7 Ways The My Hero Academia Anime Outshines the Manga

Summary

Epic fight scenes come to life in the anime with flashy animations and music, enhancing the intensity.
Character quirks are easier to understand, animated, and showcase speed and strength better than in the manga.
The anime tones down gory scenes, maintains a vibrant aesthetic, and improves pacing in the final arc.

When diving into the world of My Hero Academia (or any anime series for that matter), a question often posed is whether to engage with the story through watching the anime or reading the manga. As for My Hero Academia, this has been a subject of much discussion, and while there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, it’s worth noting that the anime may hold greater appeal and enjoyment for certain types of fans.

The manga showcases truly remarkable art, but Studio Bones has masterfully translated Horikoshi’s heroic tale into an animated series, which is why it’s now among the most beloved anime ever created. As the seasons progressed, the animation improved noticeably across various elements, even surpassing the original manga in certain areas.

7. Flashy Fight Scenes

The Anime Presents Many Of The Fights As Big And Bombastic Spectacles

In the manga “My Hero Academia,” battles are portrayed through dramatic illustrations, yet due to the static nature of the characters, it might be challenging for readers to fully grasp the immense scale of these fights. However, Horikoshi’s exceptional artistry ensures that each fight scene remains engaging. Nonetheless, witnessing the characters in animated form elevates these encounters to a higher level of intensity and immersion.

In the animated battles of “My Hero Academia”, bones seem to give their all, skillfully employing creative camera angles and vivid color schemes to amplify each clash, making them feel intensely dynamic. This is particularly true when the situation becomes critical, as it’s then that the animation reaches its peak performance.

6. Move Animations

Many Of The Characters’ Quirks Are More Enjoyable To Watch And Easier To Understand When Animated

In the world of “My Hero Academia”, almost everyone has a unique power called a Quirk. This results in numerous characters demonstrating their abilities throughout the story. The creator, Horikoshi, sometimes finds it challenging to depict the speed or strength of these abilities in the manga since they can’t be shown in motion. However, this difficulty is eliminated in the anime as it presents the actions dynamically.

During his battle with Lady Nagant, Midoriya demonstrates extraordinary speed, outpacing bullets in the final stages. However, it’s challenging to convey this swiftness in the manga; the anime effectively illustrates this by depicting Midoriya zipping past Nagant’s gunfire in real-time. Many instances like this highlight how the anime portrays moves more vividly than the original source material does.

5. Toned Down Gore

The Anime Doesn’t Get Too Carried Away With Blood And Gore

Many readers find one aspect of the manga that they criticize: at times, it becomes excessively violent and gory, which clashes with the bright and cheerful atmosphere that pervades most of the storyline. This tendency towards violence became more noticeable during the Overhaul arc, although it’s understandable for both heroes and villains to shed blood in this genre. However, given that the narrative shifts towards a darker tone at this juncture, some fans might find these scenes too intense.

Delightfully, the anime subtly moderates its intensity, yet never fails to portray the grim reality of injury or death when essential. For instance, in the manga, we as readers are given a rather graphic depiction of Shigaraki slicing off Overhaul’s arms, whereas in the anime, the scene fades to darkness right before he strikes his blow.

4. Epic Music

My Hero Academia’s Soundtrack Amplifies Its Epic Fight Scenes

It’s fair to claim that My Hero Academia boasts one of the finest soundtracks in anime. The series is packed with energetic and motivational tunes, with “You Say Run” being particularly noteworthy. This song begins softly but gradually swells into a heart-pounding climax, often synchronizing with an exhilarating fight sequence.

Surely, the manga doesn’t include any music accompanying its fight scenes, unless readers choose their own tunes while reading. It can be challenging to select a song that matches the mood of a battle, particularly those that might end in either victory or defeat. Conversely, the anime boasts an array of appealing tracks that make even minor skirmishes more captivating to watch.

3. Vibrant Aesthetic

Studio Bones Has Nailed The Color Palette Of My Hero Academia’s World

In essence, the dominant quality that encapsulates the visual appeal of “My Hero Academia” is its dynamic nature. This story unfolds in a realm brimming with vivid hues, where each hero and villain adorns striking attire and unique Quirk abilities, each distinct due to their individual styles and aesthetics. Although the manga is printed in black and white, Studio Bones has skillfully emphasized that every scene bursts with life on the screen through its visually appealing design.

Initially, some viewers feared that Bones might find it challenging to portray darker scenes without making them appear excessively cheerful. However, this concern has largely been unfounded in the middle seasons and has significantly improved since then. This is evident in the Dark Deku arc, which looked exceptional visually.

2. Late-Story Pacing

The Final War Moves At A Much Better Pace In The Anime

As Horikoshi started penning the climactic battles in his manga, it became evident that the years of intense labor had left their mark. The chapters released were often shorter than typical, with some containing as few as ten pages, and there were also frequent pauses that made following the story on a weekly basis challenging. However, now that the manga has concluded, Studio Bones can smoothly animate the final war, keeping fans captivated throughout.

This point mainly applies to the last chapter of the story, particularly the fast-paced action during the final confrontation between the good guys and bad guys. While it’s true that the earlier arcs, such as My Villain Academia and Endeavor Agency, moved at a more leisurely pace in the anime, this climactic battle has been quite engaging to witness.

1. Voice Acting

Hearing The Heroes And Villains Scream Out Their Attacks Makes Many Fights Feel More Impactful

Fans of the “My Hero Academia” anime will never forget the memorable scene in which All Might defeats All For One, following his dramatic shout of “United States of Smash” as a declaration of victory. Scenes like these are filled with powerful voice acting that intensifies fight sequences or adds emotional depth to more personal interactions between Deku and his companions.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that the English dub of My Hero Academia is top-notch, making it convenient for viewers who opt for watching without subtitles. This feature, while seemingly trivial, significantly enhances the viewing experience, particularly during action sequences and the narrative as a whole.

2025-05-25 10:44