My Hero Academia is an animation that frames heroism as an act of community. In this animation, superpower teenagers train to become professional heroes and tested by their encounters with real villains. The first volume was the second-highest selling superhero graphic novel in 2017.
What Is It About?
Middle school students Izuku Midoriya is part of 20% of the population not born without superpowers. However, he dreams to become a superhero and attend the premier Japanese school for aspiring superheroes. When Midoriya came across the greatest hero All Might, he learned that his idol is dying and wanted to pass on his mantle. When All Might chose Midoriya as his successor, the latter inherits the former’s powers and attend UA High where the next generations of heroes are trained by All Might.
What Kind of Superpowers they Have
Those who watch my hero academia know that the superheroes have mutant abilities including flashy powers and mutations such as having wings. Some have the ability to create explosions in their hands, others have frog-like abilities. Also, superpowers or quirks have specific names which might be because of the possibility that the government tracks them.
What’s the Focus on the Show?
Although there is a big struggle of heroes versus villains in the world, My Hero Academia series is more focused on the characters’ personal struggle. The struggle of Midoriya is to become a hero and the successor of All Might. All Might struggled to be a great teacher and accept that soon he won’t be a hero anymore. Other students in the academia struggle with their self-doubt, pride, and living up to the expectations of their families. Despite having superpowers, they are only high school kids and their struggle reflects this. This is in addition to the bigger struggle between heroes and villains in the series.
What’s with the Design of All Might?
Instead of being modeled after more conventional Japanese heroes, the design of All Might is more reminiscent of American superhero comics featuring angular features and many black shadows. In the series the anti-hero character called Stain appears, looking like a combination of ’90 Image Comics characters whose clothing is comparable to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. These are intentional design choices; however, they are suitable for the rest of the aesthetic of the show. The manifestation of a person’s superpower can sometimes case drastic changes in appearance, offering plenty of visual variety.
