Written by: Gabriel Castillo | Published on: April 2, 2021
The students of 1-A are back to start the fifth season in this filler-flavored episode with a spicy kick at the end.
SERIES SYNOPSIS
In a world where having quirks is the norm, villains terrorize the cities while heroes try to keep the peace and order. The quirkless Izuku Midoriya aspires to become the number one hero despite his dismal circumstances. A chance encounter with All Might gives Midoriya a strong push in the right direction. Promising students, including Midoriya, enroll in U.A., the top ranked high school for heroics in Japan. The League of Villains stirs up trouble and the students are forced to fight alongside heroes. The normal life for a high school student is a far-off dream thanks to the Villains aiming to upset the status quo.
PREVIOUSLY ON MY HERO ACADEMIA
Many things happened since the series premiered in 2016. Here's a brief rundown of the previous four season to help jog viewers' memories:
Season 1: The quirkless Izuku Midoriya met All Might and received the One For All quirk. Deku attends U.A. High School and practices his new abilities. However, the League of Villains attacks at USJ (Unforeseen Simulation Joint) and the students are forced to fight.
Season 2: The students were given the chance to showcase their capabilities to Pro Heroes at the annual U.A. Sports Festival. The students went on internships with a variety of Pro Heroes. Meanwhile, something evil was starting in Hosu city. Unfortunately, Deku and other interns encountered the Hero Killer Stain. Afterward, the students faced another difficult task: Final Exams. Here, they battled against their Teachers!
Season 3: This season began with the students training in the forest. Sadly, the League of Villains made a surprise appearance during their training and kidnapped Bakugo. Soon after, the heroes raided the League of Villains’ hideout where All Might and All for One had a thrilling fight. Afterward, the students went through the Provisional Hero Licensure exam and most received a temporary license legally allowing them to engage villains in combat. Lastly, the Shie Hassaikai (a Yakuza group) was introduced while the students were on their Hero Work-Studies.
Season 4: The story picked up where Season 3 left off as the heroes went after the Shie Hassaikai. The long chase culminated in an action-packed raid that ended with Deku facing Overhaul. Afterward, some students, including Todoroki and Bakugo, worked hard on a remedial course to receive their provisional license. To lift the mood of the students, the school pushed through with their school festival. However, a gentleman and his partner almost ruined the festivities with their evil plans. The season ended with an epic fight between Endeavor and Hawks versus a Nomu.
The previous season left viewers with their mouths agape as Endeavor and Hawks busted up a powerful Nomu. However, this means that the League of Villains is still out there! Back at U.A., what will happen to the students knowing that the League is still at large? Can they even still have regular school days? What is the League planning to do? How will Deku, his classmates, and the heroes prepare? What new troubles await? This season is most definitely going to be exciting! Plus Ultra!
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Summary
Class 1-A is back and they kick things off with an emergency drill at school. Reunite with the students as they go about a sticky situation. Meanwhile, Endeavor recovers in the hospital after a close call with a powerful Nomu.
Meet the Class Again
Majority of this episode simply reintroduces the students of UA’s class 1-A. In classic My Hero Academia fashion, each student gets a nice little freeze-frame with the good old narrator giving a cheeky introduction. As a bonus, the current Big Three make an appearance to help 1-A with their emergency drill. The encounter is not action-packed but Amajiki, Mirio, and Bakugo provide decently funny moments that are also very true to their characters.
That Post-Credit Scene Though
The last minute of the episode holds the greatest amount of excitement and information about the coming conflict. Endeavor has a dream about his previous encounter with a Nomu which apparently ended with a surprise visit from a villain. Hawks, who helped Endeavor fight the powerful monster, does something incredibly fishy right at the end.
Animation
Studio Bones is still in charge for animating this season which means there won’t be many drastic changes to the art style and animation. And that’s great news. Season 4 showcased the prowess of Bones with how they brought many action scenes to life (e.g., Deku versus Overhaul fight).
Music (OP & ED)
The opening for this season is “No. 1” performed by DISH, a Japanese pop/rock dance group. The song’s got solid elements perfect for an opening of a shounen series: hype-filled build-up, infectious energy, fantastic pop-rock instrumentals, and excellent lyrics. Initially, the song seems decent but after a few listens the entire thing gets better and better. The song mixes well with the animated sequence that gives viewers a glimpse of what’s to come. Definitely give this a chance as a hype song!
The ending is entitled “Footprints” by The Peggies, a Japanese all-female rock band that’s no stranger to performing for anime openings and endings (e.g., Kimi no Sei for Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai). This song is incredible from start to finish. In fact, the first ten seconds are already intoxicating with its energy and powerful vocals. There’s a wonderful mix of emotions throughout the song as well; from calm, reflective feel straight into a lively chorus that forces listeners to head-bob. It’s terrific and omega enjoyable.
VERDICT
Author's Rating: 7/10
Seeing class 1-A back in action with the Big Three was amusing albeit rather fillerific. Most of the episode served as a means for the series to jog viewers’ memories about the heroes. The start to this season was light and fun at the beginning but gets heavy and very serious towards the end (which is likely the tone for most of this season). The episode itself was far from fantastic but the revelation at the end was a great indication that the coming season will be excellent!
What will happen to Endeavor and Hawks? What new tricks will the League of Villains pull off? What will happen to the students at U.A.? Are you excited for the return of My Hero Academia? How did you find the first episode? What do you think of the opening and ending songs? Let us know in the comments below!
Official Anime Website: heroaca
Official Anime Twitter: @heroaca_anime , @MHAOfficial
My Hero Academia Season 5 is available for streaming on iQIYI with new episodes every Saturday 17:30 (GMT + 8)
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