Going Further Than Plus Ultra

As understandable as it is that many people will have been fatigued from the events that transpired in this years Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War, being that the said film is a culmination of preceding superhero films that pits a mass amount of characters into one context, it can’t go unnoticed how a select few will have been equally enthused for the arrival of My Hero Academia’s 3rd season. To answer why captivated audiences would have been looking forward to seeing Kenji Nagasaki’s anime series is simple, it’s because it upholds a contemporary status quo of anime which seamlessly demonstrates the said genre’s loveable aspects; that of intriguing story-telling, vivid artistry and complex characterisation. If many have already read my review of My Hero Academia’s 2nd season, then you’ll know why there isn’t much left to be said of the aforementioned show that hasn’t already been said already. Ever since its inception, My Hero Academia has radically evolved into being the most popular anime of this day and age and has gone beyond (mind the pun) audiences predispositions by cleverly interweaving character development of a large cast around thought-provoking motifs that leaves other Shōnen shows of similar ilk in the dust. As much as I was instantaneously won over by the show from the start, where the central character of Midoriya gets given his chance to become the best hero in the world, it’s the shows second season that truly wowed me; forcing me to make the conclusion that the 2nd season of My Hero Academia is perhaps one of the best I’ve ever seen. Yet, for all it’s rewarded plaudits and recognition comes general higher-expectation; an anticipation which looks to build from its success and introduce the same if not better stories and struggles between engrossing characters. As exciting as My Hero Academia is inherently becoming more than just a manga and anime product, does it’s 3rd season outing equal to it’s preceding season in providing dexterous contextualising and flashy animation?

Following on from their efforts in the Practical Exam, Izuku ‘Deku’ Midoriya and the rest of Class 1-A venture into summer vacation full of esteem as they take-on the rigorous Summer Training Camp set-up by U.A High-School. Designed to boost each students’ Quirk’s in strength and ability, Deku and his friends are put to the test by established heroes in mastering their respected powers and using this newly found hardiness in requiring Provisional Hero Licences; documentation that allows aspiring heroes to use their skills to become superheroes. Yet, as the U.A students hone their Quirks to become the greatest heroes, evil still lurks in the shadows in the form of The League of Villains who’ve become idolised by Stain’s anarchic dogma and use this to change this superhero society for the ‘better’. From emotional fight sequences to shocking revelations of specific individuals, can Deku, who now has better control of his ‘One For All’ power, live-up to All Might’s legacy in being the new symbol of peace?

As I’ve come to state in my preceding anime review of My Hero Academia’s 2nd season and as highlighted in the introduction, there isn’t much to be said of the said Japanese animated series that hasn’t been already mentioned by myself and other prestigious critics and general audiences out there. Like many Shōnen archetypes that have come before it, My Hero Academia similarly and inherently occupies a contextual outline which imbues audiences with aspiring stories and ambitious characters to mainly inspire. However, while Kenji Nagasaki’s adaptive-anime may seem as though it inherits many of the same constructs that are synonymous with such a popular anime genre, what sets My Hero Academia apart from the rest is how it consistently evolves itself from being Shōnen to a distinctive show that breaks away from its appeared singularity and presents mature scenarios and motifs that are discernible in contrasting genres. A clear example of this seen is from the preceding season, when Hero Killer: Stain is introduced to the central characters with his vindictive motives and his crazed ideology; a worldview that see’s inessential heroes culled for their lost sense of ‘justice’ and ‘morality’. It’s his views on the status quo that All Might had initially brought forward, and how an act of heroism is seen as money-making, which not only interestingly flips My Hero Academia’s buoyant outlookon itself, in addressing and deconstructing the arguably superficial nature of heroism, but it how it’s this specific ideology of a villain which is seamlessly carried forward into this latest 3rd season where characters old and new are either enthralled or concerned by this sadistic doctrine. While the majority of the 25 episodes uphold familiar aspects which are fun and emotional, whenever a character is doing something humorous or heroic, My Hero Academia has always been a show from its inception which has taken its main demographic seriously; prompting-up engaging questions and themes that are subtly interwoven with the central characters story-arc in becoming the greatest hero and interacting with characters that are complex yet relatable. It’s why confrontations in the forms of Midoriya vs, Muscular and All For One vs. All Might in this season feel so imperative, not only because there’s a build-up to the respective fights which provide natural excitement and narrative scope, but they offer in return realistic and mature aspects that aren’t one-dimensional like bouts of similar ilk. 

Alongside this ever noticeable tendency that Academia carries out in seamlessly balancing familiar Shōnen tropes with complex and relatable themes that are imperative to the advancements of character and story progression, is the gloriously feasible characterisation of the aforesaid anime which naturally gleams in allowing it’s side characters and large ensemble cast to be developed. From an initial close focus on Deku and All Might, subsequent arcs have expanded the scope of Academia’s central narrative-point, meaning that audiences will have naturally been invested in the majority of the rest of the characters; since they come to fester in-and-out of each arc. This is noticeable within the last season, when the likes of Todoroki, Iida and Bakugo where given depth that added to the value of Deku’s rise in becoming a wannabe hero. Season 3 is no different and uses the same methods near the beginning. Just like the Tournament Arc in the season 2 allowed time to emphasise on characters that wouldn’t normally see major screen-time in other like-minded Shōnen shows, the training camp arc in season 3 similarly bides its time in necessarily developing characters to the point where they feel imperative to the central story. Scattered across a dark forest and forced to reckon with villains on their own terms, these first few episodes of this latest season not only offer thrilling action pay-off’s for many of Class 1-A’s unsung heroes, much in the vein of the Sports festival of season 2, but it additionally allows us to see unexpected team-ups and character embellishments that further enrich the world of Academia. This is forever noticeable in the episode that’s dedicated to the character of Tetsutetsu, named “Drive It Home, Iron Fist!!!” where we initially see the said characters bereavement of Class 1-A’s popularity and decides to take the opportunity for his class to become noticed as well in taking out The League of Villains. All though his presence was known initially in season 2, the very fact that there’s an episode dedicated to his internal struggles and inevitable rise concretely shows Academia’s devotion to all its characters and how each one of them remain imperative to the world-building of this fantastically lively archetype. 

From the shows rather meteoric rise in popularity, how it’s naturally become the anime that all audiences gauge-over and has, in return, exhibited a cinematic-feature which has rightly boomed in the American box-office, it’s fair to fathom that My Hero Academia’s second season ultimately represented a dramatic step-up from its initial outing. With the first season having to deal with expected introductory synopsis, of Deku gaining One For All and learning his trade in being a hero at U.A. High School, season two was able to expand upon not only the central protagonists story, in finally gaining control of his power, but also its expansive story scope; rightly focusing on thrilling arcs that proficiently provided necessary depth of the show’s vast cast. It was because of this increased breadth of character development which inherently saw improvement upon the anime’s production, forever intertwining its effective and expressive animation with emotional and powerful sequences of characters fighting that eclipsed its initial success from the preceding season. It’s clear from what’s briefly been mentioned here, and what I’ve come to mention in my actual review of Academia’s second season, that the aforesaid season substantially raised the bar so highly that it was always going to be tough for the next season, the third, to equally reach the same credit in boasting story-arcs that continually develops side-characters and exhibit sequences that seamlessly synchronise animation and emotion together. Upon reflecting on the twenty-five episodes that make-up this latest season, the answer into whether this third season matches to the production-value of its predecessor is multifaceted since there many good and bad aspects to consider. While it’s clear that season three chooses, like the previous season, to display two clear halves that respectively demonstrate their own contextual strengths, it can’t go unnoticed how unnecessarily messy the whole season is due to its mass amount of stories and character interactions. As much as the fact that you’ll be satisfied with the amount of story-telling you’re given by the end, which makes you want to watch more, this overload of story-telling can be seen as a double-edged sword considering the pacing of these mass scenarios can seem a little out of place. A good example of this seen is near towards the end of the season where Deku and the rest of Class 1-A are introduced to ‘The Big Three’. Yes, this last episode rightly gets fans and audiences invested in the season to follow-on. However, it does seem as though its a step too far considering how the 2nd fight between Deku and Bakugo ends on a equally satisfying note that gets you invested for the next instalment. What’s equally as unsatisfying is how subtly underwhelming the Provisional Licence Exam arc appears to be in comparison to it’s beginning. Indeed, the first half of this season pretty much carries on where season two left in focusing on Deku’s rise as well as delving into other characters that haven’t been given their time to shine; facets that My Hero Academia has cultivated since its appearance. With the first 6-7 episodes ending on a sorrowful note for our love bale protagonists, the training camp arc subsequently ends on a finale that is unforgettable; with Deku and some Class 1-A members trying to rescue Bakugo from The League of Villains and All Might facing the daunting All For One for the last time. It’s an arc that overall adds an added layer onto the already known characters, similar to what the Sports Festival arcs manages to in season two. Oddly still, once the second half of this season begins, much of that intensity is subtly dissipated; subsequently making episodes afterwards feel not as engaging even though they’re important to the ensemble of Class 1-A. One of the many gripes that has to be mentioned in My Hero Academia overall was it commitment to bestow consequence on those characters that failed. If a character lost a fight or failed a particular test, then there was always an episode that rectified that predicament and it’s satisfying to see how much this new season rectifies this. From Midoriya receiving severe damage on his arm from fighting Muscular to All Might completely losing his power after facing All For One, there are evident repercussions here that feel appropriate in relation to the story and the characters. But, it’s within the second half of the season where all of that is forgotten, where characters like Todoroki fails to receive his license, yet is given the chance to earn it a bit later rather than the next year? As enjoyable as it is seeing Deku and the rest of Class 1-A as always bonding together to reach their goals in becoming fledgling heroes, there was never any real great emphasis placed on these characters in relation to the severity of what they were doing and how they could have easily not earned their Pro License due to other contenders. It’s only when Deku and Bakugo face-off near the end of this series, with both characters respectively ‘share’ their feelings for one another through fighting each other, when this intensity finally emerges once again – but already too little too late.    

Fortunately, where My Hero Academia slightly falters in consistently pacing the vast array of story scenarios and character intertwining’s, it succeeds in wholly presenting a clean and eye-popping animation style that wonderfully bursts to life at the right moments. At this current moment instant, the presentation in which My Hero Academia presents is in a class of its own as it can bestow fluency and detail of characters and their actions in the most expressive fashion. Whereas the misgivings of the animation style come when gazing within the background of many different locations, where landscapes, buildings and trees are displayed in a way that appear unfinished, it makes-up for that particular inconsistency in applying vivid and expressive detail within its imperative fight sequences. To simply put it, the production truly soars past the display that was seen in the preceding season when Deku faces Todoroki in the tournament arc. All Might’s battle with All For One at the end of the first half of the new season is solid indication of this; since it crescendos the subtle narrative nuances of the two fighters’ relationship with eloquent drawn marks of character motions that provide the necessary impact. But it’s the animators versatility in providing different action scenes that make these scenarios so memorable, As seen when Deku faces Bakugo once more, demonstrating the kinetic and fluidity of distinctive movements Yutaka Nakamura and Studio BONES breathlessly offer. The fluency in which characters leap onto buildings or subtly move their hands or legs in an act of desperation is expressionate yet natural all at once and inherently adds verisimilitude to a show that wants to break its ‘realism’ through elaborate moments.

Along with the spectacular bursts of colour and expression that My Hero Academia seamlessly executes through its emotional fight sequences, much of these highly-spoken moments wouldn’t have been distinguishable if it wasn’t for the alluring sound design. While the first opening of this new season took me a fair while to appreciate in listening to, since the music at hand doesn’t necessarily marry-up with what’s being shown within the opening credits, the music and orchestrated soundtrack that diversifying and accessible to hear is a sumptuous joy since each musical piece, whether designed to be buoyant or sombre, significantly adds to what’s being displayed. From the subtle and harrowing variation of All Might’s theme that plays once the character of All For One enters the fray, to the roaring orchestral’s of drums and violins that boom once we see All Might using his last remains of his power, it can’t go unnoticed how smoothly the music heightens specific moments of importance and beautifully accentuates moments of grand emotion. In regards to the voice-acting, this is one anime show where you won’t be bothered by either versions of English subtitled or dubbed. The voice-acting in either version feel natural to the corresponding character; whether it’s Christopher Sabat championing his role as All Might or Justin Briner accentuating Deku’s characteristics of being heroic and nerdy.     

With the arrival of My Hero Academia: Two Heroes releasing in America, and soon to be shown in U.K. near Christmas time, it’s very hard for an anime fan within this time to ignore Kenji Nagasaki’s anime series of My Hero Academia since it proudly adopts Shōnen action tropes in way that feels fresh and redefined. As much as it was always going to be an uphill achievement for Academia’sseason 3 to out-achieve what the preceding season had managed to produce, there’s animated excellence here that distinguishes itself from the rest of the pack; not only in terms of its’ breakout stylistic moments, but within it’s complex and fun content as well. By no means is it all perfect, considering that the show’s second half of season three does lack impact compared to its preceding events. Yet, the fact that I still found myself addicted to watch the next episode just after one ended, shows its staying power and it manages to consistently make characters and stories still seem engaging. Deku and all his friends and teachers still feel incredibly charming in their own way and it’ll be interesting to see how future events unfold in season four now that a lot of things have changed for a lot of individuals…

On that note, it’s time for me to end this week’s anime review. As always’s everyone, thank you for reading my latest anime review of My Hero Academia’s third season and I hope you’ve all enjoyed the read! 😊 If anyone has an opinion on either my review or the animated series itself, you’re more than welcome to share your thoughts down below. If anyone’s interested, I’ll also leave a link to my review of this show’s 2nd season! For next week, I’ll finally venture back into film reviewing by discussing Ruben Fleischer’s Venom. Thank you once again for reading my latest Blog Post and I hope you all have a nice weekend! Adieu! 😁✌💪👊💥

★★★★ – Alex Rabbitte