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My Hero Academia Themes

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A Narrative Criticism Analysis of the popular anime series called, “My Hero Academia”

Chad M. Thompson
Department of Communications
Boise State University
Boise ID, 83725

COMM 331: Message Analysis and Criticism
Spring 2023

A Narrative Criticism Analysis of the popular anime series called, “My Hero Academia” “My Hero Academia” is a popular manga and anime series created by Kohei Horikoshi. The story takes place in a world where almost everyone has a superpower called a “Quirk.” The main character, Izuku Midoriya, dreams of becoming a hero despite being born quirkless. He meets his idol, and the greatest hero of all time, All Might, in the first episode of the series. All Might immediately sees potential in Izuku and starts …show more content…

“My Hero Academia” is a popular anime series that takes place in a world where nearly everyone has some form of superpower, or “quirk.” This anime follows the story of a young boy named Izuku Midoriya who dreams of becoming a hero despite not having a quirk of his own. The show explores themes of heroism, self-discovery, teamwork, and personal growth, and has been praised for its diverse cast of characters and engaging storyline (My Hero Academia). Season 1, episodes 1, 5, and 7 of My Hero Academia can be used as a great example of narrative criticism because they introduce the audience to the world and characters of the series, as well as the overarching themes that are explored throughout. Episode 1 sets the foundation for world-building and introduces the audience to the concept of quirks and the societal pressures placed on people to become heroes versus villains. Episode 5 highlights the challenges faced by Izuku in his journey to becoming a hero and introduces the audience to the character of Shota Aizawa, whose tough-love teaching style represents a challenge to the traditional hero narrative. Episode 7 focuses on the further character development of Izuku and his rival Katsuki Bakugo, exploring the themes of personal growth and the importance of teamwork (My Hero

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