Anime 33486 Boku No Hero Academia 2nd Season Reviews

After watching the first season of Boku Hero no Academia (My Hero Academia), I can’t help but feel wanting for more of this series. The first season consisted of only 13 episodes. It adapted the general premise of the story and had its character roster in set. However, it missed the opportunity to expand more and build on those elements. Have no fear. Season 2 is here and it’s set to fill the gaps for you diehard fans of this classic shounen adventure.

One major part of the sequel is that the length is almost twice the duration of the first season. It consists of 25 ... episodes (including an anime original) as part of its storytelling. Therefore, expect almost twice as much as details. As an avid fan of the manga, I’m also rather impressed by the faithfulness of its adaptation standards. Expecting this show to hit a lot of its marks is no easy task and I had some doubts at first. Still, the sequel does a splendid job at crafting the essence of its story. At its core, the show is about heroes in a fictional world. Protagonist Izuku Midoriya (nicknamed Deku) tries to make a difference in his world by trying to become a hero.

Something that I often found appealing about Boku Hero no Academia is how stylish it establishes itself. It’s a typical shounen series yet is able to spread its themes and knows how to do so. The second season asks a question: what really makes a hero? From the first half, we get a tournament (U.A. Sports Festival Arc) that pits the best of the best between classes. While this may seem like a generic battle tournament you can find in many shounen series, Boku Hero no Academia sets itself to establish characters within its tournament. Prominent characters such as Deku, Ochako, Bakugo, and Todoroki gives the audience their insight on their reasoning for fighting. While some of their principles can be disputed, they sent a clear message that becoming a hero is no easy path. At least for these characters, being a hero is more than just about saving others. The Sports Festival arc also examines the background story of Todoroki, a character that we knew little about from the previous season. It invites moments of sympathy as we see how tragic his past has influenced his character in the present.

Meanwhile, the show still maintains its presence of antagonists. Perhaps the most prominent of these is Hero Killer Stain, a new villain with his own objectives and morals. Again, his character ties with the question of “what makes a hero”. In his mind, there are certain rules that establishes what a “true hero” is from the “fake ones”. Season 2 has psychology that makes antagonists such as Stain feel meaningful as a character. It motivates other heroes to realize what they are and what to fight for. Don’t believe me? Just ask Tenya.

As I watched more and more of season 2, I can’t help but realize that the sequel serves as a way to prepare for the characters/heroes for what’s really ahead. What I mean is that while the second season is rich in content, it still leaves some gaps to fill. Mainly, prominent villains such as Tomura Shigaraki and his right-hand man Kurogiri play very minor roles despite establishing themselves as a dangerous threat from the first season. All Might also plays a lesser role in this season despite still being the main hero. Although his role is still important for Deku’s development, it feels that his character dynamics with the boy is less. As a show loaded with characters, don’t expect everyone to get the same development as the main cast. While most characters gets some time to shine, others are left with less memorable moments or comic relief. (yes, I’m looking at you, Mineta) Finally, season 2’s storytelling can occasionally feel stale at times with the academy setting and themes. Luckily, the comedy gives the fans its entertainment value that’s deceptively fun to watch.

Bones studio (known for their adaptation of other super power and hero theme shows) returns with their animation quality. I must admit, season 2 sets the bar for is stylish animation. Battle scenes from the Festival Arc particular stand out that is simply mesmerizing. The fight between Deku and Todoroki is especially noticeable that captures the stellar choreography as I’d expect from this studio. Camera angles feel smooth with vibrant colors and body movements. However, there are a few scenes that feel stagnant especially during the fight with Stain. Perhaps some of those can be fixed later in BD/DVDs but it’s nothing too distracting. Character designs in this sequel also remains memorable for characters ranging from the barbaric design of the Hero Killer, pro heroes, and our main cast.

When listening to the soundtrack, I can’t help but feel that everything is on point. From character voice mannerisms to the battle OST, it succeeds far more than it fails. I can honestly say that the voice mannerism of the characters really brings out the personalities of the cast. Characters such as Stain, All Might, Bakugo, and Todoroki especially stand out this season whenever they speak with dynamism and purpose. The theme songs offers a classic hero-like tune that’s hard to miss.

If you’re going to watch this second season, just know that it will be a thoughtful experience beyond the colorful battles. Everything has a reason ranging from the story, themes, morals, and even character names. I can’t say this enough but season 2 really bought out what I had expected as an adaptation. It’s faithful on most parts and leaves me hunger for more each episode. That being said, season 2 is still far from resolving the end story. It actually feels more like building up for more as certain characters are foreshadowed and more threats looms in the horizon for the main characters. However, I came into this show with high expectations and left with awe. With season 3 announced, this sequel is nothing short of been a classic.

*Minimum Spoiler Plus Ultra Review*
If you did not watch BNHA S1 then go watch that ASAP.
TL;DR: Hype Hype, Finally a Shounen Anime worth watching Plus Ultra Hype! BNHA S2 is basically Naruto and DBZ's illegitimate child, Hunter X Hunter's bastard child raised by the all mighty Bones STUDIO that has stayed true to the manga and doing the show justice it really deserves! Definitely Binge-Worthy!
[Story: 8/10 , Characters: 9/10, Art: 9/10, Sound: 8/10, Enjoyment: 10/10]

"So many to kill, so little time. None of you are worthy. None of you are All Might" - Stain

If there is one genre that can always hype people ... up time after time, it's the classic shounen genre in anime. It's like scrambled eggs. The recipe is very simple yet the execution to get it consistently right day after day is difficult. Luckily, fans of one of the most acclaimed manga, BNHA, can rejoice that studio Bones have done yet another great job in beautifully adapting it their own way without deviating away from the manga to give the viewers total indulgence over a shounen anime people will remember for years to come. If you thought season 1 was good, well this season they just went PLUS ULTRA!

The story is great. The anime being 25 episodes long is able to cover 3 different arcs from the manga. In season 1 we mostly focused on the character development of Deku. However, most of the supporting characters this season underwent major character development, especially characters like Todoroki, Iida and even Bakugo. That being said, the overaching development of Deku is ever present feeding off from the development of others. Really embodying the "All for One" motif as the show goes on. Aside from the characters, the art and animation is bold and vibrant. Nothing short from studio Bones standard. Even the OST and the OP & ED songs are just outright catchy and worth listening to over and over again. It's really hard to find flaw in such a good anime when even the two filler episodes are done so well that it catered to the fans long-time needs & curiosity! With that being said, let's dive deeper into the anime to really get a good grasp of what all the hype surrounding the anime is. Keep in mind, some spoilers might be revealed!

*Minimum Spoilers Zone Begins*

"If you wanna stop this, then stand up! Because I've just got one thing to say to you! Never forget who you want to become!" - Todoroki

There is no point revisiting the premise of the show. It hasn't changed since season 1. We know the end goal is Deku learning how to fully use All for One. The real plot is the whole journey to get there. This season had three different arcs. First we have the ever cliche shounen tournament arc; where all of the UA students battle it out from team battles to finally 1v1 battles. Surprisingly, the tournament arc actually ends with someone actually being declared a winner. No major interruptions or surprise villain gank happens. Now that's a surprise. This arc also features one of the fan favourite episode: Todoroki: The Origin. Next, we have the Stain arc, where Stain, a new villain or anti-villain, that has taken it upon himself to purge the world of fake heroes. It's a really dark arc and one of fan favourite arcs to be adapted. Lastly, we have the much rushed UA Final Hero Examination Arc, where UA students must fight against their teachers (Heroes) to pass their final exam. It also features the second fan favourite episode: Bakugo the Origin. In between these three arcs we are revealed more about the power of All for One and it's origins as well as League of Villains intentions and who is really pulling the puppet strings. Needless to say, Bones, with the help of Yoshihiko Umakoshi (Tournament Arc) and Takahiro Komori (Stain Arc + Exam Arc), did a great job adapting them in anime format. The only major issue was how different each directors take on how they adapted the arcs. Viewers will notice significant difference in battle sequences and camera angles from one director to the other.

"Needless to say... I'll be a hero that even surpasses you (All Might)" - Bakugo

Aside from the plot, the major highlight of this season is the character development. Besides Deku, other characters like Todoroki, Bakugo, Iida, Uraraka and even All Might goes through great lengths of character developments. Just as the two major side characters, Todoroki and Bakugo acts as great foils for Deku, actually all three personify the different attributes of All Might that establishes him as the best superhero of all time that not only saves lives but inspired the next generation to be the hero the nation deserves. Deku wants to save people with a smile. Todoroki wants to be his own person and not a prisoner of his blood. Bakugo wants to be the strongest and win with overwhelming force. This just goes to show you why Endeavor could never be the number one hero. It's never been about how many villains you beat or how strong you are. To be the number one hero means you have to be the beacon of hope and inspiration for all of Japan. The show's main running theme of quirk strength vs physical & mental strength is again revisited through this. The reason pros are good is because of their skills and judgment not because of their quirks. Besides the heroes, the most interesting character of the season has to be the villain or anti-villain, Stain. His motives are good because he wants to restore the title of Hero to something more respectable and pure. However, the method he uses to achieve this is similar to of a villain. Because of this, he starts a chain reaction of inspiring villains similar to how All Might inspiring heroes. All the parallels and juxtaposed characters in this series really adds to the depth and complexity of the show.

*Minimum Spoiler Zone Ends*

"Meddling when you don't need to is the essence of being a hero" - All Might

Beside the linear plot and dynamic characters, the technical aspects of this show really makes it stand out from other shounen animes. The animation quality from studio Bones is just Plus Ultra. The characters, the fight sequences, the background cinematography are all beautifully hand-drawn. The vibrant colour palette gives it a rich warm tone that resonates throughout the anime. If that wasn't enough, the background OST coupled with the epic OP/ED songs slowly grows on you the more you listen to it. Out of the two OP songs, I think Peace sign is still my favourite. Lastly, the seiyuus of this show does a phenomenal job. There isn't a single character who did not benefit from having a star-studded seiyuu cast in BNHA. Kudos to them. Everything as a whole, really sets the mood and the hype each episode brings to the table.

Overall, BNHA S2 is probably one of the best shounen animes we've been blessed with in the last decade. The shounen anime recipe have been replicated numerous times however it hasn't been executed to this degree in quite a while. The last great shounen anime of this calibre was FMAB. Oddly enough, it was actually studio Bones who also adapted it. They know that staying true to the manga is the ultimate rewarding experience for both new viewers and manga viewers. Nevertheless, I personally really enjoyed this anime and I can see myself easily binging this show again with my friends. It's just that type of show. Also Season 3 has been confirmed. Anyways, I recommend this show to all shounen anime fans and new fans wanting to venture into the shounen anime genre. Check it out let me know later how you like it as well as share with me your favourite quote from the anime! Plus Ultra!!!

P.S. Thank you for reading. I hope you found this short and supaishi review helpful!

This is a two-part review where I'll be weighing in the positives and negatives of this show.

Starting with what I thought it did right:

Despite Boku no Hero Academia’s rather familiar and simplistic premise, its thematic consistency and high production value made it possible for this title to gain recognition and significant following among the anime community. Season 1 managed to deliver in an impressive note and thankfully, that didn’t waiver at all in its continuing season. Much like its predecessor, Boku no Hero Academia 2 looks and sounds just as good—if not, even better. While it still didn’t take any risks, it did capitalize ... on the tried and tested formula in battle shounen that never failed to appeal to this genre’s fans and took the liberty to put its own creative spin to it—which I daresay has been pretty successful: Solidly executed action-packed superhero show with a competitive school life and comedy on the side. The tone shifts felt natural and it didn’t fall into the trap of forcefully incorporating dark, tragic themes nor did it get too hung up on its more serious tone just to make it look deep or mature. This anime is fortunately devoid of any of that pretentiousness and instead, it embraced its simplicity, which resulted to a cohesive storytelling. It’s a show that knows what it wants to do and doesn’t go beyond its limitations. At least, not yet anyway.

Although Boku no Hero Academia also happens to lump in almost every character archetype in shounen, it was at least able to turn them into a colorful bunch with just the right amount of exposure. More importantly, there has been better characterization amongst its main cast, which I guess is to be expected since this season delved further into the actual plot where it opened more room for character growth. Our protagonist grew from a cry-heavy (it's not really a word, I know) underdog to an impressive hero in-training who now has more control over his power. His progress felt smooth and his worth as All Might’s successor was constantly tested and proven in all of the arcs covered. Todoroki also had a more significant role, wherein we also learned about his backstory, motivations, and we saw the shift in his dynamics. As did Ida, who was a key player in the second arc that involved the Hero-Killer, Stain. All Might is just as majestic and his power display against Deku and Bakugo in the exam arc was nothing short of spectacular. Their fight was awesome and arguably the best in this season.

Bakugo is still a mixed bag to be honest. He was still quite obnoxious with few redeemable moments, who also couldn’t seem rid himself off of the insecurity and hostility that he had always felt towards Deku. But on another note, he was absolutely hilarious and entertaining this season and I find it hard not to enjoy his chemistry with other characters, especially when he becomes the object of their mockery. His rage reactions are comedy gold and I wouldn’t be surprised if people actually consider him a walking meme at this point. There were also subtle hints of his development thrown here and there to keep us at the edge of our seats whenever he's on screen. The rest of the supporting cast, most especially the class A students, also had their fair share of the spotlight. Though some may complain about how little exposure the rest of the class A students had in the sports festival, I'd argue that it worked out for the story given that the focus of the arc were meant to be Deku and Todoroki in the first place.

I also want to commend how superb the sound, visuals, and animation were in this anime. This was mostly displayed in the Sports Festival arc, which in my opinion, is also this season’s highlight. Hats off to the voice actors as well, who did a phenomenal job conveying the characters' emotions in the most intense moments. They truly didn’t hold back in making this season a spectacle, contributing further to the anime’s general appeal.

My issues with this show:

First that comes to mind is the underwhelming antagonists, given that there seems to be a tad few legitimate threats whose characters also managed to be interesting – Stain (granted that we haven’t seen the last of him) and a couple of new villains introduced by the tail end of the season might draw some intrigue back. In contrast to them, Tomura Shigaraki and his other minions in the League of Villains, ever since their introduction up to the most part of this season, are honestly just really—for the lack of better word—bleh. Second, it’s still lacking in world-building. I was hoping to see even just a glimpse of how the rest of the world fairs in this storyline, but I guess it’s too early for that. Note that those I mentioned above are just very minor issues that I have with this season, hence, I'm not going to elaborate on it further. I’m aware that this is one of those overarching series that would take a little more time to explore its full potential; and that is fine, so I'll just leave it at that and that I’m not docking off points because of that. I will still keep these in mind as I tread further into the series, however.

Having all that said, my actual gripe with it is that it feels too comfortable. While Boku no Hero Academia is certainly one of the better battle shounen anime out there today, its generic or rather ordinary nature is also why I can’t consider it to be great. Besides its very impressive technical presentation and solid delivery, the story simply lacks the ingenuity or in other words, the “wow” factor that makes anime like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood or Hunter x Hunter, in my honest opinion, the pinnacle of the genre. Don’t misunderstand though—I don’t intend to draw comparisons just to glorify those aforementioned titles nor to put BnHA down. I’m also not necessarily implying that it’s automatically mediocre just because it doesn't have complex themes or isn’t unique. I simply want to make a distinction that justifies my score for this given that I also use the rating scale differently. While I believe that storytelling and execution are what separates the good shows from the bad, I also believe that a compelling narrative with equally compelling characters are what separates good shows from the elite. BnHA is simply lacking in that department.

As mentioned beforehand and despite its stylish, cartoon-esque style and my initial praise for its well-delivered plot and colorful characters, it doesn’t have any trait that makes it truly stand out and incomparable to others. As such became more apparent this season as we continue to witness yet again some very familiar and overdone concepts in shounen: the underdog protagonist who continues to work hard and also tries to seek acknowledgment from the rival who hates his guts; the good ol’ tournament that actually serves as a stage for the protagonist to inspire and subsequently “soften” another rival who has parental issues; a chance encounter with the murderous villain with misunderstood intentions to help a friend who was in a quest for revenge; the mysterious big bad lurking in the shadows; etc. That's not a fault in itself considering that it's normal to have shared themes or tropes in this genre. It does what shounen anime do after all. That said, such idea unfortunately doesn't save it from being predictable, run-of-the mill story wherein we can only look forward to how the creators will put their own spin to these tropes. And since it took inspiration from other well-known titles, it also suffers from the inevitable comparison due to it having very similar concepts that have already been done and outdone (arguably) by some of its predecessors.

It is still a good show for those who appreciate simple, solid, and well-animated shows though. I generally like action anime, so I was consistently invested. But for those who are not a fan of this genre or have seen almost everything it has to offer, it takes more than what BnHA presented to keep them genuinely impressed—which I really couldn’t blame them for.

To wrap it up:

I still think that Boku no Hero Academia 2 is a fun-filled, easy to watch show with so much potential and it seems to tread in the right direction. Whatever it may lack in story, setting, or characters, it still kind of makes it up with its consistency and entertainment value. Not to mention, its excellent animation and sound. It’s an eye candy that’s still worth the watch.

* To anyone who's interested, this is the actual breakdown of my score:

Story: 5/10 | Execution: 8/10 | Characters: 6/10 | Presentation: 8/10 | Enjoyment: 7/10

I'm speechless,

While Season 1 lacks of characterization with its characters, Season 2 finally putting some major character developments for the supporting characters while its Main Character also having a good development and don't get left behind at all.

For once, Yuuki Hayashi's soundtrack is a massive one in episode 10, bringing that scene into one of the most intense, well directed scene this season and not 100% sure but that last scene's animation really feels like Yutaka Nakamura's work ( Black & White frame by frame animation + Yutapon Cubes Destruction ) AND PROVING THAT BONES IS THE BEST SHOUNEN STUDIO ON THE ANIME INDUSTRY.

Yuuki Hayashi's ... Soundtrack + Yutaka Nakamura's godtier "masterpiece" flawless animation + Great direction of Studio Bones = Great Adaptation

Yo, I've pretty much exhausted my patience with the overly generous reviews for this show, so I'm going to resist the masses and give this show a real review.

This show is super basic. I don't have a problem with shows being basic, so long as they are good. Unfortunately, this show really isn't that good. Being basic AND not that good is a pretty deadly combo. The only thing positive I can really say about this show is that it's very professionally made and well polished.

As far as I can tell this show is attempting to be the new shonen super power of ... animes. I'm therefore going to review it as such.

The big shonen anime generally have a slow and steady kinda plot. Bleach, Naruto, One Piece etc are pretty good examples of this. Often they follow an "arc" based format. The cast of characters remains mostly the same as they progress through these arcs and the characters and sometimes the overarching plot develops along the way. Boku no Hero Academia pacing seems to be set up in order to facilitate turning this into a very long anime. It very well may be setting up future plot points but as I watch it feels as if the shows going nowhere at all. It's almost as if the plot is getting side tracked. This is something that tends to happen in these types of anime but generally, these moments serve to develop the character or their powers/abilities. I can't see any noticeable signs of that in this show though and it simply feels like they are wasting time that could be spent on more relevant things.

I'm gonna keep the art/sound reviews short. This is a pretty big budget anime. As a result, the quality of the animation and sound is high quality. That Being said it's basic. There also doesn't seem to be any kind stylistic elements to the show. Twinstar Exorcists was a very similar show to this one, IMO, that at least had a very well-crafted style in its art and sound. Boku has a generic design for characters and settings while at the same time making them less interesting than other animes with a generic design. Hunter x Hunter had a pretty basic style, but the characters in that show had infinitely better design, not only in the way they were drawn but also in their personalities, ideology, motivations and even the little detail like the way they moved and carried themselves.

I kind of already started talking about the characters in the art/sound category. In the same way that the art and "style" of this show is lacking the characters are as well. They are all characters we've seen before but what's sad is that they simply aren't better than those other characters. I have no problem with an "I want to be a hero of justice" character but I do have a problem with one that is to entirely uninteresting. His entire motivation comes from when he saw a superhero as a kid and thought he looked cool. I'm nearly certain every person in this fictional universe had that same experience at some point. He's certainly determined but possessing determination is not enough to create a character with depth. Early on he had the potential interesting quirk of being quick-less and still aspiring to be a superhero. Instead of having him struggle with that fact as he fights to achieve his goal he is instead given an OP quirk and the only notable thing about his character is erased.

The main saving grace of this show is that despite its mediocrity, it manages to be fairly entertaining. Honestly, I think everyone's just been in the mood for a new high budget shonen super series to dive into. There is some fairly decent action as well as a bit of that classic shounen combination of hype and feels. It keeps you just barely entertained enough to come back next week for another episode.

Yes, this review was harsh, but someone needs to balance out this shows mad hype train. This show really isn't anything special and it's certainly not a masterpiece. The shonen mega series of the past easily beat it. If this site had been this popular during the golden days of bleach and naruto then those two shows would no doubt have a much higher rating. Would those reviews be accurate? Hell no. Wait for your hype to die down, watch the show objectively, compare it to other things you've seen and you will no doubt realize that this show does not deserve the level of praise it receives.

WARNIN':
Anime is almost done but hey 1 ep could change my whole outlook on this shitepaste(no it couldn't)
TL;DR
Don't

Alrighty after quite some time I watched through all these episode of season 2 and can confirm that this anime is letting me down more than a quadriplegic Parkinsons patient.

Art and sound.
They didn't improve much from the original and even there they were nothing worth noting. I do not wish to stick on this for long until some adrenaline pumping action scenes come up. Opening is a bit of a doozy, the first one was definitely better at setting the mood for this type of anime but alas ... all good things must come to an end which is something I won't be saying when this anime comes to a close.
6

Story.
People have superhero powers, there's a school for shit like that, our protag gets into the best superhero school.
Alrighty now let's plunge deeper into the rectal cavity of this story. Initially we are met with probably best thing to have in your anime, a tournament arc. Unfortunately as it continues the quality of it keeps dropping until the point where it feels like creators just want to get it out of the way as soon as possible. Fights get wrapped up in moments and those that stretch for longer are extremely dull with fighters using the same move over and over again until one of them says ,, sod it,, and blows up half the arena. I will concur that next arc is good. It regards this hero killer dude called Stain and,despite being finished in just a few episodes, shows one of the most hectic and dynamic fights in the anime. As a conclusion we have yet,deep sigh, another training. Which is understandable cause it'd be quite weird if an anime about a hero school had very little school in it. However this conclusive arc is hit and miss in it's execution. Long story short it comes down to students fighting teachers. Students are in pairs but teachers are single with their limbs being weighed down with some classic weight bands or whatever. I have to say some of the fights are quite fun to watch keyword being SOME. Others as is already fashion with this anime are dull with whole thing being decided after a constant back and forth between two parties.
Here's a 6 because this anime keeps leaving me with dry feeling in both my mouth and heart as there's not even some moments like in season 1 where you could actually feel a semblance of emotion in shriveled black amalgamations we call hearts.


Characters.
Now this is something that actually changed . More focus has been set on characters that didn't get time to shine in the first season, this phenomenon becoming weaker as season flutters onward. As for our main character, the underdog crybitch of our story, he actually achieves some decent control over his power instead of having it break his own body whenever it's used.
Let me put another sentence in for MC. He is a whiny bitch and seems to spent most of his fights crying and yelling how he's going to give it his best and all that tripe.Not that he has to care much about harming himself when his plot armor can take a nuclear strike with no issue. Well to be fair I'm being a bit hyperbolic there but bollocks are there some moments where he keeps gushing the same crap we've heard dozens of shounens do and then have somebody or something pushing his arse out of a pinch.
Some characters got their motivations laid out ,which is always nice despite it being done in a really scrappy manner,and we are treated to a batch of new characters, that get all meaning and screen time kicked out of them by the second half of the arc.
Screw you here's a 5 there's about one good character to be made out of all the shallow, loud annoyances that are considered characters but could only pass as such in a deviantArt fanfic.


Enjoyment.
This part had me hooked but fucked it up so hard with it's goddamn annoying characters from whom some can have their whole dialogue written down on a one ply toilet paper.
Sure there's a few good moments and fights but if I wanted to scrape something positive out of a demented mess I'd work as a life coach.
What infuriates me is that this show somehow fucks up after every positive act it presents. I can't say that it's worse than part one, at least not in all departments, but I'll be fucked by the last of rhinoceros before giving this a higher rating for what it has put out. All my enthusiasm for this anime died after the Hero Killer arc and it's quite sad that a back alley mid tier hero killing enthusiast with a dumb ideology that makes no sense in light of what we've been shown is somehow a highlight of your show.
Here's a 6 and a trophy full of spunk for successful fuck up on every corner.

Whenever I watch this show I begin to get flash backs of SAO.

That should sum up exactly how I feel about this anime.

The show has a great concept and interesting characters, but unfortunately they are for the most part are sorely underdeveloped and have very little depth to them (as this season has progressed this is slowly began to change with a few characters). The fight scenes are well animated and are a breath of fresh air into to dullness that is created through the tropes and rehearsed plot points that you could find in dozen of other animes.

The thing that truly ... keeps this anime from going to mediocre to okay is the dreadful main. The MC carries out the rehashed "severely under powered high school boy with irrational hero complex somehow gains the power to take down super powered villains and classmates despite only having a few weeks training". Add on the super inspirational speeches on why he will never give up despite getting the shit kicked out of countless times and bang, that's all you need to know about the MC because he hasn't changed since the first season.

Ultimately this anime misses the mark on a lot of things. Exploring old plot points and character tropes is always a bad thing if they are carried out right, but ultimately this misses the mark on a lot of things.

I know this might sound exaggerated — “2/10? Are you insane?” — but please just hear me out for a second...

Spoilers ahead:
Protecting people in the face of adversity; even in the means of sacrificing yourself, using unique strength only found in the hearts of some people for good, being brave and standing up for the people you love… this is what it means to be a hero. A hero isn’t something you strive to be, nor is it something to be viewed as a career. To be qualified as a hero in the first place, is to be selfless. By devoting all your life trying ... to become a hero by wearing a cape and a superhero outfit made by plastic is, in and of itself, a selfish and childish dream. By dreaming so only results in a messiah complex.

To be running around and jumping from building to building wearing goofy clothes only defeats the purpose of being a hero. Only people who are looking for attention do this; narcissism at its best.
Having a girl wear a suit that reveals most of her cleavage, and a skirt so short to the point where it should be called a belt, only makes me wonder why she didn’t become a prostitutional entertainer instead. And also having a character wearing a cape whilst stepping on the bad guy they just beat up whilst laughing like a maniac and shouting, “Don’t worry, your savior’s here.” only makes me wonder why he didn’t become an exhibitionist.

Every character in My Hero Academia only have a single goal in mind: to become a hero that everyone looks up to. That’s really it. There’s no other character in the series that has a different ambition — even if they do have a bit of a different ambition, it’s still completely connected to being an admirable hero. Being a show about heroes, it’s okay for everyone wishing to become a hero. But if that’s the only primary goal in their mind, then that’s just a writing excuse — all of these characters have a goal, thus, all of these characters are three-dimensional — or so the author thinks. The characters are like a group of Flamingos who have chain reactions. If you can’t handle writing a very large cast of characters — especially by trying to flesh out all of them — then don’t try to do it in the first place.

Characters are indeed hard to write. It’s definitely okay to have a large cast of characters, but do so at your own risk. The writer, in this case, tried to give some personality to other side characters. But what resulted in was underdevelopment of main characters — not to mention failing at even making the side characters decent.
Deku is the underdog of the world. He’s also shy and not so good socializing with girls; in other word, he is us. This isn’t supposed to be an ecchi-harem show, Kohei Horikoshi.
Trying to make us experience everything through Deku’s body only admits that he’s flat as a character. Normally, we’re supposed to put ourselves in the protagonist’s shoes, but to actually become the protagonist is lazy writing. This is just an excuse trying to make the character “relatable”. A character can still be flat even if they have an ambition, backstory, and development. Because execution is what matters.
Deku’s ambition and backstory are quite simple. He wants to be a hero like All Might, but he doesn’t have a quirk, unlike most people. He then gains powers from All Might by eating a single piece of his hair. This is all fine and all, but what about his development? He pretty much stays the same and has the same mentality throughout the whole two seasons. Being stronger and being able to control your powers better isn’t character development. What Kohei Horikoshi tries to do is make Deku break his bones over and over again just for the sake of looking “cool”. And then he breaks more bones in the second season, which tricks you into thinking that he developed as a character. But he has the same ideology and personality intact; only being able to control his powers, or rather All Might’s powers better.
I doubt the possibility that Deku will ever improve as a character throughout the whole show; he’ll stay the same; crying, speaking, thinking, and acting the same exact way he did at the start. The reason is simple: there is no room for improvement. Deku is, at first, actually what he should have developed into, not start with it. Only if he develops into an evil character — developing an ideology about heroes the opposite of the one he had before — can he be able to improve, or develop as a character. But the spoiler which Deku gave us at the beginning, and also looking at the genre of this show, there’s zero percent possibility. Having better powers, or controlling a power better, or creating your own proper power is often confused with character development. But it’s not.

Deku is known as a rare protagonist because he’s smart and analytical. But he’s stereotypically so. Putting your hand on your chin and thinking aloud while having words flying out of your head isn’t identified as being smart; it’s just an attempt at being one. It’s very easy to make other characters point at him calling him “smart”, when in reality, he’s only slightly above average. He actually reminds me of Sakamoto from Sakamoto desu ga — due to the fact that every character looks up to him, for the exception of some characters who hate him and want to surpass him, but end up giving up and acknowledging the main character’s superiority. But let’s not forget that Sakamoto was loved due to him being cool, meanwhile, Deku is liked for no justified reason whatsoever. Sure, he is strong. But don’t forget that he was a loser who was being bullied at first and viewed negatively by almost everyone. So there’s no way people’s view on him would change in such a short span of time just because he got stronger.

What about the girl he saved once which automatically made them very close friends — Uraraka? She’s very poorly written. She reminds me of Tenten from Naruto when she kissed Neji’s ass in the Chunin exam. Her main purpose is to be cute and support the main character. She shouldn’t be one of the main characters of the show, especially considering how weak her character arc was. Her backstory is basically having bad family circumstances, so she wants to become a “hero” for financial gain. She has about two or three personality traits. And that’s it. I can’t help but think that this show would’ve been fine without having her even appear in the show. There’s nothing to add on to her character because I feel like she’s even more underdeveloped than other side characters.

Avenger stories are, at best, fine. Iida’s whole drama about avenging his brother was executed poorly, and was extended way longer than it should have. The best way to realize if a character is three-dimensional and has depth, is to have the character pursue a certain motivation, but doesn’t see the need in explaining his or her actions to other people. Iida’s long monologue explained all of his motivations to Stain; his enemy. This is the best example of how you should be showing instead of telling. If a story tries to flesh out their characters by having them tell their ideology, instead of showing their ideology through their actions just shows the lack of the author’s writing ability to do so. Iida’s motivation is in and of itself fine, just done very poorly.
Another example of a fine character with a fine backstory, yet terrible execution — Todoroki’s whole character development is eventually decided by mister psychiatrist, Deku. Todoroki is a decent character, but was very inconsistent throughout the whole show. His personality changed through dialogue — meaning that he’s Todoroki in one scene, but a totally different person in another. His ideology, personality and perspective change in a very short amount of time, making him inconsistent. He started as a very promising character, but is slowly evolving into another one of Boku no Hero’s ordinary characters.

If you can remove a particular character from a story and can still have the story function as well as it did before means that the character should either not be there entirely, or write them differently so that he/she has a purpose in the story. If the author of Boku no Hero did this, then he would be left with a total of four-five characters that can actually function as an independent character. For a show praised by the way it handles its characters very well, it’s actually very subpar when it comes to characters.
The author wrote a character for the sole reason of being hated — Minoru Mineta, the pervert. Why? Was this used so that we hate a character so much that other characters feel like decent people compared to him? There is no doubt that the author wrote this character this way intentionally. Was he expecting people to like him? I doubt it, hence why I think my reasoning is correct. If the author himself doesn’t care about his own characters then why should we?
The characters in Boku no Hero remind me of IDubbbz; dressing in a very weird costume, and dancing around here and there, shouting, “I wannabe gay!” — If this analogy isn’t true, then I don’t know what is.
If the writer is eagerly trying to make me like the characters by using very cheap techniques, then I might as well admit the absurd fact that my, and also many other people’s emotions are being toyed by. I don’t see any positivity from this show — if the character’s are merely “simple”, then why use tricks such as melodramatic character arcs to further our bond with the characters? Doesn’t this contradict the simplicity of the characters?

The characters’ existence is for a sole reason: comedy. Whenever a comedic scene comes by — which is very frequent — I’m reminded of Black Clover because of the amount of screeching thrown at the screen. Characters are eventually used as a remark-factory in this case, as in remarks are the only things side characters ever say. Not only does this make for very cheesy comedy, but it also confuses my emotions. This show is ultimately a comedy, so when a serious and “emotional” moment comes up, I laugh, wondering why the characters are all of a sudden taking everything seriously. I’ve laughed more at sad and emotional scenes than I did in the actual comedy scenes.
When Deku finds out that he doesn’t have a quirk and goes home and plays the video about All Might on his computer, I was smiling, because that’s what this show wants me to do, right? I mean, look at Deku’s crying face. He’s crying with a hysterical smile. I automatically take this as the show trying to tell me not to take this seriously. If the show wanted me to take it seriously, then why have him smile instead of frown? I know a lot of people try to hide their actual emotions by smiling, but kids are straightforward with their emotions.

Uraraka’s character arc wasn’t supposed to be emotional at all, yet they somehow tried to make it emotional. Same with Momo losing her confidence. As I came upon this particular episode, I tried to watch the previous episode thinking that there was something I missed. But there was nothing. I was very confused as to why she’s even acting like that. It was apparently because she lost her battle in the tournament, but they went way over the top with her drama. The show can’t draw a clear line between comedy and drama. E.g. Showing a character’s breasts in the middle of a “horrifying” battle, Mineta gripping another character’s breasts while another character is on the verge of death, etc… And so when I come upon these overdramatic scenes, I no longer care what happens to the characters, since you can’t take something seriously when it doesn’t even care to take itself seriously to begin with.


People like to point fingers at other shows like Anohana and Kiznaiver and call them overdramatic. Yet Boku no Hero has as much, if not twice as much overdramatic events — a shounen having more drama than some other slice of life-drama show is very weird. What part of Boku no Hero is overdramatic, exactly? All of it, probably. As I said before, this anime is a comedy; a pure one in that matter. So when the show throws in these overdramatic emotional moments, I laugh off — not considering the possibility that the characters are on the verge of dying.

Since we’re talking about death, let’s talk about plot armour. I’ve heard many times from many people comparing Boku no Hero with Naruto, calling it superior. Even though Naruto had immense amount of plot armour with its main characters, Boku no Hero goes beyond the limit as to give every single character in the series plot armour. Plot armour is okay as long as it has the right amount of it.
Naruto is tragic, and had a lot of characters die. Meanwhile, Boku no Hero is a very carefree and a childish series. The kids were beating up the villians in ease. It’s like they’re so experienced in their first try. None of them even had any major injuries. If Naruto was Boku no Hero Academia, then Naruto would’ve become Hokage in episode four.
I would’ve fallen in love with Boku no Hero Academia had I been an eight year old, because that’s what children want: a fun series about heroes saving the day, which has no development or tragedy; something you watch on Saturday mornings.

I’ve got nothing against simplistic shows. In fact, I love a lot of shows which are very simplistic, and in some cases, generic. But that’s not how I view Boku no Hero; rather than finding it simplistic, I thought of it as bland and subpar.

Boku no Hero Academia isn’t generic. It’s actually subpar. This show is praised for having simple characters. But that’s my down point, because they aren’t even simple; they are so much simpler than simple. They are flat cardboard characters that are very hard to connect to. To begin with, one of the most important point of a story is to connect with the characters. Sure, there are shows and stories I’ve enjoyed and loved without liking the characters, but the possibility of that happening could be because of the superb storytelling. Does Boku no Hero Academia have that? No. The story is, at best, average. The world building is underexplored (Using my knowledge upon completing the first two seasons).
At the very least, I remember the names of about four or five characters from the series. As for other characters, I don’t even remember them in general, let alone their names. As I said before, the characters are dealt with simultaneously; like a chain reaction. Making all of them have the same personality traits and reactions to particular events. They speak, eat, fight, and react in the exact same way. E.g. when everyone in the class talks simultaneously.
The characters don’t each stand on their own because they aren’t even a fully fleshed out character to begin with. Characters are indeed the weakest part of the series — but the ideology is not only poor, but horrible.
Back to heroism, I don’t like the way heroes are viewed and treated in Boku no Hero Academia. Some of the most memorable heroes of anime aren’t characters that wear capes and acknowledge their heroicness, they’re rather the complete opposite. Okabe from Steins;Gate is, in my opinion, the most memorable hero of all anime. He went through more than a thousand wordlines, experiencing so much adversity, pain, and death just to save his friends. This is what it truly means to be a hero. (Not shounen, but still profits my point) Never did Okabe say, “This is a story of how I became the greatest hero of all time.” Admitting your own heroicness, no matter how good of a hero you are, defeats your title as a hero.

I can also say the name of a lot of characters from other series that can absurdly be considered better heroes than the characters of Boku no Hero ever were.
Put any hero in Boku no Hero in a situation where they have to choose between two options — those options being: Would you rather save humanity from a disaster that could potentially kill billions of people, but be considered evil by everyone, or save a single person, but be considered the greatest hero of all time; being admired all over the world, forever — most, if not all characters would definitely choose the second option. Basically, it’s Boku no Pride Academia, not Boku no Hero.

Now ideology aside, the underlying issue of this series is that, I don’t see this anime going anywhere. I don’t see any meaning for its existence. At the beginning, Deku says, “This is a story of how I became the greatest hero.” I, and many other people, know that the main character is going to be the best; prevailing over any other character in the series. But we still have a feeling of uncertainty at times. Deku confessing the future on screen, in the very beginning frame of the first episode, just removes the whole point of this show. At the very least, I wanted to experience the journey that Deku went through without knowing what’s to come in the future. There’s no point in watching this series anymore because I’ve basically watched the whole show now. And the problems of Deku’s character, as I talked about before, removes the potential of me caring for his journey.

I despise this show in all of its being. There’s a barricade wall between me and the characters; distancing us from each other and preventing any further connection other than merely knowing two bland personality traits of each character. Additionally, the thought of having my emotions toyed with by cheap tricks makes me feel disgust, combined with the fact that the second season was two-cour even though there wasn’t any strong necessity; not to mention how the dullness of the show made it feel like a sixty-four episode series.

The only thing preventing me from rating it a one out of ten is the superb visuals by Studio Bones. I respect this show as a piece of art, but no more fabric of the show do I admire.
I’m open to any criticism I’d get upon closing this review off saying this is one of my least favorite show of all time.

Boku no Hero Academia is often said to be the new Naruto or One Piece - the next smash-hit action series. Season 1 laid the groundwork for that, but at a mere 13 episodes, it couldn't truly demonstrate why Hero Academia deserves to be considered THE new great action series. But with season 2 comes a solid 25-episode run, giving it the chance to spread its wings and prove that not only is it a great successor to the old genre greats, but in many respects improves on them.

A big part of why this works better than the first season is that where the first ... season could be slow at times, season 2 is perfectly-paced. It moves at breakneck speed with barely a wasted moment, even despite the presence of a single (surprisingly good) filler episode. This makes Hero Academia an excellent binge-watching experience.

Season 2 covers three key arcs from the manga, the first of which is a tournament arc (in true battle shonen spirit) based around a school sports festival. Throughout this arc, the fight choreography is utterly exceptional. Bones have always been a studio known for their impressive production, but even by their standards the animation is jaw-droppingly good, made all the better by mangaka Horikoshi Kouhei's unique sense of style. Even the directing is a notch above their standard, averting the usual use of lazy panel-to-panel adaptation that is excessively common in this genre in favour of more elaborate compositions that can only be achieved because of the change of medium.

But though the Sports Festival arc excels for its action, that's not the reason this arc stands out. Instead, it's because at its core is a strong character arc for Shoto Todoroki. The arc ultimately becomes less about who will win the tournament as whether Todoroki will overcome his inner demons. While there's nothing wrong with a standard tournament arc, this turns it into something greater, using our investment in not only Todoroki but in Izuku to create some of the series greatest emotional highs and compelling moments.

This represents one of the greatest tools that HeroAca has at its disposal - an ensemble cast of lovable characters. The characters we were briefly introduced to in season one are all given greater detail here, with their motivations, personalities, and friendships with one another all built upon (especially in the third and final arc of this season). With only these few simple details, the writing builds the characters laconically, giving even minor characters strong personalities while allowing the core cast the screentime for full character arcs.

Another such character arc comes in the story immediately following the tournament, revolving around Tenya Iida. After a traumatic event, his sense of morality is shaken, resulting in a story arc that sees him come to understand the meaning of him being a hero.

This is all brought about by the biggest masterstroke that Hero Academia has had so far - Hero Killer Stain, this arc's primary antagonist. Where the previous villains of Hero Academia are more outright evil, Hero Killer Stain acts in rebellion against society, against the nature of heroics in the universe of HeroAca, where people become heroes out of greed and pride rather than for truly noble reasons.

His presence in the story is brief, but the ramifications of it are huge. Stain's moral code turns the focus of the series onto the morality of heroics - what makes someone a true hero. Alongside some of the darker elements of hero society introduced into this series, this fleshes out the setting, sowing seeds of discontent with the world as it is and bringing an element of social commentary into the fray. The conflict from here on out isn't just one of heroes vs. villains, it's a conflict of change vs. the status quo.

But the most interesting change to the conflict in HeroAca isn't the external battle, it's the internal one. The question of what makes someone a true hero turns the development of the main cast - especially Izuku Midoriya - into more than just one of becoming stronger physically. It becomes a story about growing as people. With every step that Deku grows in power, he grows as a person, becoming one step closer to being a true hero.

It's the slow growth of Deku's character that forms the emotional core of the series, and the newfound focus on moral codes helps us become even more invested in him and the rest of the cast. This turns Hero Academia into something more than the standard shonen fare whilst keeping everything that made those series compelling to begin with.

With this, Hero Academia has become one of the greats of its genre.

Story/Plot: 8/10
Animation/Graphics: 9/10
Music/Background: 7/10
Characters: 9/10

Overall: 9/10

For Fans Of: One Piece, Naruto

This review covers both seasons and will contain some vague spoilers.

For a show called Boku no HERO Academia there's definitely a lot of academia but not much heroism. Makes sense too since according to this show, the word 'Hero' doesn't have an actual definition.. Yeah, apparently being a hero is whatever you want it to be. this is something a character in the show actually says at some point and we're supposed to see it as some kind of profound gospel.

I'll start by saying that I think the first 2 episodes of season 1 was the show at its best. Deku's backstory had a good ... emotional punch to it and we get a glimpse of real heroism on the part of his childhood hero, All Might, via YouTube video. and in episode 2 Deku himself demonstrated real heroism by risking his life to rescue a kid who bullied him despite not having a super power. But before you know it, the show becomes no different from any other shonen that DON'T boast the word "Hero" in their title.. only with more training and a lot less fighting villains. It just becomes an endless barrage of competitiveness and egoism with actual heroic acts being an afterthought at best.

Everybody in this show just seems obsessed with the superficial aspects of being a hero, like the strength, the glory, the cool costume, the super hero nickname. Speaking of which, why do they even need a costume and nickname? Isn't that for keeping your identity hidden? We have half an episode dedicated to them picking out costumes and nicknames.. Which comes straight after a tournament that was broadcasted on prime time television and everyone in the street cheers for them while knowing their names and faces.. That's just one example of how this show comes off as gimmicky and disgustingly shallow, despite sometimes pretending that it has actual heart and a heroic spirit, none of it is convincing because the majority of content in the series doesn't compliment that at all.

Meh. This world is boring and unimaginative anyways. By reading the synopsis you'd know that 80% percent of the population now have super powers and yet the world is pretty much the same as ours, except they have super powered people working alongside the police and receiving tax payer money.. Which begs the question why the police is still needed or why the police aren't made up of super powered people but oh well. It's not like this setup is displayed well anyway.. When villains attack civilians in the street, all said civilians do is run away instead of using their powers to defend themselves, which most of them supposedly have...

But whatever, I don't really care about these nitpicks. The thing that bothers me more though is that most shonen consist of some cool fantasy setting where there's a lot to explore and potential adventure is at every turn.. while in this series the only thing to look forward to is seeing more people with different powers.. How exciting. And I don't think it's good as an American-stlye super hero show with a contemporary setting either (See the first three paragraphs)...

Out of 38 episodes so far there's probably only about 9 that AREN'T training sessions or a tournament and there's only so much of that I can take when the fights aren't that great and there's barely any dramatic weight behind most of them. Furthermore there isn't really much of a connection between the training and the non training parts either. Near the end of season 1, Villains invade the school and basically hijack what was supposed to be another training session in order to kill the mentor character, All Might. And the Hero Killer arc (which only lasted about 3 episodes in season 2) had no relation to anything happening in the tournament that preceded it and just generally felt like a detour before we go back to more training again straight afterwards (though admittedly a pretty badass detour). There's definitely something building in the background but it's hard to see this as much of a story in the traditional sense, so far.

Plus, I found the tournament to be fairly underwhelming as a whole. The less important fights ended very quickly and had unremarkable choreography (consisting of up to 5 unimportant fights per episode) and the more important ones that take up about half an episode or one whole episode and the fights in general play out as follows: fighter X repeats the same attack over and over again while fighter Y evades them until there's one strategic move employed by fighter Y which ends the fight without fighter X having a counter strategy. Not to mention that these fights are excessively interrupted with dialogue from spectators.

The tournament doesn't really do all that much for the characters either. Sure, you get to see everybody's powers (which we mostly saw already in the last 3 episodes of season 1) and see them interact some more, but the main purpose of it was just to move on to the internship which only lasted a few episodes anyway and then it was back to business as usual. The most notable thing to come out of it was fleshing out and developing Todoroki's character which was the only participant that had actual immediate dramatic weight to him fighting in the tournament.

Speaking of characters, they're all quirky, and vibrant as shonen characters should be and in a basic way of personality and appeal there's nothing really wrong with them. On the other hand they all have the same motivation of becoming a hero and with a lot of them it's for rather selfish reasons which are never called out on by their teachers (Student: "I want to be a hero because BOOBS!" Teacher: "oh how charming" ).

Also the more the show goes on I started to notice that there's a huge lack of good character interactions. As far as I could tell, the vast majority of episodes (with the exception of maybe the opening episodes to an arc) consist of one scene of a minute or two (or much less) where characters interact in a casual way while the rest is made up of either exposition or mid battle lectures. I started to notice this because these interactions are the most enjoyable part for me. I thought it was cute when Deku was excited over talking to Uraraka on the phone because she's a girl.. Why did it have to take 3 episodes (of one scene in each) to get to the punchline of that interaction? Well I guess because the show is too busy with training sessions and tournaments..

The most prominent characters that started proper character arcs so far were Deku, Todoroki and Tenya. I'll just point out that I didn't like how Deku was handled. They make his childhood hero his mentor - he becomes his mentor's favorite boy - and the one unique trait he had which was NOT having a power is taken away. All of this happens in the span of the first few episodes and through convenient happenstance, so it feels like most of his arc is already behind him and that he already achieved what he wanted, which makes it harder to be invested in him as a character. Todoroki's backstory is a little weird for reasons I won't go in to because of spoilers, but I generally thought it was at least a step in the right direction and there were some ok dramatic bits with him. I guess the same can be said for Tenya. As for Uraraka, we get to know her motivation and background but that didn't seem to go anywhere yet. She's still best girl though. I know there's also the rival character but he's cliched and overdone, it's like the author didn't know how to make a believable character like this so he's just angry all the time even in situations in which he shouldn't be and hard to care about for that reason.

We also have All Might who's seen as the ideal hero by pretty much everyone in the show (villains included) and we get a glimpse of what he's capable of in the beginning and end of season 1. And in season 2 we get some backstory for him which excuses why Deku of all people, is his favorite boy. Not a bad character, but since he's looked up to as such an ideal hero it would be nice to see him going out and doing heroic things without being forced to, instead of being shut in the school all day. He's more defined by the way other characters perceive him rather than his own actions.
The rest aren't really worth mentioning, they take up a lot of screen time and used for comic relief, and while some of them do have their own little character arcs that continue from the sidelines (which is good and all) there's still not enough in terms of any details that we know about them for me to have enough to talk about.

So basically the main characters in this show have about as much depth and personality as minor One Piece villains.. And really not much else can be said about the rest of them. To this show's credit though, I've definitely seen worse.
Speaking of villains, let's talk about the ones that were introduced (and actually did something) so far. Yes, All two of them.

The prominent one is.. Angry.. and itches his neck when he's angry.. and uh, he works for some guy.. and uh.. oh right he wants to kill All Might. yeah that about sums up what we know about him.

There's actually more to talk about with the less prominent one who appears only in season 2 for a few episodes which is the Hero Killer. His motivation makes a lot of sense for the world he's a part of and it's similar to my sentiment on the lack of heroism in this show that I brought up in the beginning of this review. There was potential with him to at least begin to address this issue, but the show doesn't seem to acknowledge that he may have a point and when Tenya (the character who confronts him) concedes that he's right and admits he's not a real hero... he only seems to be referring to himself for not preventing the hero killer from attacking someone near and dear to him, which he had no way of preventing anyway.
So in the rest of season 2 this theme is dropped.. Will it resurface? I don't know and I'm not convinced that sticking around for it is worthwhile, after seeing how the show danced around this topic the first time. And understandably so because if the show acknowledges that this villain has a point, it's an admission that what it presented to us up until then - was shallow and dumb..

And with that, I think that's about all I have to say about the story, characters and themes.

Visually this show as a whole is pretty good but far from perfect and I would argue, somewhat unappealing. It has a nice and fittingly bright color pallet and it knows when to mute the colors when there's a darker scenario. The character designs are somewhat creative for sure since they all have different shapes and sizes but a lot of them are also made distinct by having one special feature to them that's kinda ugly like big lips or a frog face. It can look pretty lame and ugly with some of them, especially when they're attached to otherwise normal looking designs.
Furthermore some characters are drawn with thicker outlines to the point where they look like they're from a different show.
In terms of backgrounds they're mostly made up of either generic school grounds or ok looking cities.

The animation is above average and there is a noticeable improvement in season 2 when it comes to character motions. But this definitely is a downgrade for studio Bones since their shows are known for having fluid animation and great fighting choreography and this does not. Plenty of moments look dull with panning shots over still frames of people just standing around. Not to mention the action can look stiff with speed lines and Pokemon style flashing backgrounds being fairly frequent. To be fair, you could argue that this show is going for a classic comic book look, but I don't think the art is pretty or detailed enough to justify that style.

I never had much trouble with the voice acting. All the kids sound enough like kids and adults sound like adults. The acting can get a little over the top and some voices are a little high pitched so it can get a little annoying but it's not too bad. It has some really nice and heroic sounding tracks, there's lot's of fast rock tunes and slower melancholic ones mixed in but it doesn't quite sound like something you would listen to on your own and the ops and eds i found to be fairly average and unexciting with the exception of op 2 of season 2.


So overall I find this show unimpressive, fairly dull most of the time and even insulting to the super hero ideals I grew up with (or the basic definition of the word). I know many people feel very differently which is fair. And sure, it has some cool moments and it even raises some interesting questions but its answers seem to either be rooted in moral relativism or it just cops out from an answer all together. So I think I'll spare myself from watching season 3 thank you very much.

I decided to make this review at 20/25 because there really isn't much left in the season to talk about and I don't want to waste any more time watching this dreadful show.

***Story***: Boku No Hero Academia is severely lacking in this department.

There is no real point to watching Boku No Hero Academia season 2. Everything within the season is a complete one-off. The anime spends 12 episodes doing a sports event for no reason in-universe and certainly no substantial reason for the viewer to care.

The pacing in BNHA is terribly sluggish, even to the point of adding completely useless filler episodes that add nothing ... to the world or events.

The events can be summed up as follows: play sports for points, fight thug in an alley, filler. That's it. That's all that happened in 20 episodes and I'm willing to bet that's all that happens in the last 5.

Note: I understand that it might be taken as an "oversimplification" but I'd like to take a bet that anything that happened in these 20 episodes couldn't happen in 2-3 and be done better. You know why I'd take this bet? Because it has been done, because you don't need 20 episodes to play sports and fight a thug in an alley.

*** Art ***: The art is ok. By "ok" I mean it's by-the-numbers shonen. Nothing interesting, nothing great, nothing terrible either. Some scenes are above average some are below.

For Studio BONES this is one of their worse looking shows though, especially compared to Kekkai Sensen which came out last year.


***Sound*** : Mediocre, nothing bad, nothing good.

***Character***: The focusing on an entire class is a very poor choice, adding another class on top of that creates even more disconnect from your "main cast".

But that's not where it stops. Every charcter, EVERY character, is boring.

The powers are lame. The personality is shallow. Most importantly: Nobody matters.

There is a popular saying with the fanbase in that "they are all best girls" when talking about the female cast. This meme P E R F E C T L Y outlines how bland the girls of this series actually are.

Of course none of the girls matter, half of them are used for pure fanservice (literal cleavage and ass shots by the camera), and they are all given the most useless powers.

I'm not normally one to complain given how ridiculously powerful some characters in anime are, but for this series is makes no sense to not have ONE lead female character with a cool ability.

*** Enjoyment*** : MHA is boring and unoriginal.

Sure, you can be unoriginal. Jojo's Phantom Blood is unoriginal. But you can't be BORING.

And if BNHA is one thing, it's boring.


*** OVERALLL *** 3/10.

Don't bother watching it. There are plenty of other shows out there that TRY to be good and ARE good. BNHA is not one of them.

I really did try to go into this with a positive attitude. I wanted to like it. This season could have very well been 12 episodes instead of the excruciatingly drawn out 25. Really all that tells me is VERY. POOR. WRITING. With this show being so popular and having such a high MAL score I had high expectations. I am being sorely let down. I didn't even want to finish watching this season. I usually only drop shows if it is boring me to death. I was almost to my limit with this one.
Lets hop to the spoilers.


Story: A mess. It is all ... over the place. I mostly only kept watching because I want to know WHY this universe is how it is. Why is everyone mutated? How did the world react in the beginning? We finally saw a glimpse of the world's (japan's) reactions, at the end? of the 2nd season? How does that make sense. Maybe they did that so people would keep watching their flaming pile of garbage. There are so many gaps that need to be filled. I feel like they are just writing from the seat of their pants without much of a plan, a *basic* plot to follow. They ruin the action packed anime they seem to want by drawing everything out. The season started out interesting with the sports festival, the obstacle race was really the highlight of the season. But come on, do we really need 1 episode for every single 1v1? no.

Art: It really hasn't changed or improved since the first season. It is nothing novel. It's like if they animated Yu-Gi-Oh! with the software we have today. The eyes bug me less this season, though they still take up more of their face than eyes in Clannad; that's an accomplishment.

Sound: The dub is the only reason for a decent score. I've had my volume the same level watching this entire season and wow does it randomly get loud and quiet and all over the place.

Character: ahahhah what character? Deku, the glorified narrator. Yay we finally got everyone's favorite tortured soul's story. But.. IcyHot got over his daddy issues in a few short minutes because some kid he barely knows is yelling at him. "Jk my dad wasn't so bad I'm going to spend all summer with him cy@" He had potential to be a beautiful tragic backstory character but they seem afraid to get into anything deep here. Everyone's favorite Shouty McShout kind? of? tried to get a back story. Bakugo: Origins. Are you kidding? That was all footage we saw in the first season... there's no new info here. l a z y.

Enjoyment: Condensed, the story is interesting enough to barely finish. Since everyone is obsessed with this show I expected better. Fandom ruins things though.

Overall: It's so much longer than necessary. The repetition. I mean, finally Wimpy did SOMETHING useful in the very end, but it was a little too easy. I'm sick of seeing cue-ball eyes all over my dash. cant wait till this fad is over. I see it going the ways of SAO. Everyone freaks out about how good a show is.. then a few months, a year, and it's a meme for how awful the story actually was. the hype will die. eventually. and then we can be in peace once more.

The shounen that took Naruto's place was a huge disappointment for me and I will try to explain why here. I do not think that this review will change a lot of opinions, but I found it fun to write this, so here is a piece of my mind.


Starting off with the... start: the setting.
From the very beginning what I noticed is that there is a distinct lack of effort put into the setting and the world-building in general. The story takes place in a world where everyone has these quirks and those with useful ones in battle become heroes. Makes sense... But you know… ... Starting from the acquirement of quirks to the establishment of a society that functions is a veeeeery long way, which was all completely missed.
In this season, we do get some hints about certain things that happened in the past, but instead of answering important questions we just get more of them. All the details regarding the events which involve All-For-One are missed and yes I understand that there will be a follow-up later in the anime, but the whole thing barely seems believable when you start asking questions like “Why?” and “How?”. From a technical perspective, nothing makes sense and we as an audience have to just move ahead and swallow it.

The next thing in this 'world' that was extremely poorly handled was the Heroes vs Villains theme. In this show, it is presented as the most basic and boring Good vs Evil clash. The way this anime handles its villains is simply disgusting and their motivations are so non-existent....... with one exception. This is where I want to give Hero Aca its low amount of credits - Stain. I'd go as far as say that this is the most well-handled character in the series with a motivation that makes perfect sense. There is also some foreshadowing about the hand guy's motivation, but he is so over the top edgy that I hardly consider that to be a character.


As for the quality of the actual story... *sigh*
It is very basic and simplistic, which in itself is not a bad thing... unless it's full of plot holes... which, HEY, it actually is...
Not only that the quirk mechanic is clearly not explored enough, we even have a villain with teleportation power! Isn't that the best way to pull anything out of your backdoor? By the way, if you think about it... there is no way that guy can lose... ever... unless the plot says so...
And this is not the only offender in this regard - Deku easily predicts the future and then defies the laws of physics in the very first arc of the season; Todoroki getting super nerfed for unknown reasons in the fight against Deku; the mind control guy getting hacked out by the power of the Main Character because FkU; Deku's instant no-effort powerup; Stain attacking Iida's brother for unknown reasons (considering Stain's motivation) etc. etc. I won’t get into specifics to keep the spoilers minor.
All these and other small details keep adding up throughout the duration of the show making everything that happens less and less believable.

The next things in the story to take a look at are the themes Hero Aca tried to explore. I could find a few main ones and let’s take them one by one.

Heroism
Somewhat okay-ish handled in my opinion and it does have its really good moments periodically.
Starting with the good part – the anime clearly tells on many occasions that Heroes INSPIRE others and not only save them in dire situations. Heroes are symbols and enforcers of peace and are the target for a human’s basic need – to admire someone/something. The show never hesitates to make All-Might explain the reason why he smiles which is a pretty nice thing overall.
This is also where the Stain arc goes in and scores some points for this anime, saving it from being horrible. Without spoiling the thing… Really well executed, believable and relatable – a solid commentary on what it means to be a hero and finally draws that small grayish line in the whole Good vs Evil issue.
The problems on this topic mostly include the one I mentioned above about villains (WHICH IS A HUGE ISSUE) and some questionable things about the education of the heroes and by that I mean the whole existence of Bakugo.

Hard work / Working for your dream
A complete joke since season 1. The whole idea of working hard is undermined by the very fact that the Main Character gets the super powa just because he’s good. There are some training sequences, but the only huge power spikes are achieved through ass-pulled power ups. Extremely cheap and lazy overall.

The Todoroki thing
Here I refer about the whole parents forcing their dreams upon their children, despite their wishes. If I ignore some technical issues, this is handled fairly well and I really loved the conclusion that Todoroki reaches in the end.
This would really be something nice if only Endeavor wouldn’t be such a 1-dimensional ass. Sadly, this fact just undermines the whole issue and all I can say is that it could’ve been so much better.


And now I got to the biggest issue of this show – THE CHARACTERS.
Simply, horrible. Bland, uninteresting and almost everyone is defined by one quirk (pun intended).
The whole attention of the show is focused solely on Deku, which to be honest, simply gets obnoxious. Everyone else is given so small attention! I still remember how that same Naruto (before it became horrible) focused on its side cast and fleshed it out down to its core. What do we get here….? Absolutely nothing. Nothing matters besides Deku. Deku is the center of the world. Even the fights in the tournament arc took place in a flash as if to fast forward to the important part, which is DEKU.
One could obviously argue that the show also focuses on Todoroki and Iida, but to be honest… even in those parts, it is very easy to follow what the thing is focusing on (*cough* Deku being such a good guy *cough*).
And now Deku himself is a huge problem as well. He follows the same bland shounen self-insert protagonist formula without a single unique trait. He is as typical as a character in anime can ever get and there is literally nothing to talk about here.


And finally the execution of the show… To describe the feeling I got here – LOW EFFORT.
Everything in this anime screams of lack of attention to any kind of detail.
The art style is maximum simplistic as if to make a joke about how bland the characters are. The villains even look as evil as they possibly can…
If you’re going to look for any details in the character behavior or certain situations – HA HA HA. None. Everything is extremely straightforward and dumbed down as much as possible.
The good part here is the music… and damn it is so catchy. The OPs are great, EDs are fine, “You Say Run” does most of the job in crucial moments and the timing on the OST usage is great. The Deku vs Todoroki scene is executed brilliantly and is the only awesome moment in the anime (including season one).
By the way… I still couldn’t forget that horrible Deku crying scene from the first season, which was executed in the most disgusting way possible. I think a kid with actual autism wouldn’t look as bad. Also, going back to the issues with details starting with season one... One more striking detail is how bland the One-For-All quirk is… Simply, power. Goooooing baaaaack to our Deku being a bland self-insert issue……


One more thing that strikes me about this show is how it is afraid to have actual progress. It tries to keep its status-quo as much as possible all the time while slooooowly progressing with the main conflict.
To explain better what I mean, I’ll take the Stain arc.
In this arc, Iida gets the same treatment that Todoroki does in the tournament arc, aka DEVELOPMENT. But where the show succeeded in the first case, it completely failed in the Iida case. What happens here is that Iida just goes back to his normal state that he had, right before the arc started. Not only that, but the whole damage he creates by screwing up is as minimal as it can get. Unlike the Todoroki case, there are no real consequences to this whole issue except that moving the main plot slightly forward.


So, overall… This season did a better job than season one, which was literally a bunch of “nothing happens”. It finally tried to do something and had a few themes to explore. Some of them were handled okay-ish and some worse, but the main issues that I had with the show since the first season are still there: a terribly bland cast, a cheap plot with no attention to details or world-building and a striking simplicity in literally everything to the point of insulting the viewer’s intelligence.

HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE FUCKING HYPE
Almost every ep ends with a feeling where your heart doesn't stop racing and leaves you breathless; thirsting for more. Spring 2017 welcomes us to a not so old friend by the name deku and brings us to another season of HYPE, Boku no Hero Academia.

Story: 9/10
As one who has read the manga, i can say that the second season sticks to source but makes it better. The first episode doesn't linger that much and brings us right to the next arc: the sports festival. all i could say without spoilers is that the anime really does ... a great job of tweaking the manga to make the arc much better than it already is. the attention to every detail is what amazes me because even though its not that important to the story, the producers does a great job of making it contribute to whole story. in short in the words of gigguk: ITS A FUCKING TOURNAMENT ARC

Art: 10/10
I find it so appealing how the artstyle of Boku no hero is made. the way the teeth is incorporated to the character design is one of the reasons why i gave this a 10. well other reasons are the clean designs, spot on animations and the uniqueness of each character (well since this is a super hero anime) you can't find anything wrong with bones in this one.

Sound: 8/10
Nothing over the top, well made sounds, detailed bg noises and AMAZING choice of voice actors. one that sticks out to me the craft of our boy bakugou (okamoto) on how this particular voice actor fits his peronsality 10/10, same could be said with deku, all might and most of all the e-head/present mic combo. i am fully confident that this show would have a different taste on me if present mic was not commentating this arc. shit when the guy turns to speaking english, you know itd hype. same could be said with the witty banter of e-head alongside his explanations of quirkcs. side note: at first i thought all might had the same actor as might guy lol with all the youth shit lmaooooo

Character: 9/10
Alright if there is one thing you credit this anime for besides its story, its the characters. 2nd season intoduces us to a more wide variety of characters and shifts its development on the "hero" side rather than the students-quirk-school aspect. here we get to see new students from class b and without spoiling, you'll see that there are some pretty interesting faces that'll come by. shifting to the old cast, we finally get to see some depth to the other characters and we also get to see that not all of them are flawless. its outstanding we can get to witness backstories, developments, sentiments out of a tournament arc. you'll get to see that under those out of this world quirks, these people are still that, people.

Enjoyment: 100/10
ITS A FUCKING TOURNAMENT ARC BLAZING ANIMATIONS AMAZING VOICE ACTING FUCKING MATCH UPS THAT WE WANT TO SEE AND ITS ONLY THE 7TH EPISODE AND IM ON MY FUCKING KNEES WAITING FOR THE NEXT YOU COULD VERY MUCH SAY THAT I ENJOY THIS AND YOU WILL TOO MY FRIEND TRUST ME

Overall: 9/10
Now now, the shows not yet over, there are still many arcs that this season will tackle and my final rating will be according to how this anime will handle that. so far however, this anime is doing a great job with the present arc. mate you got everything. great animation, great voice acting, writing, hype, action, hype, and ofc the 18+ only Hero Midnight. yeah you'll see A LOT of her. now isn't that enough to get you to watch this show or do i have to go one for all on your ass?

cheers. oh and yeah ill be back mates when the seasons over

After the great first season a year prior, there's no question that this new season of Boku no Hero Academia would garner a lot of hype and attention. But does it deserve the attention its previous season bought it or is it simply another cookie cutter shounen action show to scratch our generic action craving itches for the season? After watching nearly everything this season of Hero Aca has to offer I can safely say that this season goes far and beyond what the first season and most shounen shows do and that makes for one hell of a shounen show.

Story: 8 (Great)

While the first ... season featured a quite standard origin story for our main character which was never particularly spectacular, it did feature some interesting plot points and tackled a few questions such as what it is like to be an outcast and what it means to learn to live with the differences between you and the world. The second season builds upon everything the show had set up and explores themes of morality, differing ideologies and perhaps most importantly social legacy. Hero Aca season 2 is directed in such a brilliant way that since the first season managed to set up and develop such a wonderful cast of characters season 2 can easily use these characters to convey the messages the show wants to by delving into these themes. This just happens to work nearly perfect and makes every new arc and subplot of season 2 a joy to get engulfed by. Yet, Hero Aca season 2, in the same fashion as season 1, doesn't do a lot that hasn't been done already.

Characters: 9 (Fantastic)

Usually, in action shounen shows the supporting cast takes a backseat to the main character(s). Because of this, their motivations, agendas and backstories are never properly explored. This was not the case in Boku no Hero Season 1 and fortunately for us isn't either in Season 2. With a greater emphasis on the supporting cast and their backstory and personality comes a greater depth to the plot and world itself as the people occupying the story feel as real as the main cast. This is not to say that the main characters of Boku no Hero Season 2 get too little attention or time spent on what they want or feel or think. I believe that Boku no Hero has always had a good sense of balance of how much focus each character needs, supporting and main characters both, to make them feel relevant while keeping the show from seemingly having the world orbit around a certain character. In short, the way the show devises up its runtime among show has found a good balance of time spent on each character. The characters aren't without flaws however. Most of the shows cast are based on standard shounen tropes which can be almost painfully obvious at times. Hero Aca season 2 makes use of an incredibly simple technique of developing its characters, which is by showing rather than telling, a technique that has been unfortunately more and more ignored in the action shounen genre. By doing this, Hero Aca develops some of the deepest characters I've ever had the pleasure of getting to know.

Animation: 9 (Fantastic)

Let's just start off by saying that I thought that both the art style and animation looked great in the first Season of Boku no Hero, though it wasn't close to flawless. That said, I think that this season ups its predecessor in every single way. The animation and movements of the characters is now more expressive and static shots are less frequent than the first season. Movement is also more fluid while retaining or in some cases even improving upon the detail found in the first season. The animation and movement of the characters all have a certain added weight to them compared to season 1 which, along with the fantastic voice acting and character writing, helps turn these characters into real, believable people. I can not talk about the animation of Hero Aca without mentioning the absolutely jaw dropping fight scenes. This show features animation to match even the best looking shows out there like One Punch Man and Mob Psycho 100, both of which, incidentally, were animated by studio Bones so the fact that this show also looks absolutely stunning shouldn't come as a surprise.

Sound: 8 (Great)

As I am no expert of sound design I don’t have much to say other than that the show sounds great which any high profile show should in 2017. The voice acting is as good as it was previously and all characters manage to express great emotion which is conveyed to me with ease despite the language barrier. Most of the shows music works well with its scenes and aids the scene to have a greater effect on the viewer. Also, both the OPs and EDs are fantastic. Some of the best this year in my opinion.

Enjoyment: 9 (Fantastic)

I have to admit that shounen shows are a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, especially the ones made by Bones, so I might be a slight bit biased when thinking about Boku no Hero but I swear to god if this show isn't entertaining as all hell. There hasn't been a single time that I haven't cussed at the ED as the credits started to roll because I was so convinced that it had only been 5 minutes since I started the episode. When a 22 minute episode feels like 5 you know that you enjoyed it almost a bit too much. There is very little that I don't love about this show.

Overall: 8 (Great)

"But does it deserve the attention its previous season bought it or is it simply another cookie cutter shounen action show to scratch our generic action craving itches for the season?" Yes. Yes it deserves all the attention it can get 100 times over. Boku no Hero Academia season 2 is superior to its first season, and a large majority of other shounen action shows, in most ways I can think of and will surely entertain even the pickiest of viewers.

I'm writing this review mostly because of the insane fight Todoroki vs Midoriya in the 10th episode. As long as I've read the manga till the last chapter (for now) and I know what is next, I say one thing - I'M JUST DYING TO SEE THE ANIMATION OF THE NEXT EVENTS AS PERFECT AS IT WAS IN THE FIGHT TODOROKI/MIDORIYA!!~~~<3
Hell yeah this anime makes goosebumps with its story, animation, SOUND (!!!!) and characters development. I like the anime about school, but only two animes (Assassination Classroom) were able to develope ALL the characters equally, even the supporting ones. It is brilliant and ... tend to see the story!! Overall score for this anime is definetly 10/10. This is the end of my small and complex review!! Enjoy the watching!

Uh ok, so ... the only progress from Midoriya we see is after season 1, and after the first part of season 2? Is this a joke right? i mean... all of these episodes full of blah blah and fights, that made Todoroki have more mental progress than Midoriya. The MC keeps being a chiken after what we saw happened in first season, he is still full of openings like we saw through the whole story, but specially at that last episode.

Story. 4/10
What can i say, the first part of the whole thing aka the School Festival was boring, but let just say that the ... race and the chavalry competition were pretty boring while the Tournament was only boring. I would've loved to see more of the other side of the story, the author likes a lot midoriya and i get, he wants us to see his progress but there has not been remarkable progress since he got his powers from All Might. I want to see what happens to the others but with detail, not simple 10 secs of the other characters in where we see nothing but them talking on how Midoriya would act, like, be serious for once. Same goes for the tournament, and that's about it for the first part.

Then comes the second part and the one i think it's good, when we get to see Midoriya make progress in a long time. He finally got to control a small portion of his powers. We finally got to see more Pro Heroes in action such as Todoroki Adult as well as Gran Torino, althought from the last i guess they didn't show much considering he is an old man (?). The point of the whole arc, is Stain. His conviction was the worst if you ask me, same goes to Tomura. "Killing with a reason" "You are not a hero if you don't save someone" and etc. Such a generic commonly used topic for villains who try to fight the good guys. His thinking aside, his fight with the 3 students (Midoriya, Todoroki and Tenya) was full of the thinking already said, more than action it was more of a try to get them to think the same way as Him (Stain), in which case Tenya ended up being by his side (Only by his conviction), Action-wise it was pretty how they executed it, really clean and smooth compared to season 1. You the ending of this already, with the stress of Stain's Will passed into everyone and blah blah, ending the whole arc and starting a new bomb.

Next (ARC), we got a filler that was incredibly boring showing us how it was the other characters did their practice and surprise!!!! We actually got to see the other characters, since the author won't show us, the Animation Studio had to do something about it!. We got some small portions of test they made for a training camp that is coming of some sort, we got some new villains introduced and that's about it, that's the whole season 2 for you. It was decent at most.

Art and Sound: 6/7 out of 10
From the animation, to the drawing, this was clearly way better than first season, it was smooth and clear but at some times it felt confusing trying to figure out were they were fighting or their positions and stuff. The drawings were pleasant, first season was full of deformed backgrounds and deformed characters, but now we got the same, but in better quality.

Character development... 3/10 but i already said something about it in the Story part.

Overall: 5

PS: Don't like my review? You are free to create your own, i will try my best to search in my box for fucks to give.

So I don't really write reviews for MAL but after catching up on the 2nd season of Boku no Hero Academia I finally feel compelled to do so. My first impression of the first season of Hero Aca was somewhat of a disappointment. Although it was definitely a cut above other shonen manga adaptations, I expected much more from the same studio that produced FMAB and Mob Psycho 100. Although the artwork was flashy and the soundtrack was impressive, the pacing was staggered, non-action related artwork appeared flat and lifeless, and characters were introduced too quickly without being given time to fully develop. Season 2 ... of Hero Aca remedies nearly all of the problems, turning it into one of the best shounen anime's I have seen in a long time.

The story so far is a standard tournament arc with a simple premise: students have the opportunity to show of their quirks and abilities to potential recruits by competing in a sports tournament. This premise is nothing groundbreaking, but its simplicity allows the series to be the almost entirely character driven rather than event driven. Once flat characters like uraraka are given poignant motivations that make their actions much more engaging while side characters like Kaminari, Kirishima, and Tokoyami are finally given distinct personalities and traits, making them add to the production instead of merely fill space. The star of these side characters, however, is far and wide todoroki whose backstory and pain brought tears to my eyes

The artwork has also dramatically improved as well. While the action scenes look amazing, the general character gestures add a whole new level of enjoyment. The animator take Bakugo, who annoyed the crap out of me originally, and amp his anger and cold personalty up to 100 through various facial expressions are sharp linework, making bakugo an absolute delight to watch when he is engulfed in rage. Iida's rapid hand movements contrasted with his serious nature turns him from an annoying side character into a loveable giant nerd. Even Tokoyami's serious nature contrasted with his whimsical birdlike appearance is a spectacle. Deku's facial expressions have improved dramatically as well\.

The sound is just as amazing as always with the music reaching a crescendo during the most intense fights spine, always sending shivers down my spine. The opening and ending never fail to get me hyped as well

Overall, it is an understatement to say I have enjoyed the second season of hero aca. The only reason I am reluctant to give it a perfect score is that the current arc has ended and it is hard to see how the next arc will top the last, but with the way things are playing out with the intriguing new villain slain, things seem to be going on the right track. I have high hopes that Hero Aca will usher in a new era of shonen anime. PLUS ULTRA!

(You must see season 1 first before you go to reviews of the 2nd season because there will be some spoilers about season 1.There will be some spoilers also from Season 2)

Heroes Vs Villains. Good Vs Evil. We are always presented by these topics. Whether it is a movie, tv show, soap opera, or even anime itself, it is quite common and typical. But even though it is common on almost every shows out there, we still can't get enough whether the good guys or the bad guys will win on the last episode of the series or film.

Last year, the anime community was hitted ... by a ''meteor'' in Spring 2016. A meteor that brought as another shounen anime, trying to compete to countless shounen anime out there. That's right. I am talking about 'Boku No Hero Academia' or 'My Hero Academia'. We were all shocked that how did we love watching a very simple storyline of an anime like this one. Boy don't have any superpowers but he is still determined to become a hero like his favorite hero someday. Then after through hardwork and some help of his favorite hero he got in to a school of superheroes. Easy story, but almost all of us loved it. Boku No Hero Academia last year showed us that even you write a simple story, there is a chance that people will love it if you put your heart into it.

Now I am not going to talk about Season 1 here cause it is already over. We moved on already. The boy is now a student on a hero academy then of course, the 'incident' was finished. This begs the question. ''What are the things that will happen so far?''. Well this question will be answer if you watch the latest one which is ''Boku No Hero Academia 2nd Season''.

The 2nd season's story is quite different than season 1, but the setting is almost the same. At the first season, the author presented the main protagonist to be a boy named 'Midoriya, Izuku', who dreams to become a superhero like his most favorite hero 'All Might'. Although, most children like Midoriya should have 'Quirks' already (Mostly in kindergarten), basically, superhuman powers. If someone has a quirk, of course he/she can be a hero. With just a little hardwork, he/she can. But unfortunately, he doesn't have a quirk.. He was ''Quirkless''. This world where Midoriya lives on, is also painful. Villains.. That's right.. If there are heroes, there will be villains obviously. Some take their powers as a chance to do inappropriate things by the law like stealing and causing damage to property, then some are using it for terrorism like what happened to the climax of the first season where the villains attacked the training grounds of the academy.

So I gave you a brief summary of season 1 I guess. Season 2, however, is all about competition. The school of Midoriya is no different to our schools on real life. Our schools always host competition whether the students on the same school body fight with their minds or against other schools. On this school competition (But it's called a sports festival on the series and it's one of the most famous ones by the setting of the story), all the characters showed resolve towards their one goal. To be ''No. 1'' on the competition.

The showing of their quirks was quite splendid throughout the battles whether it is the race, group/team battle, then the most awaited one which is the 1 vs 1 tournament. We saw the developments of some characters like Midoriya where he can fight against a recommended student like 'Todoroki Shouto', who is more powerful than him. But he still motivated him to fight him seriously without hiding any potential power. Another character who developed the prowess of determination was 'Uraraka, Ochako'. She, who uses gravity manipulation (but still don't know how to use it properly), was quite not a good match for 'Bakugou, Katsuki', who has a very powerful quirk called 'Explosion'. With the huge power difference and potential, Uraraka was sure she will lost but because her desire gets her the determination to almost beat him.

Even though there are some who developed from the Tournament arc, there were some who falls down a bit. Yeah. The losers of course. This is what I call character development as its finest. All of the characters in the tournament were developing traits, friendship and teamwork even though it is a competition. Also, this tournament arc offers us another important element for characters called ''balance'' or ''character balance''. In many shows, we expect the main protagonist to win any fight he can. In this one however, almost everyone were like the main characters where we were presented by their purpose and resolve throughout the episodes.

It was not only about Midoriya and all, even the supporting ones were participating. Also, I (or maybe you) thought that Midoriya will win in the 1v1 tournament, but making him win was inappropriate to the storyline so the author decided to ''thrown-off'' Midoriya awhile. This was a good decision base on the facts involve to other characters like Todoroki's inevitable half-cold, half-hot power. But of course, that was a sports festival. The real trial comes when they go out there to society with the heroes teaching them what will happen. What will really happen when a villain attacks a society where heroes are there. This was also a training for the students of class 1-A of the hero course. On this part, I was like ''Finally.. He learned how to use it properly''. If you watched season 2, you might feel the same as I do. There were so many to talk about this series not only the tournament. The battle against the hero killer was one of the most important one here. Its hidden meaning to heroes and villains were inspirational making them both stronger.

Hero Killer Stain motivating villains at the end while the 3 students Midoriya, Todoroki and Iida learned that teamwork and calmness were the key to defeat a villain and vengeance should not be tolerated by someone who calls themselves a hero. The final exam shows the viewers how heroes should have the mind working with your teammate to try, avoid, and overcome their enemys' quirks and the trials ahead. With Bakugou and Midoriya teaming up against the most powerful hero out there which is 'All Might' for the exam, we all have seen how both of them changed from all the events happened in the school of heroes. It is not only the heroes who improved, but the villains as well. The so-called ''League Of Villains'' that attacked the U.A students last season is back and more serious on getting the head of 'All Might'. With the hero killer giving inspiration to potential villains out the society, we can expect they will make a move soon.

Season 1 was all about the starting-point of our characters' journey to the path of becoming a hero. Season 2 was all about the efforts, trials, problems and how they solve it efficiently with determination, teamwork and hardwork. I don't have to tell about the characters, art, sound, and enjoyment because I think you already have a guess that all of them are perfect combinations of the story itself. I will not say season 2 was better than season 1 but I think season 2 is pretty damn enjoyable then season 1 because we get to see good fights, character developments and all other stuffs not only from the hero side, to the villain side as well. So overall, I gave this anime a 10/10. What a masterpiece it is.

Warning! I've seen only 6 episodes. i reached the fanservice scene and went to a priest to cleanse my soul.

Story 3:
There is more asspulls than Jojo part 2. Somehow. The tournament arc is bad and unnecesseraly long. Why is there a hero tournament where bussiness students head face to face with Class-A.

Art 9:
It's good.

Sound 5:
The OP is worse than before.
...
Characters 1:
I really hated Todoroki, Deku, and Uraraka as if I'm being cursed by the Antichrist. Iida has nice character development. Mineta also exists. Bakugo's screaming brings pleasure to my ears.

Enjoyment 2:
The fanservice scene from ep. 6 is the worst fucking thing I've had the displeasure of seeing. I have never been so uncomfortable in my life. They are 15 ffs.

Overral 4:
Season 2 is just r/bokunoeroacademia material. Bad.