My Hero Academia Fans All Agree That This Is The Worst Season So Far
Since its 2014 manga debut in the pages of Shonen Jump, "My Hero Academia" has exploded to become one of the most popular modern anime shows out there. The series focuses on the tale of Izuku Midoriya, who is striving to become a hero in a world where most of the population has their own unique ability, called a Quirk. Izuku deals with his personal growth in the coveted UA High School, being mentored by the world's top symbol of peace, All Might, and battling a host of dangerous villains that will stop at nothing to take out the world's latest generation of hopeful heroes. "My Hero Academia" is so popular that the franchise has produced three movies, two video games, and a few manga spin-offs.
The anime series also has five seasons under its heroic utility belt, with no signs of slowing down. And going by the latest trailer, it appears everything is going Beyond Plus Ultra, as the series is likely going to further delve into the "Paranormal Liberation War Arc" from the manga.
Making it to so many seasons is an astonishing fate for any anime, as some infamously end abruptly before the author wraps up the story. And "My Hero Academia" has had some shining moments during its run so far. However, not all seasons have been as super strong as the anime's many young heroes. In fact, fans on Reddit have no problem agreeing that one season sticks out as the worst so far.
Season 5 ranks as the lowest with fans
"My Hero Academia" might have raced out of the gates with a strong start in the first two seasons, but its latest hasn't exactly thrilled fans as much. One Reddit post about the latest season begins by stating that, unlike previous ones, Season 5 has been the most frustrating. The initial posts continue to break down specific criticisms, especially of the poor handling of the story arcs from the manga. "From the anger I felt halfway through JT [Join Training Arc], from the unnecessary rearrangement of arcs to a half-baked adaptation of an amazing arc, I can say without a doubt that Season 5 is so far the worst season of MHA, and it makes me fearful for its future," u/MemberBerry4 posted.
Despite some fans noting some of the positive moments in Season 5, it has come under similar scrutiny, especially the anime's jarring shift from how it handled the story arcs from the manga. Some flip-flopping occurs between the "Meta Liberation Army Arc" and the "Endeavor Agency Arc." In the manga, the "Endeavor Agency Arc" follows the "Meta Liberation Army Arc," yet the anime series largely reverses the order between the two. Other anime series might be able to get away with such a significant deviation. But in the case of "My Hero Academia," it broke up the flow and slighted an amazing storyline meant to give an anticipated spotlight to the series' villains. U/dumb_trashcan said it best when they posted, "Season 5 made me start reading the manga after I learned how much they butchered the storyline."
The franchise's third movie might have weakened Season 5
In 2021, the series released its most successful film to date with "My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission." The movie is the third entry and has earned over $46 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). It premiered in Japan in August 2021, roughly when Season 5 was showing on TV. The movie does take place during the "Endeavor Agency Arc." It doesn't pull anything directly from the manga, but Episode 104, is a direct anime-only tie-in to the film. With such a planned connection, it's not far-fetched to theorize that the movie might have played a role in the switching of two big story arcs.
Fans have pointed out that Studio Bones' film work during seasons is already concerning. It's even caused some fans to be concerned about a potential dip in animation quality for Season 6. There hasn't been official word on another anime movie project, which should help ease some concerns. But never say never. After all, series creator Kōhei Horikoshi once regarded "My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising" as the last film from the series (via Anime News Network), and those plans suddenly changed with the unveiling of "World Heroes' Mission."