My Hero Academia, Volumes 35 - 37

My Hero Academia, Volume 35 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 36 - 200 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 37 - 200 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

Hard to believe we're already moving into the final arc!  The battle's only just beginning and things are already ramping up in a hurry.  I'm excited to see how things turn out!  

My Hero Academia, Volume 34

My Hero Academia, Volume 34 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

Something about this one irked me a bit.  We're introduced to what could have been an amazing character with connections to All Might, and a unique and powerful Quirk, too.  She's made all but irrelevant barely halfway through this volume.  On a narrative level, I can understand the circumstances that might have led to these events, but I'm of the opinion that this wasn't very well-executed.  The lack of significant reaction from the main characters - especially All Might - along with the actual events and the "consequences" thereof, make her actions feel next to meaningless at this point.  Introducing her earlier might have done her better justice.  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 31 - 33

My Hero Academia, Volume 31 - 216 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 32 - 224 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 33 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

It's been a bit since we had a segment dedicated to developing Izuku and All Might's characters, and I honestly feel like some of this was a long time coming.  While the recent revelations concerning One For All and its users have definitely increased the amount of pressure on Izuku by a substantial amount, some of his ideologies have been foreshadowing this for some time now.  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 26 - 30

My Hero Academia, Volume 26 - 200 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 27 - 184 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 28 - 184 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 29 - 184 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 30 - 200 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

Much of the events in these volumes are focused around one major confrontation between the Paranormal Liberation Front and the protagonists and their allies.  That said, I wouldn't say the pacing has been negatively impacted, as there's plenty of intense action.  The events of this arc make for a much darker tone going forward.  The revelations in volume 30 in particular seem set to precipitate the collapse of the current hero-centric society.  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 24 & 25

My Hero Academia, Volume 24 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 25 - 200 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

These two were a lot more villain-centric, giving us some much-needed insight into -- and development of -- the characters of this series' most recurrent antagonists.  I'm not the type to believe that every literary villain needs some kind of tragic and relatable backstory, but I think what we get here definitely fits the vibe of this series.  It falls in line with the prevalent themes of how society treats its members who fall outside what's considered the norm, who's responsible for "saving" people if/when they need it most, and the ramifications of a society built around a class of professional "heroes."  

My Hero Academia, Volume 22 & 23

My Hero Academia, Volume 22 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 23 - 198 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

I thought it was neat to have this compare and contrast dynamic between the events of the joint training arc in these volumes, and the sports festival from the beginning of the series.  We get to see all the progress made both by class 1-A, and their rivals in class 1-B.  I was also glad to see the return of Shinso; I'd been worried he was just going to be used to make a point early on in the series about flaws in the U.A. system, before being removed from the story entirely.  

My Hero Academia, Volume 19 - 21

My Hero Academia, Volume 19 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 20 - 200 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 21 - 200 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

It's hard to believe I'm already halfway through this series!  The pacing is still medium to fast, balancing reflection and exposition with sequences of more intense action.  I'm glad each of the students in class 1-A (and beyond) get some time in the spotlight to showcase their growth and development as competent heroes.  I think I prefer this approach, rather than solely focusing on Izuku, or even just a handful of characters.  I can't really pick a favorite hero thus far, but I'd say my favorite villains are probably Gentle Criminal and La Brava.  I thought their arc did a good job at showing that even if someone has a Quirk that objectively seems like it could make them a great hero, they could still be dealt a bad hand by society and their peers, leading to them being cast aside and marginalized.  

My Hero Academia, Volume 14 - 18

My Hero Academia, Volume 14 - 208 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 15 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 16 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 17 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 18 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

The Shie Hassaikai Arc reached its conclusion here and good grief these books can be emotional when they want to be!  I'm glad we got some more insight into All Might's character and motivations, rather than him remaining as the semi-distant mentor figure whose eventual decline would herald dark times for Japan and the world as a whole.  Also, I thought all the interactions between Eri and Mirio were really endearing!  

My Hero Academia, Volume 13

My Hero Academia, Volume 13 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

I liked the worldbuilding added by the provisional licensing exam.  It's nice to see them acknowledge how a hero's job might not only involve combat against a villain, but also require search and rescue and a suitable "bedside manner" when interacting with those being rescued.  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 9 - 12

My Hero Academia, Volume 9 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 10 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 11 - 207 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 12 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

The stakes have definitely been raised!  It's nice to see a good balance between the school and training-centric chapters and the villain-centric ones.  It helps maintain a steadier pace and keeps the plot and characters from stagnating.  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 7 & 8

My Hero Academia, Volume 7 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 8 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

I was hopeful that we might get to see a bit more development from Bakugo, as his character has hit a bit of a plateau.  Although I understand it would have detracted from the pacing, I would've liked to see at least a little more detail on each of the other teams' practical exams.  That said, I am still definitely satisfied with the depth that was added to Yaoyorozu's character.  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 4 - 6

My Hero Academia, Volume 4 - 189 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 5 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 6 - 189 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

I'm glad we're getting to see the abilities and personalities of the students at U.A. highlighted, be they from class 1-A or other programs entirely.  It's nice to see elements of the worldbuilding fleshed out beyond the system by which students become "heroes."  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 1 - 3

My Hero Academia, Volume 1 - 189 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 2 - 207 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 3 - 190 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

I finally got around to checking out this series and I definitely think it lives up to the hype.  Well-placed time-skips allow the earlier volumes to maintain a faster pace while also making time for necessary bits of exposition.  I already have the next few volumes in reserve!