Summary
- Vs. Hero Killer Arc pits the protagonists against Stain, cracking the foundations of hero society.
- Final Exams Arc showcases Class 1-A’s growth through a challenging test against their teachers.
- Star And Stripe Arc features an epic clash with a powerful hero against Shigaraki and All For One in Japan.
My Hero Academia has captured public attention since its first episode released in 2016. Set in a world replete with superheroes and supervillains, its blend of cinematic combat sequences, excellent narratives and a fascinating cast of characters made it an instant hit among many.
From a battle royale-esque Quirk competition to an all-out war between Heroes and Villains, we have listed out ten of the best story arcs My Hero Academia has to offer.
10
Vs. Hero Killer Arc
The foundations of hero society begin to crack with the ideologies and crimes of Hero Killer Stain. A notorious and deranged serial killer, Stain had been killing heroes he deems unworthy. It wasn’t until he severely injured Iida Tenya’s brother, Ingenium, that our protagonists become involved.
While Shigaraki wreaks havoc by setting Nomus on Hosu City, Iida goes to hunt down Stain on a personal vendetta. Midoriya and Todoroki join the fray, and together, the trio are able to stop Stain for good. However, in the aftermath, Stain’s ideology gained many supporters, indirectly boosting the League’s numbers.
9
Final Exams Arc
As with all schools, final exams are to be dreaded. But in the case of our beloved hero wannabes, it means an extra dose of combat and intellectual assessment on top of written tests. Instead of the robots they were expecting, Class 1-A had to battle their very own teachers and beat them to pass.
While some fail miserably, others truly rise to show how much they’ve improved. Yaoyorozu Momo overcame her indecisive nature and Mineta Minoru stepped up to take down Midnight with his smarts, while Bakugo and Midoriya learned to put aside their strife (temporarily) to work together to beat All Might.
8
Star And Stripe Arc
America’s Number One Hero is brought into the fray, answering a personal request from All Might. Star and Stripe, one of All Might’s former mentees, disobeys the American government to travel to Japan with her crew and immediately faces Shigaraki and All For One in the air.
What follows is an intense, fast-paced clash and a beautiful showing of Star’s powerful Quirk, New Order. Although she wasn’t able to kill Shigaraki/AFO as intended, she was able to deal severe damage to Shigaraki and destroy All For One’s ploy to steal her Quirk for his own evil uses. Star and Stripe’s time on-screen was unfortunately short, but she was truly epic from beginning to end.
7
Hideout Raid Arc
With Bakugo kidnapped by the League of Villains, the Heroes are in a race against time to rescue him. Some students from Class 1-A are deadset on mounting their own rescue of Bakugo, donning disguises and sneaking in against their teacher’s instructions.
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The Heroes succeed in infiltrating the League’s hideout and securing the Nomus, only for All For One to reveal himself at last. All Might and All For One battle one another in the ruins of Kamino Ward, with All Might himself nearly defeated after running over his time limit. Despite All Might triumphing, his time with One For All is over, leaving an uncertain climate in Japan.
6
Forest Training Camp Arc
Class 1-A and 1-B are ferried off to a secret location for a summer training camp session. Each student works on both their Quirk and physical weaknesses, while bonding with one another through team activities. Midoriya is Midoriya and when he sees the resentful, sulky child Kota, he can’t help but interfere.
But the fun ends when the League of Villains invades the training camp, injuring teachers and students alike. Midoriya battles the deranged Muscular and spreads the news that they were there to nab Bakugo. Unfortunately, due to a clever sleight of hand and the fact the Heroes were caught off guard, Bakugo is kidnapped, leaving the Heroes scrambling.
5
Shie Hassaikai Arc
The Shie Hassaikai Arc melds high emotions with high-octane combat sequences. Midoriya goes to Sir Nighteye’s Hero Agency as part of his Hero Work-Studies and becomes involved in the investigation into Overhaul and his organisation, the Shie Hassaikai. In the meantime, the League of Villains pretends to collaborate with the latter, but ultimately have their own agenda.
Determined to save Eri, Midoriya, Mirio and several 1-A students join the Heroes in raiding their headquarters to stop Overhaul and his mission to create Quirk-destroying drugs. Although the Heroes were successful, it came at the cost of Sir Nighteye’s life and the loss of Mirio’s Quirk.
4
Dark Hero Arc
As the name of this arc suggests, the Dark Hero arc showcases Midoriya’s darkest – dare we say it, depressing? – point. The Heroes’ resounding defeat by the Paranormal Liberation Front saw Japan’s frightening slide into anarchy as many Heroes are either dead or retired. What’s worse, Tartarus has been destroyed and the convicts inside let loose into society.
With All For One targeting him, Midoriya decides to leave UA and joins forces with the remaining Heroes in both capturing Villains and finding All For One’s location. Stressed and under severe pressure, Midoriya works himself to the bone, but his friends at 1-A are determined that he not go at it alone.
3
U.A. Sports Festival Arc
The Sports Festival Arc was one of the masterpieces of the series, a totally upbeat sequence that was extremely fun to watch. Despite the attack on the USJ, UA proceeded with its annual Sports Festival and Class 1-A is the centre of attention – for better or worse.
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Midoriya struggles to advance in each round, One For All still injuring him whenever he uses it. Other students, both within 1-A and beyond, are given their time in the spotlight, from General Studies student Shinso Hitoshi to Uraraka Ochako’s valiant fight against Bakugo. Ultimately, the Sports Festival was an exhilarating experience that’ll have you gripping the edge of your seat.
2
Paranormal Liberation War Arc
Things go from bad to worse for the Heroes in this arc, an arc filled with tense, emotional moments and unexpected twists. The raid on Jaku General Hospital and the capture of Dr Garaki Kyudai didn’t go as planned, going topsy-turvy the moment Shigaraki woke up.
Gigantomachia destroys almost every city he stomps through, while Shigaraki has powered up so much that the Heroes struggle to put a stop to him. But it was Dabi’s public revelation as being Endeavour’s oldest son that really broke the camel’s back. With Midnight and many other heroes dead and hero society’s reputation in tatters, Japan quickly teeters on the brink of utter ruin.
1
Final War Arc
Emotions run high in the penultimate arc of the series, as One For All and All For One finally clash in one last decisive battle. Although the anime has only covered half of the arc, it’s already shown the high stakes and high emotions involved.
Toga Himiko and Todoroki Touya gain a satisfying conclusion to their respective arcs, while All Might returns to action in a superpowered suit. Midoriya and Shigaraki meet in battle, the latter still struggling with assuming agency over his body from All For One. With the final season upcoming, the end promises to be brutal, impactful and profound in equal measure.
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