Based on Kohei Horikoshi’s beloved Weekly Shonen Jump manga, the anime adaptation of My Hero Academia reached its conclusion this month. The anime debuted in April 2016, and since then, it has remained one of the most renowned Shonen series thanks to its unique power system, intense fights, and most of all, complex characters. Set in a world where about eighty percent of the human population possesses unique abilities called quirks, the series highlights the drawbacks of a superhuman society. With the rise in such powers, crimes became more common than ever, plunging the world into chaos. This is when heroes come into action to stop villains from causing chaos while being admired by the public all over the world.
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The story follows the high school years of Izuku Midoriya, a quirkless boy who has dreamed of becoming a hero all his life. After meeting his idol, the world’s greatest hero, All Might, he gains a legendary quirk and enrolls in the prestigious U.A. High School. As Izuku embarks on a journey to fulfill his dreams, he must overcome any challenge to rise to the top. The story is split across 23 arcs categorized into three main sagas, with the anime covering everything in eight seasons. While all My Hero Academia seasons offer something unique to the fans, there’s always something better than the other.
8) Season 5
The hero course students at U.A. are constantly challenging themselves to become the best heroes they can be. During the first half of the season, the students of Class 1-A go up against Class 1-B in a joint training session, with Hitoshi Shinso joining one group from each side to prove himself worthy of transferring to the hero course. The second half of the season is a roller coaster of emotions, with the Todoroki family getting all the spotlight as their complex relationships come to light. The last few episodes focus on the League of Villains, who have surpassed their abilities during their battle with the Meta Liberation Army.
7) Season 1
The first season begins by setting up the premise of the story as Izuku meets All Might and inherits his Quirk. The rest of the season follows his struggle, including his challenging training with the hero and how he enrolls at U.A. Season 1 introduces the majority of the main cast, including all students in Class 1-A. The season ends after introducing Tomura Shigaraki and Kurogiri of the League of Villains, both of whom turn out to be crucial characters in the story later on.
6) Season 4
Although almost the entire Class 1-A received their provisional hero licenses, only a handful of them were doing their work studies at established agencies with a good track record. Deku joins Sir Nighteye’s agency, who used to be All Might’s sidekick. On the very first day of his patrol with Mirio Togata, who goes by his hero name Lemillion, the two encounter Kai Chisaki, one of the most dangerous criminals in the country. The first half of the season focuses on the battle against Shie Hassaikai, while the second half focuses on the U.A. School Festival.
5) Season 3
The hero course students were supposed to spend their summer vacation in a training camp in order to develop their quirks, but things take a turn for the worse when the League of Villains shows up out of nowhere. Unlike the first season, the organization now has more powerful members, each capable enough to challenge even the pros. The first half of the season centers around the crisis surrounding the training camp, while the rest of the season focuses on the mission to rescue Katsuki Bakugo. The season ended with All Might’s retirement, bringing an end to Japan’s most peaceful era since the appearance of quirks.
4) Season 2
The Sports Festival at U.A. is one of their biggest events, seen by the entire country, giving the hero course students a perfect opportunity to make an impression in front of the pros. The season gave Shoto Todoroki the much-needed spotlight as his dark past came to light. Part of the season’s second half revolves around the Hero Killer Stain, one of the most nuanced villains in the series.
3) Season 7
Japan fell into chaos after the Paranormal Liberation War, as the heroes were unable to stop All For One and Tomura Shigaraki. Now that Deku returned to U.A., things should’ve been better for Class 1-A, but no one was expecting Yuga Aoyama to be the traitor working for All For One. Since he was forced to become a double agent, Yuga was given a second chance to atone for his crimes. The season began with the second round of the war, with the heroes having the upper hand initially, but the villains’ powers were beyond anything they had ever faced.
2) Season 6
The Paranormal Liberation War finally commenced in Season 6, where the heroes initially had the upper hand thanks to a tip from Hawks. However, it doesn’t take long for things to go downhill when Tomura Shigaraki wakes up from his slumber, and Gigantomachia arrives at the scene. Many heroes and civilians lost their lives that day, plunging the entire country into chaos. As the remaining heroes plan to lure out the villains, Deku carries all the burden by himself.
1) Season 8
The anime’s final season was released in the Fall 2026 season, concluding the story with visually striking animation and intense moments as the war comes to an end. After a near-death experience, Bakugo returns to the battlefield, facing All For One despite his injuries. Thanks to everyone’s support, Deku defeats Tomura Shigaraki, ending the war for good. The final season also features a brief epilogue that follows the characters as they move on from the tragedy and help rebuild Hero Society.
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Image courtesy of Universal Pictures.
