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i'd held off on watching this anime for a while since i personally don't like watching mainstream anime (or even those set up as shonen) since they tend to stretch plotlines and occupy screentime as much as possible, but i was pleasantly surprised by this series and what it set out to do. of course, standard disclaimer for all my reviews in that i haven't read the associated manga, but the first season of Boku no Hero Academia shows so much promise, with a set of characters that fit specific tropes (not always the ones we may believe initially) and an overarching plot that sets out to show the story of accomplishment through sheer willpower and the belief in one's self-worth. the series can be a bit cumbersome at times, with multiple sequences turning into the "naruto stare-and-see" type scenarios (where it's just a period of a few minutes where there's almost no development and is instead filled with scenes of characters staring at each other with overwhelming determination. the series does suffer from having a primary protagonist who's essentially just a floppy piece of bread and ultimately amounts to the default trope of "standard anime character who can't accomplish anything worthwhile, but is seeing their circumstances change in a way that forces him to act outside his comfort zone. deku isn't a great character, but seeing his classmates develop around him is what makes this series great in my opinion, and sets the stage for some really interesting subplots and interactions between different characters and factions down the line, which i believe is the most important factor in this series being solid in the long run.
verdict? give it a watch if you're into action and superhero anime, though if you want something fresh and new, then this might not be for you since it will follow the path of a go-lucky and happy anime with consequences that never end up seeming permanent.
