Shōnen has always been the cornerstone of anime in the West. While genres like isekai and romance now receive the attention they deserve, shōnen was the genre that familiarized Americans with anime.
There are also plenty of modern shōnen greats. Series like Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and gachiakuta are proving that the genre hasn’t gone anywhere and, for some, is better than ever.
There is one modern shōnen series that stands out above the rest: My Hero Academia. My Hero Academia has been a major component of modern shōnen since its debut, but the last three seasons (counting the current final season) have skyrocketed the quality of the series to a level that no one could have predicted.
Shōnen is better than ever
Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer and much more
Shōnen has almost always been good, but lately it feels otherworldly. There are so many exceptional series that it can be intimidating, as many fans want to watch dozens of these top-tier franchises at once.
Demon Slayer is a generational anime series that has permanently shaped anime through its films. His record-breaking films have catapulted anime into the mainstream like never before, taking this entire art form to new heights.
Chainsaw Man is bringing back brutal anime in the best way possible, masterfully highlighting the anime’s most brutal fights and themes. The recent Reze Arch film is currently classified as the the second best anime of all time at MyAnimeList.com. While there is certainly some recency bias, the film’s rating is a sign that shōnen is, at the very least, better than ever.
Naruto, One Piece and Bleach set the tone
The big three of Shōnen, plus Dragon Ball Z
Before Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen, or Demon Slayer, there were the original Big Three of shōnen anime. Bleach, One Piece, and Naruto walked so these series could run. Nearly three decades after their debut, each of these series still exists in one form or another.
One Piece is another series that is breaking records left and right. Even after more than 1,000 episodes, fans can’t get enough of Monkey D. Luffy and his adventures with his fellow Straw Hat Pirates.
Outside of the Big Three, Dragon Ball Z deserves a mention for what it did for shōnen. There are few characters more recognizable than Goku, and even people who have never seen anime before are familiar with him. His Kamehameha is a staple of the anime itself, and there are few shōnen series that don’t copy a few things from Akira Toriyama’s masterpiece.
My Hero Academia has always been solid
It is one of the best modern Shōnen series
My Hero Academia is often referred to as part of the «New Big Three» of anime, along with Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. While the New Big Three are not as agreed upon as the original, My Hero Academia did his part by continuing the baton of the previous generation.
From the beginning, My Hero Academia did what it wanted to do. It wanted to be the best superhero anime ever made, and there’s no doubt that it is. It started slow, but it had to be done. No one could have seen the ending it was building towards from the first few episodes, and that’s just part of what makes the series so great.
It’s a common trope now, but My Hero Academia premise felt fresh when it first came out. The story revolves around Izuku Midoriya, a Quirkless young man in a world that seems to value Quirks above all else. It’s such a clean premise that Mashle: Magic and Muscles, Wistoria: Wand and Sword, and Black Clover all seem to do the same thing.
Izuku works hard to become a hero worthy of the power he inherits from his idol and teacher, One For All. He quickly becomes the man he is destined to be, working hard to control his powers and understand the world around him.
The final season is My Hero Academia at its peak
My Hero Academia has never been better
While in the middle of My Hero Academia, i.e. the fifth season, wasn’t much to write home about, the last three seasons have been so good that it’s hard to see the series as anything other than one of the best anime series of all time.
The series has done a great job moving towards its end. All For One vs. One For All, Deku vs. Shigaraki and Deku’s friendship with Bakugo have taken years to culminate in the peaks they have become. Deku and Bakugo have become two of the coolest characters in anime in recent seasons, and there are few that can be considered equal within the anime.
The last season of My Hero Academia should get more praise than it does. It’s an unreal combination of the best fights in the entire series, incredible character moments, and some of the most obscenely good animation of any shōnen series to date.
After this season, My Hero Academia should be considered one of the best
There aren’t many Shōnen series as good as this one.
My Hero Academia has always been good. At some points, it could even be considered cool. These last three seasons, however, should solidify this series as one of the best of all time. Fans around the world should celebrate the last three seasons of the anime for their sheer ambition.
There are too many amazing moments to count. From Bakugo’s resurgence to his perfectly brutal arrogance in the face of one of the most powerful characters in My Hero Academia to Deku’s arrival at Coffin in the Sky, to Iron All Might’s laughter at death incarnate, this season has had no shortage of top-notch moments.
My Hero Academia is more than its moments too. It’s a beautiful series full of sincerity and heartbreak, and it’s one of the few modern shōnen series that’s unwilling to hold back in terms of depth.
My Hero Academia not only does it tell a story, it dives into its message unapologetically, letting everyone know exactly what it means through masterfully written characters and moving scenes.
