Jan 27, 2018
My Hero Academia is clearly intended to be enjoyed by a younger audience, but those willing to open up there sense of childlike wonder may be pleasantly surprised.
The show gets inspiration from western comic books, and takes no hesitation in hitting you over the head with spoofing and satire. I would liken the experience much to that of a masochist, yes, you are getting slammed in the coconut multiple times, but it is an enjoyable slamming.
This is in part to the world building, which is the shows strongest aspect. If one was to go into the show with there audio off, they would still have
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a vague understanding of the plot through visual communication. They use the large budget wisely, and tend to go a "show, don't tell route.". The setting screams comic book, from the towering sky scrapers to the dark back alleys, and the gorgeously crafted world is speckled with some of the most wonderfully designed characters from recent years.
The characters are so over the top and unique that they all stay in your mind long after viewing. From there costumes to the powers, they all feel like wonderfully different characters. The main downfall with these characters is shared with the show in general, the one dimensionality of the characters and plot.
Decisions made by characters are predictable, and do very little to grow and develop characters. The Midoriya from the last episode, seems to be the very same Midoriya from first episode, except with a shiny new suit. This summarizes my problem with the show.
It's all FLASH and no SUBSTANCE.
Battles are drawn out, and beautifully brought to life, but the underlying implications of the fights are always lacking. The fights suffer due to a lack of realistic choices made by the characters. From episode one, we learn that Kacchan is a jerk, and Midoriya is a saint. The once friends turned rivals is a tired cliche, and one that these shonens all seem to rely on. Their repeated fights all stem from this premise, but have done little to change or influence the characters minds or directions. They fight because it looks cool and it sells. If you can come to terms with this and accept it, you will enjoy the show that much more.
Themes and motifs of the show revolve that of hope. The show comes down to two basic ideas.
1. Hardwork beats natural talent.
2. Anyone can become a hero
While many other ideas influence the show, these are the points that drives the plot and premise. These points can come off as overstated and pretentious at times, but serves as a decent foundation for the characters to romp around.
It is no doubt, a heartfelt story, but one that is often to rich for it's own good. It's like that piece of cake that is only good sparingly.
So despite this, why did I love the show?
Because it's a fun ride. I love rooting for Midorya, I love getting to explore the lovingly crafted world, and I most of all loved seeing all the characters, powers, and costume. It tickles your imagination, and reminds you of days in the back yard as a kid, swinging sticks around as if they were swords.
This is not the Shakespeare of anime, this is a love letter to the beauty of imagination. Yes the show has issues, but they are issues I am willing to overlook based on the nostalgic feelings the show invokes. It may not be a head scratcher, but accepting the show for what it is leads to a freeing bliss episode to episode.
Personal Score- 9 (Great)
Critical Score- 6 (Fine)
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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