Post — Aaron Ngo

If you hadn't checked out my season one review of this amazing anime, the link is here.

Otherwise, let's dive into season two and my thoughts on how this show continues to break my expectations. It also gives me Naruto feels and parallelisms I can't help but notice. Deku reminds me a lot of Naruto himself in the sense that no one believed in his dream until he proved his worth and the whole Todoroki character arc is basically Neji Hyuga with some humor.

Season three (currently watching) got me feeling the same with a certain new character, but I'm getting too far ahead. Let's stay focus on season two yes? Good.

Quick reminder on what the show is about: Izuku Midoriya is a student at UA High trying to become a hero and his adventures with his friends in Class 1-A.

This season finally fleshes out the rest of the cast, particularly Todoroki and Tenya during the “U.A. Sports Festival Arc” and “Hero Killer Arc” respectively.

Season Two picks up right after the League of Villains Attack. Class 1-A is dealing with the fallout of the attack while Deku recovers from his injuries (again!). This protagonist goes through so much pain and its only two seasons in... What a hero!

The “U.A. Sports Festival Arc” is the entire first half of season two and arguably the best part of the whole season. I enjoyed all the games and match-ups, literally dying of laughter when Deku became a target for his million point lead. A majority of the fights were short but incredible and had emotional impact (best examples: Ochaco vs Bakugo and Deku vs Todoroki).

Deku vs Todoroki reminded me a lot of Naruto vs Neji and how the protagonists helped their "friends" confront family issues through their battles. It is also a well-done fight scene and the aftermath of it had me in emotional turmoil.

The same goes for Ochaco vs Bakugo and how he held enough respect not to hold back against her. Bakugo rarely treats anyone with respect and to see him fight her honorably without gender getting in the way was touching. I loved this fight and how she gave Bakugo a run for his money.

The “Hero Killer Arc” went down a predictable but tragic path when Tenya vowed to get revenge for his brother. Everything else got me by surprise though when it came to Stain's ideology and his acknowledgment of Deku. How Deku and Todoroki came to their friends' rescue and the politics behind being superheroes as a result of their interference was fascinating to bring up.

My Hero Academia hasn't explored these politics beyond this arc or before it, but addressing it now can only mean it will get developed and discussed further in the foreseeable future.

Like I mentioned in my last season review, there are way too many characters to keep track of in this show. All of them are interesting and somewhat developed in the sense we know who they are and their powers, but it's hard to invest as an audience when the show doesn't devote time to invest themselves.

The show makes fun of this in the form of Class 1-B and Neito Monoma. He is obsessed with how Class 1-A is always getting the attention and takes any opportunity to belittle them on every little mistake. Bakugo even goes meta and calls them "side-characters" that he doesn't need to concern himself with.

Overall, I love this anime and currently catching up on season three. I'm afraid to get caught up only because then I would have to revert to watching weekly. I'm a binge-watcher and that terrifies me how I might have to wait a week for a brand new episode.

But if you need validation on how good this show is, it's right here. It's emotional, action-packed, clever writing, and fun to watch all at the same time! Deku's mumbling is the best thing ever and Bakugo's constant need to win is also humorous.

Sound off in the comments and share how we're liking the show. Favorite characters? This is a difficult choice for me, but mine is Todoroki. Fire and ice baby!

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