My Hero Academia: Season 1
Episode 3 Review: Roaring Muscles
Oh my…oh my…GOODNESS! We’re back at it again, continuing our way through the world of heroes. Since we embarked on this pilgrimage, I’ve watched the series with subtitles. As most animephiles are well aware, watching anime with the original Japanese voice work provides a superior listening experience. It also aligns closer to the dialogue of the manga. As a result, nuances can be missed with the American audio versions. Case in point, the epic line that introduced this paragraph was in the subbed version however changed with the dubbed. Why fix what’s not broken? If you’ve made that folly, please respect yourself and adjust your viewing accordingly. For those who prefer the American version, proceed; though, I can’t promise I won’t judge you for it. The Japanese voice actors have been impressive thus far, so I had to make this brief public service announcement for the uninformed. With that said, let’s go!
World Building (The Map)
Instead of verbal teases, we finally visited the prestigious UA High. As mentioned previously, the school is an academy for highly gifted students. The school is ranked as the best prep school in Japan and has the credentials to back it up, as All Might is one of their decorated alumni. In addition, the staff is entirely composed of professional heroes. It will be utterly fantastic if the series branches off into other academies in the future as the story deepens. Kohei Horikoshi, please don’t let me down.
Unsurprisingly gaining acceptance in such an establishment is no easy feat. All potential future students must first pass the entrance exam. With the details provided, it appears there are different aspects to the test. The first we're introduced to is the practical portion, which is comprised of a ten-minute mock urban battle. The testers are divided into seven city-like centers to collect as many points as possible by battling enemy bots. Simple enough? However, once the melee begins, I'm sure many surprises will reveal themselves.
Outside of city and student life, we take a stroll, or more accurately, a run, through Dagoba Municipal Beach Park. A dilapidated seaside shore with a collection of garbage built up from natural ocean currents and poor human behavior. It’s unlikely to be a reoccurring location, but it further widens the scope of the quirk-packed universe.
Lastly, the attire changes in this outing are not only hilarious but applaud-worthy. Animations generally keep their characters in the same outfits for years. So seeing our protagonists displaying different clothing styles in a short time frame gets my full nod of approval.
Characters (The Travelers)
In a colossal reveal, we learn that All Might and Izuku have far more in common than meets the eye. The world’s number-one hero was not born with his quirk. In fact, the powers we’ve witnessed him perform are abilities passed down to him. From the moment he came onto the world stage, his quirk has never been his own. In addition, it’s never been understood. At best, the public has assumed it was incredible superhuman strength. But, at its core, the true power has been the ability to transfer one’s quirk to another. And with that singular quirk comes abilities cultivated and grown from past possessors. Or, eloquently described by All Might, a “crystallization of power.” This unique quirk has been given the moniker, One for All.
Similar to the truth behind his transformation, this revelation further unveils the man behind the cape. Like Izuku, he was found worthy of being given the power of One for All. And with all he has achieved through the years, he’s shown himself to have been an excellent choice. He has almost singlehandedly lowered crime globally and, despite his accolades, still sees beauty in small feats of heroism, such as cleaning a beachfront. However, due to his injury, the time has come for him to find a new inheritor of his quirk. And fate has led him to Izuku.
Unlike many anime in which the protagonist levels up immediately, Izuku must train to become physically capable of inheriting One for All. A feeble individual would not survive the transfer of raw power. Hence, although exemplary in character, Izuku must become physically worthy.
Visually experiencing the protagonist undergo a physical transformation is often skipped over to rush the narrative. So observing first-hand the training Izuku goes through for almost a year is compelling. He follows an actual exercise regimen (Aim to Pass: American Dream Plan) made by All Might, which, while amusing, makes it all the more realistic. Additionally, it deepens the alliance between the surprising duo. Right before our eyes, we’re seeing their relationship evolve from fanboy and icon to mentor and mentee.
Izuku has displayed his intelligence in various ways in the series up to this point, and his training is no exception. It’s one of his strengths, which overcomes his poorer qualities of timidity. Throughout the ten months, he goes above and beyond (no pun intended) to clear the beach shore as tasked to him by All Might while simultaneously preparing for the entrance exam. Ultimately, his transfer of power is pretty non-climactic. Still, his physical change achieved through pure dedication is enough to show Izuku is well on his way. And the first challenge will be getting accepted into UA High.
As he gets on campus, he encounters random characters, such as a girl who makes items float and Present Mic, a sort of master of ceremonies for the exam. I’m guessing a future love interest and homeroom teacher, respectively. In addition, Katsuki makes an appearance, but in every scene, he’s surprisingly withdrawn. It seems his explosiveness toward his childhood friend has calmed. Is it due to newfound respect or simmering hatred? As much as he tries to hide it, the former is most likely the answer. I’ve made several assumptions, so I guess we’ll see if I have the quirk of foresight.
Plot (The Journey)
From a narrative standpoint, setting up the hurdle for Izuku to become powerful enough to wield One for All is ingenious. It sets up suspense for his potential power-up while giving the protagonist a conflict he has to work through on a personal level. Character development is a pillar of beautiful storytelling. Yet, narratives make the mistake of keeping their protagonists stagnant despite the events that transpire around them. Witnessing a character transition into something concretely different than where they initially started is often captivating and incredibly rewarding. An example in recent anime is Naruto. Throughout, we followed an orphan boy toil through ups and downs to become the strongest ninja in his village. As the story progressed, the series did a phenomenal job of exploring his reaction to every victory and defeat. His slow elevation throughout the show felt earned, so by the end, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride for the young ninjutsu user. It's too early to say Hero Academia could rise to that level; however, thus far, the groundwork provides glimmers of potential.
Izuku finally has a quirk. Maybe. And the entrance exams have begun. Arriving here has taken some time, but it’s been enjoyable. Overall the world-building, although subtle, was expansive on this third expedition. Now that our main protagonist has powers, the action should begin heating up. Let’s hope the intensity doesn’t disappear before it even begins.