Now that My Hero Academia‘s anime has come to a close, we can officially rank the best episodes of the series — and several come straight from Season 8. The Final War arc delivers some of the strongest action and character moments of Izuku Midoriya’s story, and they’re masterfully brought from Kohei Horikoshi’s manga to the screen. Of course, there are also plenty of incredible installments from earlier in the series. The anime does an impressive job of steadily building to its climax, adding new layers to its characters multiple seasons in and continuously upping the stakes for them.
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It’s no surprise, then, that the greatest chapters of the anime blend big action sequences with heavy emotional beats. It’s part of what makes the series so great: its ability to ramp up the stakes by making us love its characters and investing us in their battles. It’s hard to narrow My Hero Academia‘s best chapters down to just 10 picks, but these installments pay off that investment the best.
10) “Shoto Todoroki: Origin” (Season 2, Episode 10)
There aren’t many episodes from My Hero Academia‘s early outings that can compete with the action of later chapters, but “Shoto Todoroki: Origin” is one of them. This Season 2 installment pits Deku against Shoto during the Sports Festival, and it’s a surprisingly emotional match. It’s also one of the first and finest examples of the series’ central message: that saving people isn’t just about winning. Deku may not defeat Shoto during this match, but he gets through to him in a way no one else can — and it totally changes the course of his story.
That said, “Shoto Todoroki: Origin” is responsible for one of the best friendships in My Hero Academia. It also offers a high-stakes one-on-one fight that will have even seasoned anime lovers on the edge of their seats. The animation matches the emotion, making it an all-around success. It’s not as massive as later action sequences, nor does it deliver on multiple seasons’ worth of tensions. However, it’s still worthy of a spot on My Hero Academia‘s top 10.
9) “Deku vs. Class A” (Season 6, Episode 23)
My Hero Academia Season 6 sees Deku losing his way after the Paranormal Liberation War arc, and “Deku vs. Class A” finds his classmates confronting him about it. My Hero Academia‘s lead is traumatized at this point of the story, and this installment does an excellent job of depicting the extent of that. It also highlights how far his power has come, as he goes from trailing behind everyone in Class A to pretty easily evading them. He doesn’t get away fully, though, as Ida catches up to him and repeats his own words back to him — a stunning example of My Hero Academia bringing things full circle.
Bakugo’s apology also takes place in this installment, and it’s a long time coming. It proves that Deku isn’t the only one who’s grown significantly, bringing yet another storyline back around in a satisfying way. Between the emotional beats and chase sequence, this has to be one of My Hero Academia‘s strongest additions. However, it’s slightly lower on the list than some of the bigger emotional payoffs and fight scenes.
8) “Infinite 100%” (Season 4, Episode 13)
With its focus on Overhaul over the League of Villains, My Hero Academia Season 4 often feels a bit removed from the rest of the series. But it’s an important chapter in that it introduces Eri, and it also sees Deku leveling up significantly. And the best episode of the season — and one of the best installments overall — sees Eri and Deku putting their strengths together to defeat Overhaul. “Infinite 100%” brings the fight with the villain to a climax, with Deku finally tapping into 100% of his power, as Eri’s able to instantly heal him.
Considering we never see Deku reach that level again, it’s a thrilling fight sequence that sets itself apart from his other confrontations. And despite some questionable choices when it comes to Mirio’s fight against Overhaul, Deku vs. Overhaul looks every bit as epic as it should. However, given that we don’t spend seasons building to it, it doesn’t hit quite as hard as other major showdowns.
7) “Light Fades to Rain” (Season 7, Episode 11)
My Hero Academia Season 7’s “Light Fades to Rain” is one of the most shocking episodes of the entire anime, if only because of the bold choice it makes during the fight against Shigaraki. The entire installment is a nail-biter, as the heroes are losing to the villain, badly. However, there’s a real shift tonally when he seemingly takes Bakugo off the playing field. Although we now know that this is a death fakeout rather than an actual character death, the anime really sells it. From Bakugo’s final thoughts of Deku to the glimpse of his bloody All Might trading card, the imagery surrounding this scene hits hard.
The animation during this fakeout (and before it, too) is some of the series’ best, and that’s not accounting for all the other great character moments. U.A. High’s seniors put up an admirable fight as well, with the anime finally giving them something important to do again. It’s an all-around great chapter, even if it’s a bit of a bummer taken on its own — and a bit less powerful once you know what happens later.
6) “A Girl’s Ego” (Season 7, Episode 20)
My Hero Academia Season 7 is a bit oddly paced, but its final episodes are peak moments of the Final War arc. And “A Girl’s Ego” easily lands among the anime’s greatest installments. Uraraka’s fight with Toga is simply too emotional and well made to be ignored. The bond between Uraraka and the villain is built up over the course of the anime’s first six seasons, with Uraraka wanting to save Toga as much as she wants to bring her to justice. Their final fight perfectly conveys the complicated nature of their relationship, all while giving Toga a tragic send-off viewers won’t forget.
Like most of the action in the Final War arc, Uraraka vs. Toga benefits from incredible animation. It’s also well-acted in both the subtitled and dubbed versions, and the writing certainly helps the performances land. There are a few conflicts that are very more powerful than this, but “A Girl’s Ego” comes very close to breaking into the top five.
5) “I Am Here” (Season 7, Episode 19)
Another gem from the Final War arc, My Hero Academia Season 7’s “I Am Here” is an emotional chapter for our favorite dysfunctional family, the Todorokis. This final showdown sees Endeavor, Rei, and the Todoroki siblings confronting Dabi on the battlefield. As you can imagine, it’s a devastating affair, especially with the stakes so high (and the group having a ton of baggage). As this chapter shows, they also have a surprising amount of love for one another in spite of it all.
The best part of “I Am Here” is Todoroki saving his family and the surrounding area at the end, proving yet again that he’s one of Class A’s most powerful heroes. Todoroki’s big moment is beautifully animated and acted, and it helps end Season 7 on a high note. It’s mostly episodes about Deku, Bakugo, and All Might that top it, and that’s because those tend to have higher stakes that are more connected to the main plot.
4) “Deku vs Kacchan, Part 2” (Season 3, Episode 23)
With Deku and Bakugo working together in the later seasons of My Hero Academia, it’s odd to remember a time when they were truly at odds. However, their complicated feelings for one another at the beginning of the story made for some of the tensest moments of the anime. And Season 3’s “Deku vs. Kacchan, Part 2” is the perfect example, with Bakugo confronting Deku about his big secret — and the two engaging in a fight that’s truly one for the books.
“Deku vs. Kacchan, Part 2” is one of the first times we truly get to see the depth of Bakugo’s character, and it’s an gutting turning point for him. It’s also a big episode for Deku, who nearly defeats his rival, highlighting how far his usage of One for All has come. The emotions drive their one-on-one in a truly compelling way, and combined with some of the best animation of the anime, it makes for a top-tier experience. But while it’s as hard-hitting as the episodes that top it, those have much higher stakes.
3) “The Final Boss!!” (Season 8, Episode 3)
My Hero Academia Season 8 is full of big character moments and well-animated action, and “The Final Boss!!” delivers on both fronts. It stands out as one of the anime’s finest episodes, with Bakugo rejoining the fray and saving All Might. It’s a satisfying way to bring his story full circle, and it shows that both he and Deku are capable of reshaping the future Nighteye predicted. It also drives home the series’ points about winning and saving, and it sees its two rivals working together to defeat the two main villains.
Of all My Hero Academia‘s chapters, “The Final Boss!!” is most effective at driving home how far these characters have come. There are a few more flashbacks interspersed throughout the fight than I’d like, but it doesn’t prevent this from landing near the top of an episode ranking. There is one Season 8 installment even more powerful, and it won’t come as a surprise to anyone.
2) Izuku Midoriya Rising (Season 8, Episode 8)
Given that My Hero Academia is all about Deku becoming the number one hero, it’s fitting that “Izuku Midoriya Rising” is among its top installments. The Season 8 episode sees Deku finally finishing the fight against All for One — and it’s thanks to his earlier sacrifice of his power and his friends that he’s able to do so. There are many gorgeous moments from this chapter, from the Avengers: Endgame-style arrival of the other heroes to Deku running towards All for One as they clear a path.
These images get at the heart of the series, which repeatedly emphasizes that heroes are more effective when they’re supporting one another. Deku’s final conversation with Shigaraki is also touching, giving the villain a proper send-off. The only reason this installment doesn’t top the list is that the details surrounding the transfer of One for All and the villains’ defeat still feel a little hazy and out of left field. The ending is fitting, but it requires a lot of last-minute exposition to work. By contrast, My Hero‘s best chapter fits seamlessly into the story.
1) “One for All” (Season 3, Episode 11)
My Hero Academia Season 8 has many standout episodes, but nothing quite beats All Might’s fight with All for One at the end of Season 3. It’s become a legendary anime showdown, and it really is nothing short of a masterpiece. That’s why My Hero Academia‘s greatest episode has to be “One for All.” Not only is it stunningly animated and an emotional turn for All Might, but it’s an excellent means of passing the mantle to Deku and the next generation of heroes.
Despite All Might using up the last embers of One for All, it’s also a pretty hopeful installment. All Might standing tall after such a trying fight is inspirational, and watching the onlookers rally behind him gets me in my feelings every time. “One for All” also embodies the themes of the series well, and it perfectly lays the groundwork for everything to come.
What’s your favorite episode of My Hero Academia? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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