/20

Season 5 had little going for it, with Endeavor being the only redeeming factor. His character arc and struggles with redemption kept me invested, especially as he's one of the few characters who has any genuine complexity. The rest of the season was honestly mid, with the pacing dragging down any interesting elements. Without Endeavor, this season would've been a complete letdown, and the constant shift between subplots made it difficult to stay engaged.

Season 6 - 9/20

Season 6 was by far the weakest in the series. It felt scattered, with too many unnecessary moments that didn't add much to the story. Lemillion's sudden comeback was a strange attempt to reignite interest, but instead, it came off as almost comically out of place. The arcs here felt forced, and the series seemed to be grasping at straws to keep things exciting, but it only highlighted the issues that had been piling up since Season 4. At this point, the whole heroes vs. villains setup felt overdone and uninspired.

Season 7 - 13/20

Season 7 was a mix of highs and lows. The standout moments, as always, belonged to Endeavor and All Might, whose character depth kept the season from falling flat. The emotional weight of Endeavor's family plotline was the one thing that managed to keep me connected to the series. However, the rest of the arc was mid at best. The Toga vs. Uraraka storyline was frustratingly unnecessary, and it felt like filler that didn't add anything of value. While the Endeavor and All Might fights were fantastic, they couldn't fully save a season bogged down by half-hearted plotlines.

Final Thoughts

Overall, My Hero Academia has had its moments, but for a series that had such a strong start, it felt like it lost its way. The world-building felt hollow; the whole hero-vs-villain setup never resonated with me, and the idea that villains have a “point” never landed. When the public turns on the heroes, the series tries to explore deeper themes but ends up feeling shallow. The story often takes itself too seriously without the foundation to back it up, and the lack of a fantasy element to expand the universe kept it feeling confined.

In the end, Endeavor and All Might carried the series, giving it the emotional weight and stakes that kept me going. The “One for All” storyline was fine, but Shigaraki never lived up to his role as a compelling villain. The Endeavor family arc added some genuine depth, which was rare for a series that often glossed over its characters' struggles in favor of flashy battles. As for Bakugo, I could never stand his character; he embodies the worst kind of anime trope, and despite his popularity, I found him to be more of a distraction than an asset.

My Hero Academia had promise but fell short in too many areas to reach its potential. The early seasons gave a glimpse of what it could have been, but the series' inability to fully develop its themes and characters left it feeling like a missed opportunity.