When it comes to certain anime that I tend to watch, I can be very varied in what genre I prefer. Sometimes I wish to literally cry my eyes out and be depressed while watching Attack on Titan, or I want something a little more wholesome, like Spy x Family. Heck, sometimes I’ll even watch Pokemon as an adult just so I can smile on certain days. But, you want to know what show I’ve recently gotten into? My Hero Academia.
It’s surprising it really took me this long to watch it, just because I’m a huge superhero fan and have been following both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC films for the last decade and a half. Now, since I finally binged the entire series (so far, as it’s still airing), I’m going to rank the battle sequences from My Hero Academia that I feel are the absolute best.
8. Izuku And Bakugo Vs. The Sludge Villain (Season 1)
Granted, in the grand scheme of things, I don’t think this fight is all that intense. It’s not like you’re sitting on the edge of your seat just waiting for something bad to happen. It’s certainly not an episode that could rival the very best anime, such as the best episodes of Attack on Titan, or even those of Naruto.
What makes this battle one of the best of My Hero Academia, however, is that it’s one of the first that we witness – and it really introduces you to the ride you are about to go on. It shows you just how selfless Izuku can be in his goal to save people, and how much anger Bakugo has hidden underneath the surface. It’s the start of both of these heroes journeys, and I, for one, am here for the ride.
7. Re-Destro Vs. Shigaraki (Season 5)
The only reason I put this so low is that I honestly forgot that this battle even happened because Season 5 was so focused on the villains, we were on that battle for several, several episodes. However, I have to say that this was the first one that gave me respect for Shigaraki.
Ever since the first season, I never took this man seriously. I just couldn’t take a villain who had faces all over his body and could make things decay with a smile. He didn’t feel very life-threatening, because at the end of the day, it almost felt like he was one inch away from having a panic attack.
Season 5 really changed that, and not only gave him some really great character development, building on his story, but gave us a sick fight against Re-Destro – one that truly made me think, “alright…Shigaraki can be kinda scary.”
6. Endeavor Vs. The High-End Nomu (Season 4)
Okay, I’m going to be honest, for the longest time I never took Endeavor and Shoto’s story super seriously. I sort of looked at it as a different version of Zuko’s story from Avatar: The Last Airbender, because it just felt like the repeat of a trope that’s been used over and over in anime – say it with me, daddy issues.
Season 4 really turned that on its head by giving Endeavor some awesome development as a hero. I didn't have crazy respect for him because he seemed like such a jerk to his own son and everyone around him, but you really start to see the person underneath all his flames in Season 4 – and then, we got to see this epic fight that shows just how strong he really is.
It also helps that this fight brought in Hawks, who has slowly become one of my favorite characters of the series, but all in all, super good fight.
5. Bakugo Vs. Izuku (Season 1)
There have been many trials between Bakugo and Izuku throughout My Hero Academia, but I think my personal favorite was their first fight in Season 1, because it’s really where we see them at their weakest in comparison to the rest of the series – but their most passionate.
Bakugo is determined to hurt Izuku and prove to the boy and himself that he was never meant to be a hero, but Izuku wants to try and prove to him that he is worthy of teaching and that he just wanted to be like Bakugo and to be a hero as well. It’s a battle of strength on Bakugo’s end, and wit on Izuku's, since he doesn’t know how to control his power yet. Truly one of the best.
4. The Heroes Vs. The Yakuza (And Overhaul) (Season 4)
Ugh, God, Season 4 of the show is my second favorite season and this arc was one of the best of My Hero Academia. Any time a kid is involved, my maternal instincts turn on – it’s a reason why I loved Spy x Family.
The whole story of the heroes coming to save Eri from the Yakuza and Overhaul from using her quirk from evil was one of the best I’ve witnessed from this show.
From Mirio’s sacrifice of his power to save Eri, to Foresight’s death and the final battle between Overhaul and Izuku, it had me on the edge of my seat. I’m pretty sure I binged the entire first half of Season 4 in a day.
3. The Sports Festival Battles (Season 2)
Another arc that I literally could not stop watching, the Sports Festival, was freaking great. Not only was it creative in its challenges and giving every single character the chance to really shine and show off their powers, but it was the first time I really got to see every single person from Class 1-A show off how talented they were.
I think the best part of the Sports Festival battles was that we really got to see some new stories from characters, both fan favorites and new ones, such as Shoto and Hitoshi, that made the story that much more interesting. Those final battles between Izuku and Shoto, and then Shoto and Bakugo – nothing like it. Even Bakugo and Uraraka was outstanding.
2. All Might Vs. All For One (Season 3)
You know, I’m genuinely shocked that All Might isn’t dead yet. This superhero is starting to prove that he’s like freaking Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titan, somehow still surviving these horrendous injuries and living to fight (or at least breathe) another day.
If we’re being honest, though, that’s sort of what made this fight so great – the fact that those stakes of All Might’s illness and his weakness were clearly there and had been reiterated many times throughout the show. His showdown with All For One demonstrated his strength and the heart he has to be a hero, but also symbolized an end point for the series – the end of All Might as a hero, and the rise of Deku.
It’s a fantastic fight – but only one other beats this.
1. The Heroes Vs. The Villains (Season 6)
Season 6 has currently blown my expectations out of the water.
The end of Season 5 felt like a cliffhanger, and the first half of Season 6 had me screaming from my couch and has since become my favorite season, specifically for these episodes that feature the battle sequence between the Heroes and the Villains.
There’s just so much to love about these fights, from Hawks killing Twice, to Dabi’s real identity being revealed to the Heroes and the audience, to Shigaraki’s pure strength and power that he now has from All For One, and his fight against all the heroes, to everything else – there is just so much to love.
This was the first fight in this show where when it was done, I didn’t feel victorious. I felt anxious, because now, it feels like we finally have some stakes in this show. The villains have shown just how freaking terrifying they can be, and that is what My Hero Academia needed. Stakes.
At the time of writing this, Season 6 is still premiering new episodes, so who knows what other battles are going to blow my freaking mind. For now, though, these are my favorites and I stand by them. Here’s to the heroes and villains that I’ve learned to love (and hate).
