By Shanel Kamara

As soon as I found out that Boku no Hero Academia had received a second season I have been patiently awaiting its return. I was ecstatic to learn that one of the most heartrending anime series was coming back; I can’t remember how many times I cried while watching this series. A week ago, I was contemplating watching the entire series again in preparation for the second cour. However, episode 0 summed up the entire first season well enough that I did not have to. After viewing several trailers of the upcoming season, I knew what to expect, but episode one was not as exciting as I hoped it would be.

The pilot episode centered more on the announcement of the UA Sports Festival – an event similar to the Olympics but on a bigger scale in that; the participants are potential top class heroes. The episode also gave us insight into the female hero, Ochako Uraraka. We discover the reason for her desire to pursue a career as a top-class hero that I might add is, in fact, a very noble and realistic reason.

Ochako Uraraka is a quirky (yes, I mean in both senses) character who injects an appropriate level of humor; she is not the sidekick to Izuka Midoriya nor is she the damsel in distress, or the Maiden put on a pedestal by her male companions. What I love about this character is that she is not the butt of people’s jokes and what I love about this show is that all the female characters are on par with the male characters. Equality is something I actively search for when deciding what anime to watch. I can’t stand shows where the females are submissive or exist purely to satisfy the male gaze.

Boku no Hero Academia is a show that combines the classic superhero elements and views in the context of a contemporary world. I am glad that this season is longer than the previous one and I look forward to seeing how the main character's abilities and persona develop.

Score: 3/5

My Hero Academia E.014