What is Missing From My Hero Academia’s Final Act?

My Hero Academia is now making its way through the final war between the heroes and villains, and the latest chapters have really hammered home something that has been missing from the majority of the Final Act of the series. Series creator Kohei Horikoshi had surprised fans everywhere when it was announced that the long running hero series was getting ready for the grand finale. Following the Paranormal Liberation Front War, the manga began the Final Act of the series revealing a whole new kind of world that has turned against the heroes while the heroes themselves deal with their greatest challenge yet.

As the final war between the heroes and villains continue, it’s becoming increasingly clear that these fights have been isolated from everything else. While that was a part of the heroes’ plan to keep damage minimal, it’s also further drawing attention to the fact that it was only a year or so ago that we were in the midst of the previous war. It’s made for a final war that doesn’t have that sense of finality. So what’s missing? It’s the heroism. When the heroes themselves are only fighting to protect themselves in the moment, this final war is no longer a fight between good and evil…but an isolated fight between warring factions.

When the Final Act first began, one of the most intriguing new shake ups to the status quo was the fact that the people of Japan no longer had any trust in their heroes. This was the main thread to follow for the Final Act of the series, and fell in line with the rest of the events to this point. All Might, Izuku, and Endeavor each had their own massive fights that marked a new era of the series, but each of them was anchored by the fact that they were fighting to protect someone in the immediate area. But that’s all been pushed aside for this final battle. 

Star and Stripe’s death meant that no other countries’ heroes would interfere, the focus on U.A. specifically means no other schools will likely be drawn in, and other smaller adjustments have made it feel like things have been closing in. It’s make this final battle feel much smaller in comparison to everything else. Without the sheer numbers of the Paranormal Liberation Front War, it’s felt like something is missing. That something is the heroism that we need to see on display as the heroes not only protect one another, but actually strive to protect those that they are really fighting for. 

When the refugees at U.A.’s former base had hesitantly accepted Izuku into letting him hide there, it’s like they all suddenly and completely accepted the heroes once more. Because there has been no time spent not only establishing what this new Japan actually looks and operates like, but to also explore more of how the everyday people see the current state of the world, there was a lack of proper set up to never seeing regular civilians again. If Ochaco Uraraka’s tearful speech to the people and their acceptance of Izuku is all we get of such a dramatic change for this hero world, then we didn’t get nearly enough time to even earn it. 

Thus this lack of overall humanity and heroism has really knocked these final fights down a peg. Sure we care about each of our favorite heroes, and their struggle still has meaning, but what is everyone fighting for? They’re fighting for the state of the world, and a generic anti-world destroying Shigaraki motive. Who cares about the world if we have no idea what that looks like? But what do you think of My Hero Academia‘s Final Act so far? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!