Anime RE-Claimed: My Hero Academia

Superheroes have kind of exploded on the scene as of late? What with Marvel's Cinematic Universe and DC death crawling it's way to catch up, not to mention TV shows featuring characters with super powers are all the rage, FOX has "The Gifted" and Hulu is coming out with "The Runaways", and with the canceled Sony Network (of all things) a show quite literally named "Powers", superheroes are a dime a dozen. Anime hasn't really been big into the whole superhero genre. Don't get me wrong there are certainly TONS of characters who have super powers and what not but a secret identity and the whole 9 yards? Naw, not even "One Punch Man" falls into the convention of standard Super Hero Genre tropes. Which brings me to "My Hero Academia". So what's up with this series, let's dive in and we'll see!

So right off the bat from the 1st episode I was hooked! The show takes place in a world where nearly 80% of the population has superpowers or "quirks" as they're called in this world. Some quirks are obviously more useful than others but for the most part the better the quirk the more apt you are at becoming a hero. Our hero is a quirkless boy by the name of Izuku Midoriya who is a hero fan boy and studies up on all his favorite heroes, his favorite being the world's number one hero and greatest of all time a hero known as All Might. All of Izuku's life he longed to be just like All Might until one day he has a chance meeting with his favorite hero that changes everything.

I have to say, much like Mumen Rider's speech in episode 6 of "One Punch Man", this show REALLY gets you in the feels. While I initially started watching this show for Toga, Izuku makes this show as he really showcases the awe and wonder of what it means to be a hero. The show is told through narration and flashbacks...essentially the entire series is a flashback because Izuku at the time of narrating the series is The Greatest Hero to ever exist and is telling us (the audience) of how that came to be. Izuku is an excellent protagonist, he's wide-eyed, kind, dorky, lovable but most importantly noble, courageous and capable.

Izuku's dream of becoming hero isn't centered in any self centered goal, he wants to be a symbol of hope and in the 2nd episode he really showcases his nobility saving a bully. "My Hero Academia" follows a few tropes but not enough to make it boring as stated before the pathos of Izuku is REALLY felt and makes the entire series much more heartfelt and uplifting. While I'm only 3 episodes into it, I am greatly excited to see where this series goes and knowing the ending doesn't bother me as it really showcases how much Izuku grows from this experience.

Shows that get you right in the feels are very rare and when they come along I want to really enjoy them and Izuku is as much of an everyman character as you can get, adorably flawed, humble and unknowing of his own potential and general goodness. It's a shame that Izuku isn't getting much fame out here in the anime world, he deserves it. That being said, I can't wait to see what this show evolves into and I cannot wait to see Toga Himiko, if I love her you can bet you'll be seeing her adorable face gracing my banner for 2018. Until next time, I'll catch you guys later!

Please, don't let me down, cutie!