My Hero Academia Season 2

Stark700★ 9

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 25episodes (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.

DarthInvader★ 9

*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 peopleup 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!