Some fans feel the first season of MHA doesn’t hold up well on rewatch.
The story is just not as epic and large in scale yet.
The first arcs being introductory and less impactful is a normal thing for battle shounen series.
My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) is one of the most popular modern battle shounen series. It is held in extremely high regard by the fandom, and, although there have been complaints about the later arcs of the manga, it’s still generally loved by otaku around the world.
However, if you go on to rewatch the series, you might feel that the first arc is kind of underwhelming. You wouldn’t be alone, though: many fans feel that while the first arc is integral to the overall story, it doesn’t hold up on rewatches or rereads.
Why It Doesn’t Hold Up on Rewatch
The first season of My Hero Academia isn’t bad per se. It managed to attract a huge amount of fans when it first aired, and it’s still remembered fondly by many. Still, it’s not really as epic as the later arcs, and it’s understandable why.
The first season just isn’t large-scale enough to compare to the later arcs. Sure, there’s Shigaraki as a villain, and he sends Nomu to attack U.A. students — but that’s nothing we won’t see after. At some point, that will become a common occurrence in the series.
A huge swath of episodes in Season 1 is also dedicated to training — which is important, sure, but it’s not really memorable in the long run. Think of it as an introductory season, with characters and the world being brought up for the first time.
Another part of Season 1 that many people dislike is Bakugo’s character. While he’s still somewhat controversial later — and definitely has anger issues — in the first season he’s outright a bully towards Midoriya. He does get better, but those parts leave an aftertaste in your mouth after you watch them.
This Isn’t Just a MHA Issue
Note that it isn’t really an issue exclusive to My Hero Academia. Generally, the first arcs of battle shounen series aren’t as well-liked as ones in the middle — the Big Three are also a good example of that.
The first 20 or so episodes of Bleach, before the Soul Society Arc, are pretty forgettable. The same can be said about Naruto before Land of Waves.
With One Piece, it’s a bit more complicated — as arcs are usually very long — but still, the first episodes might feel slow or not impactful enough.
Still, the first season of MHA isn’t bad. It’s just not as memorable, especially because it was followed by the second season — which had two of the most beloved arcs in the entire series. People love tournament arcs, and Stain is still considered one of the best villains in the entire franchise.
But it is still good.
Summary:
Some fans feel the first season of MHA doesn’t hold up well on rewatch.
The story is just not as epic and large in scale yet.
The first arcs being introductory and less impactful is a normal thing for battle shounen series.
My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) is one of the most popular modern battle shounen series. It is held in extremely high regard by the fandom, and, although there have been complaints about the later arcs of the manga, it’s still generally loved by otaku around the world.
However, if you go on to rewatch the series, you might feel that the first arc is kind of underwhelming. You wouldn’t be alone, though: many fans feel that while the first arc is integral to the overall story, it doesn’t hold up on rewatches or rereads.
Why It Doesn’t Hold Up on Rewatch
The first season of My Hero Academia isn’t bad per se. It managed to attract a huge amount of fans when it first aired, and it’s still remembered fondly by many. Still, it’s not really as epic as the later arcs, and it’s understandable why.
The first season just isn’t large-scale enough to compare to the later arcs. Sure, there’s Shigaraki as a villain, and he sends Nomu to attack U.A. students — but that’s nothing we won’t see after. At some point, that will become a common occurrence in the series.
A huge swath of episodes in Season 1 is also dedicated to training — which is important, sure, but it’s not really memorable in the long run. Think of it as an introductory season, with characters and the world being brought up for the first time.
Another part of Season 1 that many people dislike is Bakugo’s character. While he’s still somewhat controversial later — and definitely has anger issues — in the first season he’s outright a bully towards Midoriya. He does get better, but those parts leave an aftertaste in your mouth after you watch them.
This Isn’t Just a MHA Issue
Note that it isn’t really an issue exclusive to My Hero Academia. Generally, the first arcs of battle shounen series aren’t as well-liked as ones in the middle — the Big Three are also a good example of that.
The first 20 or so episodes of Bleach, before the Soul Society Arc, are pretty forgettable. The same can be said about Naruto before Land of Waves.
With One Piece, it’s a bit more complicated — as arcs are usually very long — but still, the first episodes might feel slow or not impactful enough.
Still, the first season of MHA isn’t bad. It’s just not as memorable, especially because it was followed by the second season — which had two of the most beloved arcs in the entire series. People love tournament arcs, and Stain is still considered one of the best villains in the entire franchise.
Which season of My Hero Academia is your favorite?
