When I wrote about “Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto,” I promised not to try to convert my readers into dedicated anime viewers, but I did say that there are gems worth watching. “My Hero Academia” (“Boku no Hero Academia”) is one that I can’t help mentioning, particularly because I think it will appeal to Harry Potter fans.
This series is set in an unspecified future, when superpowers have become the norm. Approximately 80 percent of the world’s population has some sort of “quirk,” or special power. Many people have relatively minor quirks, but the most powerful may become heroes, gaining fame and fortune as they battle villains. Especially talented children compete for slots at U.A., an elite high school from which heroes are recruited.
Izuku Midoriya is a quirkless boy who has wanted nothing more than to be a hero since he was very young. He studies heroes carefully, writing down everything about them in his notebooks. His life changes when he is rescued from a villain by his idol, All Might, the “Symbol of Peace.” With All Might’s help, Izuku is able to pursue the dream he thought was unattainable.
The series is by no means a ripoff of Harry Potter, but parallels are there. U.A. is much like Hogwarts, and All Might plays a similar role in Izuku’s life to the one that Dumbledore plays in Harry’s. Just as Harry and Draco Malfoy are enemies, there is a strong rivalry between Izuku and his classmate Katsuki Bakugou. Izuku even seems to be developing a close friendship with two classmates — a girl and a boy.
“My Hero Academia” has the sense of adventure that is present in some of my favorite anime series. It also explores themes like motivation and heroism without ever getting heavy-handed. Its second season recently started. I wasn’t as crazy about the first couple of episodes of the new season as I was about last season (in fact, episode 13.5 is just a recap of season one), but the last couple of episodes have gotten better, and I have high hopes that this season will end up as good as the last. I do recommend you start with the first season rather than relying on the recap. You can view “My Hero Academia” on Crunchyroll, Funimation, or Hulu. Do yourself a favor and watch the subtitled version, not the dubbed version.