(13 episodes)
What’s it about ?
The latest adaptation of a Weekly Shonen Jump manga series, this time around centered about a superhero high-school.
Characters
The big idea of the setting is that from a given point, most people started being born with superpowers ; we’re now (at least) in the fifth generation, and 80% of the general population has powers. Only a minority become actual superheroes (or villains), of course, but it’s obviously the preferred career choice for kids growing up, to the point that the elite UA school, which apparently has this as its main focus, has become a dream for many.
Enter Midoriya, our pointy-haired protagonist. He’s a rare kid who seemingly doesn’t have any powers, and is thus the bullied laughingstock of his middle school. That doesn’t stop him from dreaming and applying to UA anyway, though. And he’s a complete fanboy about superheroes, and keeps comprehensive notes about all those he’s encountered. His true idol, though, is…
All Might, one of the top and most famous superheroes around. Midoriya has been obsessing about the Youtube vids of his exploits for at least a decade. When he finally does get to meet him in person, there’s something not quite right, though. (Not that our kid notices.) At the very least, he’s hiding some health issues (how long has he been operating, anyway ?).
Bakugou is a kid who’s been bullying Midoriya for years, although I don’t think we quite get to see what his powers are yet. He’s the only other person in his class who’s set his sights as high as UA, and takes the powerless dweeb aiming at it too as a personal insult. In short, he’s a complete asshole ; but at least he’s a moderately entertaining one.
The opening credits features tons of clips of various superpowered people, who will presumably be introduced properly when the story actually gets to our hero and his rival entering UA.
Production Values
Quite good ; the superheroing action looks fine, and the character designs are striking enough to get the “bigger-than-life” feel the story requires. On the other hand, I’m less fond of some scenes getting a dark filter that muddies up what’s happening for no good effect.
What did I think of it ?
Eh. This has the misfortune of coming hot on the heels of One Punch Man, which built itself off similar concepts but in more striking ways. Here, it looks like we’re going into a well-trodden school setting instead, and the generic earnest Jump protagonist is already getting on my nerves.
I’m giving it a second episode, but it really needs to pick up the pace and sell me on the actual Hero Academy before I lose my patience.
