My Hero Academia is based upon the manga, with the second season increasing the episode count to 25 instead, which is awesome news. The anime is set in a world where 80% of the population have various superpowers called Quirks. These Quirks can be absolutely anything, ranging from conventional powers such as turning to steel to more unorthodox ones like firing tape from your body. In this universe, the Symbol of Peace, and the undisputed most powerful superhero is All Might. However, as Deku soon found out, All Might is hiding a pretty big secret about himself. Deku is the protagonist of the series and he was unique in that he was one of the rare cases born without a Quirk, thrusting him into a world of severe bullying.
Despite his struggles, Deku never gave up on attending the prestigious hero school U.A. High School. Deku himself has the qualities of a hero, being selfless and not hesitating to jump in to help, even though he probably couldn't make any difference. However, he is rewarded when All Might chooses Deku to inherit his power. The catch? Deku's physical body isn't strong enough to control and contain the power. Whenever Deku uses the power, he loses control and it breaks his limbs.
The great thing about My Hero Academia is that every episode feels satisfying. There are plenty of things to keep moving the plot along and thus it never gets boring. The second season starts off with a typical high school sports festival, and you feel that this could potentially end up as a filler type of arc, acting as a breather after the epic ending of the first season. You would be wrong as it is equally as intense, if not more so. This high school festival is like a personal challenge to Deku. He must make himself stand out and show himself to the world that he will eventually be a worthy successor to All Might. The festival takes on the form of a student versus student competition with multiple stages.
Even the first few episodes are full of adrenaline pumping events that make you cheer for Deku, despite having the odds against him. Having to hold back the urge to use his One for All Quirk, Deku has to think and finds ingenious solutions to his problems, and aim to be number one. Even when Deku succeeds though, the anime defies your expectations by turning that onto its head and make it seem more like a disadvantage as you realize the implications of what they had just announced. It gets pretty intense as while you do expect Deku to be able to rise up through the rounds, the situation he is put in doesn't reflect well. The advantages swings multiple times in each episode and it gets really tense and the uncertainty can kill you.
The competition rapidly heats up as not only students from Deku's class, but students the other first year class, sees Deku as a threat. While Deku was a crybaby in the first season, he improves significantly here. Yes, he still cries but he has a good reason to and it isn't because he is a wimp. The fights involving the main characters, i.e. Deku , Bakugo and Todoroki, get to have an episode each. However, the other supporting characters get their screentime as well, and allow their backstories to be told. Furthermore, we see their abilities used in more creative ways. It hammers the fact that while the characters may seem strong, no one is invincible and even the strongest have their weaknesses which can be exploited. Noteworthy is the fact that Bakugo continues to test your patience with his irrational dislike of Deku. While he sees some character development towards the end, it can be a bit much.
The backstories of all the characters are pretty good and while it can be melodramatic, since everyone has a sad fact here or there, giving them their motivation, it works wonderfully here. It paints each of them in a good light and not wanting to see them lose, even though we all know that Deku is probably the one who will win. That doesn't stop the fights from being unpredictable though. No matter what, this tournament arc is very satisfying and with a few major surprises on whoever wins, you accept it because it makes sense and not just some cheap way to make it dramatic.
After the Sports Festival arc, the next arc is the students actually going on internships with real heroes and getting on the job experience. This arc takes a short while to build up, especially after the previous arc which upped the stakes immediately. Deku learns to control his Quirk much better here, learning the key trick to it. There is a little bit of filler towards the end of the season, a bit more blatant where the episode preview state to look forward to an anime exclusive not from the manga... This slows the pacing quite a bit compared to the previous episodes but as far as original filler content goes in this season, it ultimately gives us a better look at all the characters.
The last arc has the final exams for the term and of course, being a hero school, it is not something as mundane as only written exams. Once again, this arc allows the other classmates to shine, as well as the various hero teachers. We see them use their Quirks in combat, and in surprisingly inventive ways. Deku passing is not a given and this keeps the atmosphere, and anticipation, quite tense and high. One thing that you notice in this season is the fact that the fight scenes are not only more numerous, but each one is fantastic to watch. The characters are not randomly punching their way, and nor does the planning feel lazy. Each character's moves feel carefully planned and showcase them in a positive light.
Overall, the second season of My Hero Academia is extremely good and thanks to not being held back via introducing the characters and building the world, it is better than the already amazing first season. While the ending wasn't as strong as the first season, everything else from the character development to the action sequences and the number of new (and easily likable) characters introduced, this is a definite must-watch.
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