My Hero Academia Season 8 is bringing the anime to an epic close, and it’s also proving a harsh reality for the series’ supporting characters. Although My Hero Academia tells the story of Izuku Midoriya, it has a fairly large cast — and almost every member gets a moment in the spotlight over the series’ eight-season run. Some side characters, like Shoto Todoroki and Ochaco Uraraka, boast longer-running arcs, which balance the main story nicely. However, with so many Pro Heroes and students at U.A. High, most are given storylines that unfold over just a few episodes, or in some cases, a handful of scenes.
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And ahead of the anime’s ending, My Hero Academia Season 7 does its best to flesh out the characters that earlier outings don’t get to. Despite Spinner being a member of the League of Villains since Season 2, he doesn’t get an origin story or episode dedicated to him until the final battle. Minor students in Class 1-A, like Mezo Shoji and Koji Koda, also get an opportunity to save the day at long last. These scenes prove that everyone is crucial to defeating All for One, Shigaraki, and their allies. Unfortunately, watching My Hero Academia Season 8 suggests they also come with a downside.
My Hero Academia Season 8 Proves The Anime Is Best When Focused On Its Main Story
My Hero Academia Season 7 may give missing context for certain characters, but it’s easily the anime’s weakest chapter. Arguably, the series was at its strongest during its earlier seasons, when Midoriya was still mastering his use of One for All and All Might was still on the board. However, the show remained strong throughout Seasons 4-6, with Season 6 returning it to its previous heights. It’s during Season 7 that the pacing really started to waver, with too much exposition bogging down the great action sequences scattered throughout.
It’s understandable that the anime wanted to wrap up smaller narratives before shifting its gaze to its climax. But some of Season 7’s flashbacks and heroic moments should have happened earlier — or at least have been better balanced with Midoriya’s narrative. Fortunately, My Hero Academia Season 8 is turning things around before the anime bids us farewell. In part, that shift can be attributed to the smaller episode count, which allows the animators and writers to deliver a spectacle with nearly every installment.
However, the strength of Season 8 also presents a harsh truth about the side characters and storylines: although they add layers to the world, it’s easy to overdo them. The stark contrast between Season 7 and 8 proves that the anime is at its best when it’s focused on its main conflict and leads. The final chapter stands out in that regard. Thus far, the majority of Season 8 has focused on Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, and All Might and their efforts to defeat Shigaraki and All for One. The shift back to the anime’s three most important characters and two main villains works, reminding us why we’re here in the first place.
My Hero Academia’s Side Characters Are Great, But Most Can’t Support Their Own Arcs
My Hero Academia Season 8 drives home whose stories we’re really invested in throughout the anime, but that’s not to say the supporting characters aren’t well-wrought. Part of what makes the series’ world so believable is that creator Kōhei Horikoshi commits to the smaller details. That includes ensuring that Midoriya is surrounded by peers and mentors, just as any high school student would be. Giving all of them individual goals and challenges makes the backdrop more realistic and immersive, and it also gives viewers more characters to root for.
This typically benefits the series, but only when it gets the balance right. My Hero Academia Season 7 spends too much time on supporting players, including a few who aren’t previously given enough screen time for us to truly care — and in the midst of the series’ biggest confrontation, it’s a questionable choice. Very few of the side characters, even the most interesting and fleshed out ones, could carry their own arcs in a way that’d be satisfying to include in the final battle. Players like Todoroki, Uraraka, Endeavor, and Hawks are exceptions — but even then, the anime benefits from balance, something Season 6 handles well.
Season 8 Is Ending Deku’s Story Exactly How It Started – And That’s A Good Thing
It’s for the best that My Hero Academia is bringing the focus back to Midoriya, Bakugo, and All Might — and not just because it’s what we’ve been waiting for. Doing so also brings the story full circle, as that’s where the anime started. All three characters have changed significantly since Midoriya first asked All Might if he, too, could become a hero. Of course, that’s precisely why this return to form feels so satisfying. Not only is the anime answering that question in real time, but it’s showing how far all three of them have come.
These emotional layers add to the incredible action, setting the series up to go out on a high note. Given My Hero Academia‘s knack for calling back to previous scenes and bringing things full circle, it’s fitting that Season 8 is embodying that. It’s been great getting to know the anime’s supporting cast, but with just a few installments left, it’s time to focus on what matters: Midoriya, Bakugo, and their journey to become heroes just like All Might.
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
