Key things
- My Hero Academia Season 5 lacked high stakes and felt like a setup for Season 6.
- Season 4 had amazing action sequences, but suffered from limitations in animation.
- Season 2 impressed fans with Midoriya's intelligent use of power and iconic moments like his fight with Todoroki.
My Hero Academia is one of the most hyped anime around, and its latest season is as fascinating to fans as ever. Manga fans were well aware of the significance of the arc that would be covered in the anime, which proved to be an absolute joy to witness first hand.
While every season My Hero Academia was pretty brilliant in its own right, there's no denying that some parts are just better than others for many reasons. While fans have to have their favorites, every season My Hero Academia it has episodes and arcs of varying quality that can be ranked based on how entertaining and memorable they are. So, here they are best MHA season.
Updated October 1, 2024 by Mark Sammut: My Hero Academia season 7 is almost done with only two episodes left. Although still not complete, enough content has been released to properly rate the course. Where does entry 2024 belong? The best seasons of My Hero Academia?
7 Season 5
MyAnimeList: 7.36
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March 27, 2021 – September 25, 2021 |
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Number of episodes |
25 |
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Bones |
The fifth season My Hero Academia it was fun to watch in its own right; however, it lacked the high stakes that fans have grown accustomed to over the past few seasons. While the pace picked up as the League of Villains established themselves as serious villains with immense powers, this arc came too late and followed a bunch of inconsequential plots and story beats.
Of course, as is the case with everyone My Hero Academia season, the anime was still packed to the brim with amazing animation and great revelations. Watching Deku wield a completely different power in the form of Blackwhip made for a great time, and that plot thread would pay off in Season 6. Ultimately, Season 5 largely feels like a set-up for her successor, especially the Meta Liberation Army arc that is almost all the basics for the Paranormal Liberation War series arc 6.
6 Season 4
MyAnimeList: 7.87
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October 12, 2019 – April 4, 2020 |
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Number of episodes |
25 |
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Bones |
Season 4 includes some of these My Hero Academiahigh points, with the mission to save Eri being a huge highlight of an action-packed season that's packed to the brim with stunning animation and fight sequences. However, season 4 is also where the show's production starts to show some of its limitations, leading to some of the more notable struggles in the manga suffering either due to poor artistic choices, overproduced segments, or both.
Notable examples of these include the presentation fight after Mirio loses his powers and the complete lack of sound when Midoriya unknowingly uses 100% of his power to save Eri. The former takes away a lot of the emotion that arises from Mirio's valiant efforts to save Eri no matter what, while the latter is just a confusing decision where the audience doesn't know what's going on until Midoriya narrates the entire chain of events.
5 Season 7 (Episodes 1–19)
MyAnimeList: 7.90
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May 4, 2024 – |
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Number of episodes |
21 |
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Studio |
Bones |
Season 7 still has two more episodes to air, but enough content has been released to make a judgment call. If the last two episodes change the position of the season, the article will be updated accordingly.
Much like Season 4 struggled to live up to its immediate predecessor, Season 7 faced an uphill battle to be a worthy continuation of its previous course. Although exciting in a vacuum, the impact of the Final War Arc is tempered somewhat by the existence of the Paranormal Liberation War Arc, a similar but more chaotic and intense story. Ideally, they should be seen as one continuous saga rather than separate battles, but they are broken up by three short arcs that slow the pace. More importantly, Season 7 just isn't fresh compared to the 2022 entry.
Just to be clear, My Hero Academia Season 7 is still fun. The Star and Stripe Arc kicked things off on an epic note by immediately pitting All for One (in Shigaraki's body) against America's ultimate hero. Even though this fight only lasts about two episodes, it's one of the anime's best, with both characters going straight for the kill. The only thing holding this arc back from pure greatness is Star and Stripe being a minor character in the grand scheme of things.
The UA Traitor Arc has an interesting premise that unfortunately isn't nearly as big. The idea of one of the students passing on information to All for One could have been great, but the reveal fell flat due to the reliance on a character who couldn't handle that type of drama. Even betrayal was quickly swept under the rug.
In the end, these two minor arcs simply set the stage for the Final War, an all-out conflict fought on many fronts. Unlike the somewhat one-sided Paranormal Liberation War Arc, this contest is much more even, with the heroes taking on the villains. The Shigaraki/All for One battle with Deku ends up being the focus, but dozens of characters on both sides get their time to shine. Final War is good with moments of greatness.
4 season 1
MyAnimeList: 7.85
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April 3, 2016 – June 26, 2016 |
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Number of episodes |
13 |
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Bones |
The first season My Hero Academia it was half as long as the other series of the show, but only needed a few episodes to get fans involved in the story. Midoriya may not be a particularly special protagonist, his clichéd personality is obvious to everyone, but he's a great focal point for an underdog story that fulfills the fantasy of power that many viewers look for in most flashy anime.
All Might's introduction is also pretty cool, motivating Midoriya to push his limits and hone a body worthy of housing the One for All. This led to Midoriya becoming an extremely powerful glass cannon that would become completely ineffective with a single use of his Quirk, this explosive yet destructive power coming into focus during the entrance exams where Midoriya showed his qualities as a hero.
3 season 2
MyAnimeList: 8.07
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April 1, 2017 – September 30, 2017 |
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Number of episodes |
25 |
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Studio |
Bones |
unsurprisingly, My Hero Academia shot to stardom after a strong first season. Fans couldn't wait to see how Midoriya and the rest of Class 1-A would use their powers, and the anime certainly didn't disappoint in that regard. Sure, Midoriya was still a self-destructive maniac, but he found a new and intelligent way to use his power that wouldn't cripple him with just one use.
There are some iconic moments from the show that take place in the second season, including the amazing fight between Midoriya and Todoroki, which was pure spectacle and delivered in every way. The fact that Midoriya was able to unlock the Full Cowl and master the use of One for All was also quite welcome, with the introduction of Gran Torino also slowly revealing All Might's unique and interesting story.
2 Season 3
MyAnimeList: 8:00am
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April 7, 2018 – September 29, 2018 |
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Number of episodes |
25 |
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Studio |
Bones |
The arcs that took place during Season 3 were amazing, fleshing out the stories of several characters and proving yet again why the League of Villains was a group to be feared in the series. Perhaps the biggest reason so many fans rate this season highly is because it features All Might's final superhero battle before his retirement.
His fight against All For One is laced with emotion, and his final blow essentially serves as a passing of the torch to Midoriya. The students also get to shine in different arcs of the season, with the battle between Midoriya and Bakugo helping Bakugo's character develop in ways no one could have predicted.
1 Season 6
MyAnimeList: 8.26
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1 October 2022 – 25 March 2023 |
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Number of episodes |
25 |
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Studio |
Bones |
After two pretty amazing seasons, My Hero Academia they needed not only to come back with a bang, but also to repay the footwork from the previous arcs. Fortunately, Season 6 revived the anime in a big way and delivered arguably its strongest saga in Paranormal Liberation War. With the heroes trying to cut off the villains at the knees, they launch a full-on assault that spirals out of control very quickly, resulting in casualties on both sides and unprecedented collateral damage.
The first half of season 6 presents My Hero Academia at its most frantic, consistent and epic. Each episode builds on the other and leads to a thrilling and unforgettable conclusion. The Dark Hero Arc is also pretty good, though its mileage depends on the viewer's appreciation of Deku, as he takes center stage for almost the entire thing. This storyline also ends on a quieter note, which contrasts with the almost non-stop action that preceded it, opening Season 7 in the process.