My Hero Academia's Latest Episode Defines Animation Goals

While some current anime series, like Berserk, have been lacking in the animation department, My [...]

While some current anime series, like Berserk, have been lacking in the animation department, My Hero Academia is setting the bar. The most recent episode from the popular Shonen series showed off impressive animation, especially in the epic battle of Todoroki vs. Midoriya (seen above). The episode turned out so beautiful that the author of the series, Kohei Horikoshi, even celebrated it in this weeks' Shonen Jump.

It must be amazing seeing your story brought to life, Horikoshi was so moved by the event that he commented on it in the popular anime/manga magazine : "I watched the anime version of Todoroki vs. Midoriya. It made me cry so much. I can't believe how amazing it turned out."

The animator behind the highly praised episode and series, Yutaka Nakamura, has has worked a whole backlog of legendary series, and he doesn't look to be slowing down soon. Nakamura worked as the key animator on award winning series such as: Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist, One Punch Man, and Space Dandy.

If you are not familiar with My Hero Academia, the series officially began back in 2014 when Weekly Shonen Jump published Kōhei Horikoshi's manga. The original series was then adapted into an anime in April 2016 and exploded in popularity.

The show follows a middle school student named Izuku Midoriya. The boy is just an average teenager who was born in an alternate universe where everyone is born with superpowers. That is of course, except for him. The powerless but passionate Izuku dreams of still becoming a famous and beloved superhero, but he finds himself mocked for his seemingly unreachable goal.

However, his classmates are soon silenced when Izuku proves himself by doing something truly heroic; he saves a fellow classmate of his from a villain when no one else would step up to the challenge, and the world's greatest superhero, All Might, decides to gift the Izuku a special power. The new gift, which is known as One For All, allows Izuku to channel great physical strength - and it finally allows him to enter the training academy U.A. High School, and strive for being the most famous superhero in the world.

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The show is currently available to watch on Funimation, Hulu, and Crunchyroll. Funimation is currently simulcasting the new season, same day as release, with English subtitles in the U.S. on both Hulu and Crunchyroll. However the Simuldub (English dubbed simulcast) is exclusive to Funimation's on streaming service FunimationNow.