Fans of My Hero Academia are well aware that the series is coming to an end, and quite soon. With only three chapters left as of writing, the end will be here before fans know it. To celebrate the end and refresh my memory on all the story beats, I decided to rewatch the entire series from beginning to end, and what I’ve learned has only increased my respect for the series.

I began my rewatch back in February, and decided to approach it by watching one arc each week. This turned out to be a particularly illuminating way of watching the series, as it allowed each story arc to stand on its own and be judged exclusively on its own merits, rather than where it occupied within a season. It also meant that by the time season 7 came out, I was very nearly caught up once again, allowing me to watch the new season with the entire series pretty fresh in mind. Overall, I have to say I was incredibly impressed with My Hero Academia, and here’s why.

My Hero Academia Hits A Level of Consistency That’s Rare for Manga

The Series Remains Consistently Good Over a Long Period

One thing I noticed very quickly is that there were a lot of great moments that had kind of fallen by the wayside in my memory. Almost every arc has at least one truly awesome scene in it, something that only becomes more true as the series continues. Often times when rewatching a show, I tend to find the beginning rather boring, because the series usually hasn’t come into its own yet; the things that made me like it may not have even been established yet.

But that wasn’t the case for My Hero Academia. The USJ arc is only the second arc in the series, but already the pieces were falling into place. From the first battle with the villains, you can feel what My Hero Academia will eventually become already brimming underneath the surface. While it has some of the familiar trappings of western superhero stories, My Hero Academia sets itself apart by bringing in these very anime/manga tropes, like the power of friendship, so it still feels like a shonen series. All Might versus the Nomu is a truly great moment, and I still remember it as the reason I fell for the series in the first place.

Almost every arc following it has some especially cool action scene or fantastic character moment, too. The series mostly alternates between school-based arcs and villain-based arcs, at least early on, giving it a good balance of action and character. Many of the early arcs are also kept relatively short, which helps the story stay moving at a good pace. As the series goes on, arcs become longer, but never really become unmanageable, the way that some other well-known anime and manga do.

My Hero Academia Proves Its Quality With Its Characters

The Series Builds Up Likable Characters With Ease

For me, at least, Deku was a likable protagonist right from the start. I appreciate how different he is from the “standard shonen hero” archetype, who is often depicted as a good-natured idiot. Instead, Deku is smart and clever, constantly watching and evaluating situations in his head. He takes copious notes and pays attention to everything around him (unless he gets off on a mental tangent). Deku makes for a refreshing sort of anime hero, and his strong desire to do good reinforces his best attributes.

But Deku as a character is a lot deeper than that. His relationship with All Might is an enviable one at first glance, but the truth is that All Might can often be a bad influence on Deku, as they both share this “do it all myself” mindset. The series doesn’t hesitate to explore the ways in which All Might and Deku’s behavior can become self-destructive, a fact which adds a great deal of depth to Deku, as well as one of the most important relationships in the series. This comes back in his relationships with his friends and peers as well, who have to occasionally remind Deku that he really doesn’t have to do it all alone.

Storylines like Deku and Bakugo’s developing relationship, or that of Shoto and the Todoroki family, add a lot of emotional weight to a series that might otherwise be easily caught up in the power-creep action treadmill. The Todoroki family’s story is one that’s far too familiar to some fans out there, and it’s rare to see such a storyline represented in anime and manga like this. Endeavor himself is one of the most complex characters in the series, in many ways both a hero and a villain, and while his redemption is controversial, that only serves to make watching it all the more compelling.

My Hero Academia Deserves Its Popularity

Horikoshi’s Magnum Opus is Worthy

I could go on and on listing my favorite moments from the series, but that would be unnecessary. Suffice it to say, the story hits the right mix of action and character, leading to some incredible scenes that deserve to be as iconic as Goku’s first time going Super Saiyan. The quality of series creator Kohei Horikoshi’s writing is shockingly good at times, and he really knows how to use even minor characters to make a major emotional impact.

Ultimately, from rewatching the series from the first arc up to the last, I came to understand why My Hero Academia is as popular as it is. It’s not perfect, but it has likable characters, excellent character development, incredible action, and even a little something to say about society. The story is full of small details that prove that Horikoshi really cares about his work, and as a fellow writer, I’m extremely impressed at the consistency and quality that he was able to keep up throughout its run. My Hero Academia is clearly a work written with love, and that’s the core that makes everything else in the series work.