It’s a regular school day at U.A. High School. Students like Izuku Midoriya are shifting in and out of classes. Class 1A has just finished their morning after they completed their training exercise. The students used their superpowers to chop down some trees. Piece of cake, right?  Well, not quite, as these superheroes are drained from yesterday’s ball throwing contest; U.A High School is tough as nails! Izuku used a powerful punch to knock one tree down. His classmate, Ochaco, had to help him out. After the drill, everybody returned to their seats to continue their action-packed day. Welcome to My Hero Academia.

This animated series follows the life of Izuku Midoriya, a passionate kid who dreams of becoming a professional superhero. However, our protagonist wasn’t born with superpowers or quirks as they are called in the anime world. In this alternate universe, about 80% of the global population has them, so Midoriya is clearly an outlier at first. However, that changes for him when one day, he is given special abilities by someone he really admires. This begins Izuku’s journey to fulfill his dream. Throughout the series, we also get to know many other aspiring superheroes. Izuku’s class is filled to the brim with fantastic students who are energetic, driven, and passionate about becoming superheroes. Ida, for instance, has powerful jet engines attached to his legs; he’s also a stickler for the rules. A friend told me that he resembles me a little bit, which I can certainly see. There’s also Ohaco Uraraka, who can cancel the effects of gravity. I don’t know about you, but I’m already packing my bags to go study at U.A. Can you imagine if we had superpowers?

But what is a school without teachers? Class 1-A doesn’t come up short on that end. Eraserhead–their homeroom teacher– can cancel anyone’s superpowers for a given amount of time. All Might, who is incredibly powerful and has tremendous physical strength, teaches the class exercises and drills. Between industrial-sized city replicas and gigantic robots in their admissions test, this class’s daily life is no joke. On top of that, the gang also has to fight supervillains, too!

My Hero Academia also has a lot of heart. While watching, I feel like I am standing right there with the characters. Many of the aspects that make this anime series so great, originate from the moments of friendship between the characters. There’s an episode where everybody is trying to redecorate their dorms to see who has the best one.  Another one sees our class take a field trip to train in the city. At one point the cast even trains in a forest.  The incredibly intimate bonds between these characters make this series a joy to watch.  

Most importantly, My Hero Academia makes anyone who watches it fall in love with high school, especially as it’s very relatable. Although we may not be able to control ice like Todoroki, we all have our own types of superpowers. For example, some of us might be good at math while others might prefer baseball. We all have traits that make each of us unique. Additionally, similarly to the characters, we’ve gone to amazing class trips, celebrated over sports games, and enjoyed spending time with friends. High school may not be perfect, but, it is truly special; it’s a period of our lives we can cherish forever. The laughs, the smiles, and the incredible people we meet along the way stick with us. Just like in U.A. We are all superheroes.  I think of High School as an adventure; are you coming? If you are, then bring your superhero clothes and your quirk. It’s gonna be an awesome day!

Source: My Hero Academia Fandom Wiki