Season 6 of My Hero Academia sees the Pro Heroes face one of the toughest battles yet, as the mightiest foes rise up to offer not just a devastating fight on the battleground but also in the public sphere in the wake of destruction, revelations, and multi-faceted failings.
Story
My Hero Academia season 6 begins with the pro heroes attacking the Paranormal Liberation Front, as Garaki manages to hold Shigaraki safe until he can wake up and wreak havoc, which he does, as heroes try and fail to contain him.
While they evacuate civilians, Shigaraki’s attack deals unimaginable loss of property in the city. Endeavor, Deku, and the rest of the heroes deal with Shigaraki as the rest of class 1-A contends with the Gigantomachia.
Many heroes fall, including Rust and Midnight, and Gran Torino suffers brutal injuries. Meanwhile, Shigaraki is defeated by his own hatred and All For One’s takeover. Deku puts up a great fight and progressively gets better with his quirk.
All For One breaks out of Tartarus prison and takes Shigaraki to a hideout while he prepares the villain to completely transform into his vessel. Meanwhile, Dabi unleashes a revelation so shocking it paralyzes Endeavor, and he has to contend with the crimes he committed on his own family in the past.
Deku becomes dejected and forgets to smile as he hunts down all the Tartarus escapees in order to track down All For One. He’s eventually helped by his friends who bring him back to U.A., as he and others brace for the final fight ahead.
Performances
Season 6 of My Hero Academia is rife with performances that all replicate the same amount of competence the viewers have come to expect from the voice cast.
Watanabe Akeno and Miyake Kenta are brilliant once again as the leading Deku and All Might, while Uchiyama Kouki is delightful as he delivers a truly heart-rending performance as the broken and tortured villain.
The rest of the cast does just as brilliant a job with their performances as the voices are one of the best strengths of this installment, as too many opportunities appear for the actors to flex their emotional chops.
Positives
My Hero Academia season 6 manages to get dark and grim, especially in the first half, in a manner that feels significant, as character deaths and casualties do stick most of the time, even if Torino and Bakugo’s injuries feel weightless.
The new characters introduced in this season feel like great additions, with Mirko and Nagant being two of the most interesting characters who must get more screen time in the future.
The supporting characters and their storylines make for the most compelling stuff here, as Endeavor and Dabi’s confrontation, and the subsequent public reaction that it inspires, connect to the overarching commentary that season 6 is going for.
Even if insufficiently fleshed out, season 6 delves into the hypocrisy and failings of the hero society, and how the corruption within has led to so many atrocities that eventually took villainous forms.
Deku’s climactic motivations are informed by rage, fear, and vulnerability, as he also builds upon his One For All arsenal and deployment of the quirks of his predecessors. However, they’re also informed, in a manner characteristic of Deku, by his empathy and compassion for Shigaraki.
Negatives
With a total of 25 episodes, there doesn’t seem to be a lot going on for a while, as the battles and their machinations become monotonous, with Endeavor’s family drama being the only refuge of refreshing content.
The animation severely tanks in quality right off the bat, and never picks up. Even in episodes where heavy-duty frames are not required, the characters seem hastily drawn and the squiggly contours can take one off.
Verdict
My Hero Academia season 6 has an emotional weight that feels significant for Deku’s journey as he also makes certain crucial breakthroughs with his power. However, the overall execution ends up feeling underwhelming as animation, pacing, and storylines can feel hasty.
Meanwhile, the supporting characters like Endeavor and antagonists like Dabi and Shigaraki shine brightest and provide the most fodder for the anime’s drama and commentary. The season also creates a lot of hype as the big stage for the battles with the biggest villains is set.
My Hero Academia season 6
Date Created: 2022-10-01 15:00
3.5
Also Read: My Hero Academia season 6 episode 25 recap, review & ending explained