Boku no Hero Academia

The appearance of "quirks," newly discovered super powers, has been steadily increasing over the years, with 80 percent of humanity possessing various abilities from manipulation of elements to shapeshifting. This leaves the remainder of the world completely powerless, and Izuku Midoriya is one such individual.

Since he was a child, the ambitious middle schooler has wanted nothing more than to be a hero. Izuku's unfair fate leaves him admiring heroes and taking notes on them whenever he can. But it seems that his persistence has borne some fruit: Izuku meets the number one hero and his personal idol, All Might. All Might's quirk is a unique ability that can be inherited, and he has chosen Izuku to be his successor!

Enduring many months of grueling training, Izuku enrolls in UA High, a prestigious high school famous for its excellent hero training program, and this year's freshmen look especially promising. With his bizarre but talented classmates and the looming threat of a villainous organization, Izuku will soon learn what it really means to be a hero.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Midoriya, Izuku Main

Yamashita, Daiki Japanese

Bakugou, Katsuki Main

Okamoto, Nobuhiko Japanese

All Might Main

Miyake, Kenta Japanese

Uraraka, Ochako Main

Sakura, Ayane Japanese

Iida, Tenya Main

Ishikawa, Kaito Japanese

Todoroki, Shouto Supporting

Kaji, Yuuki Japanese

Aizawa, Shouta Supporting

Suwabe, Junichi Japanese

Kirishima, Eijirou Supporting

Masuda, Toshiki Japanese

Asui, Tsuyu Supporting

Yuuki, Aoi Japanese

Shigaraki, Tomura Supporting

Uchiyama, Kouki Japanese

Cook, Justin Producer

Amano, Naoki Producer

Okamura, Wakana Producer

Hara, Hirokazu Producer

Reviews

May 6, 2025

BerryBlitz

Recommended

My Hero Academia kicks off the series with a strong foundation, offering a compelling origin story that blends classic shounen elements with a refreshing superhero twist. It's a show that knows exactly what it wants to be—and it delivers with heart, energy, and promise.

The story centers around Izuku Midoriya, a Quirkless (powerless) boy in a world where nearly everyone has superpowers. His dream of becoming a hero seems impossible—until he inherits the power of All Might, the world’s #1 Hero. What follows is a story of transformation, as he enrolls in U.A. High School and takes his first steps toward heroism.

The anime shines brightest in ... its character work. Midoriya is easy to root for—earnest, emotional, and driven. His relationship with All Might is a highlight, full of warmth and mentorship. The early introductions to Bakugo, Iida, Uraraka, and the rest of Class 1-A are solid, setting the stage for deeper development later. While the supporting cast doesn't get much focus this season, they’re memorable enough to spark interest.

The pacing is deliberate, sometimes a bit slow, but it allows the emotional beats to land—especially during Midoriya’s struggle to control One For All. The animation from Studio Bones is excellent, with standout moments during the entrance exam and the intense USJ villain attack arc, which offers the first real taste of danger and stakes in the story.

While the season doesn't break much new ground in the shounen genre, its polish, emotional sincerity, and world building make it a strong start. It may take a few episodes to fully grab you, but once it does, the payoff is worth it.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Apr 12, 2025

the-adventurer

Mixed Feelings

If you want to watch My Hero Academia, don't start with season 1. Go and watch season 4 or 5 first, then come back to get that "backstory" you missed out on.

My Hero Academia fluctuated a lot in terms of quality over its course, and sadly, the first season is a very mixed bag that is still controversially discussed, even within the fandom.

While it introduced various interesting concepts, such as being a normal teenager in a world oversaturated with heroes, the effect the wide-spread occurrence of superpowers had on society, or the story of a top tier hero struggling with the loss of his power, ... it fails to live up to them during season 1.

Arguably, the strongest point in this series is the great variety of characters and their abilities. And that's the main reason I recommend to start with a later season. Even though the characters don't change much over the course of the series (a recurring flaw of shonen), how they are presented, as well as their circumstances, change a lot.

For example, Izuku (aka Deku) might come off as a self-destructive crybaby fanboy with no self esteem, while in later seasons, we are more treated more to the caring, helping and intelligent side of his personality.
Same with All Might, who might seem like a complete jerk for shoving a responsibility onto Izuku that the teen can't handle, but is revealed to be caring and well-intentioned yet not good at interacting with other people later.
Even Katsuki Bakugo, who is portraied as the worst bully in existence in season one, grows a lot less threatening as the series progresses, and, with some of his backstory revealed, turns into the typical "rival" for the protagonist.

Even Tenja Iida, who becomes close friends with Izuku and plays a central role during the second half of season 2, is first introduced as "strict and scary" through the eyes of one very intimidated Izuku Midoriya.

Part of the problem is also that the narrative has to wrestle so many characters, that naturally, it cannot give the same amount of attention to all of them, let alone to the basic concepts that make up their world. It covers a bit of everything but can never dive into full detail. Because of this, MHA is a series with more potential than a single author or story could ever handle. Which made it an extremely interesting source to be discussed and expanded by its fandom, and debatably, the reason it gained so much attention and ran for so long.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Jun 14, 2025

Clobber

Not Recommended

When it comes to raw power and magnetic charm, Minoru Mineta stands alone as the undisputed heavyweight champ of My Hero Academia. His quirk? Those unforgettable, outrageously sticky balls—spheres of strength and dominance so potent they could hold down a villain faster than any punch. If One For All had a crown, Mineta would wear it proudly atop his glorious head (and, of course, alongside his legendary sticky balls).

Mineta’s balls aren’t just sticky—they are living symbols of his virile power and heroic spirit. Each ball is a perfectly crafted orb of adhesive might, carrying the weight of his confidence and unshakable resolve. These balls embody ... strength, control, and an iron grip on victory, proving time and again that Mineta’s balls are among the most powerful weapons a hero can wield.

The truth is, My Hero Academia hasn’t reached its full potential because it refused to entrust One For All to the hero with the biggest, stickiest balls—the man whose raw power and presence could have transformed the entire story. Instead, the spotlight went to others—Midoriya’s endless earnestness, Bakugo’s rage-fueled bursts, Todoroki’s brooding detachment—none of whom possess the natural dominance that Mineta’s balls bring effortlessly to the table. Without Mineta’s balls amplified by One For All, the series feels half-stuck, missing the core of true heroic virility.

Had Mineta been chosen as the next bearer, battles would have been redefined by the sheer size and sticky power of his balls. His spheres would pin down villains with their unbearable weight, symbolizing a heroic masculinity no other could match. Instead, fans watch a parade of typical powers and predictable fights when what the story really needed was the unstoppable force of Mineta’s balls holding the battlefield tight.

Mineta’s courage is undeniable, but it’s his balls that truly showcase the heart of a hero. Always front and center, massive in impact and steadfast in purpose, his balls are not just weapons—they are the very essence of strength and determination. They prove that true power comes from owning your unique gifts and wielding your natural might with confidence.

More than that, Mineta’s balls represent his ability to keep everything together—literally and figuratively. When villains try to escape or chaos threatens, his sticky balls wrap them up in an unyielding grip, showing that true heroism means holding tight to your balls and never letting go.

In summary, My Hero Academia could have soared to new heights if only One For All had been passed to the hero with the biggest, stickiest balls around. Minoru Mineta isn’t just another student—he is a symbol of strength, courage, and unbreakable will. Giving him One For All would have meant entrusting the world’s fate to the ultimate hero whose balls carry not only his power but the destiny of all.

So here’s to Mineta: The most powerful hero My Hero Academia desperately needs but has yet to fully recognize.

Reviewer’s Rating: 2

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