Summary
The most common question people will ask when getting intoMy Hero Academia, or really any anime series for that matter, is whether they should experience the story by watching the anime or reading the manga. In the case ofMy Hero Academia, this has been a hotly debated topic for quite some time, and while there’s no definitive answer, there are definitely some reasons why the anime can be more appealing and enjoyable for specific kinds of fans.
While the manga boasts some frankly outstanding artwork, Studio Bones has done an incredible job adapting Horikoshi’s heroic story into animated form, hence why it’s gone on to become one of the most popular anime of all time. As the seasons have gone on, though, the anime has improved significantly in several areas, to the point where it even outperforms the original manga in a few aspects.
Updated July 31, 2025, by Ewan Lewis:The My Hero Academia anime is no longer in its infancy. There have been a plethora of extra seasons fans have been able to watch and enjoy in recent years, which all do a good job at showcasing just how far Bones as a studio has come with this anime. This has resulted in several new improvements over the manga being introduced, with the ones listed below being among the most noticeable and important.
7Flashy Fight Scenes
The Anime Presents Many Of The Fights As Big And Bombastic Spectacles
My Hero Academiais a story packed full of intense fight scenes, but given that the characters are only drawn in stills within the manga, it can sometimes be difficult for readers to take in just how epic these battles truly are. Of course,Horikoshi’s masterful artworkmeans the fight scenes in the manga are still exciting to read, but there’s something about seeing the characters in animated form that takes these interactions to a whole new level of intensity.
Bones love going all-out when animating the battles inMy Hero Academia, using clever camera angles and vibrant color palettes to make every interaction feel explosive, especially if the stakes are sky-high, which is when the animation really hits its stride.
6Move Animations
Many Of The Characters' Quirks Are More Enjoyable To Watch And Easier To Understand When Animated
Considering almost everyone in the world ofMy Hero Academiapossesses their own unique special ability known as a Quirk, it means plenty of them are shown off throughout the story. In the manga, though, Horikoshi can struggle at times to convey just how fast or strong some of these moves truly are, considering he can’t show them in motion, but this is an issue the anime negates entirely.
A prime example of this isMidoriya’s battle against Lady Nagant. Though Midoriya is moving even faster than a bullet in the later stages of this battle, it’s difficult to present this in the manga, but the anime makes it crystal clear by showing Midoriya whizzing past Nagant’s shots in real time. There are many examples just like this of moves being presented a lot better in the anime compared to the source material.
5Toned Down Gore
The Anime Doesn’t Get Too Carried Away With Blood And Gore
One minor criticism a lot of fans have of the manga is that it can get a little too gruesome and gory at times, which often feels in conflict with the more vibrant and joyful aesthetic that runs through much of the series. This really started with theOverhaul arc, and while it’s completely normal to see heroes and villains spilling blood, considering the story takes a slightly darker turn around this point, it can sometimes be a bit much for some fans.
Thankfully, the anime tones this down, while still ensuring to include gore when necessary to convey when someone is injured or killed. One common example of this is how, in the manga, readers get a pretty graphic look at Shigaraki cutting Overhaul’s arms off, while in the anime, the screen turns black just before he swings his knife.
4Epic Music
My Hero Academia’s Soundtrack Amplifies Its Epic Fight Scenes
It would be no exaggeration to say thatMy Hero Academiahas one ofthe best soundtracks in anime. The series contains plenty of upbeat and inspirational tracks, the most well-known being You Say Run. This tune starts off slow, but eventually builds up to an adrenaline-pumping crescendo, which is usually accompanied by an epic fight scene.
Of course, the manga is unable to have any kind of music backing up these fights, unless readers throw on their own songs while reading, but even then, it can be difficult to find the right tune to suit the tone of a battle, especially ones which could go either way. The anime, however, already contains a plethora of catchy tracks that make even the smallest of fights engaging to watch.
3Vibrant Aesthetic
Studio Bones Has Nailed The Color Palette Of My Hero Academia’s World
If there’s one word that can sum up the overall aesthetic ofMy Hero Academia, it would be vibrant. This is a world full of color, with every hero and villain possessing their own set of flashy clothing and Quirk abilities, which all look entirely different thanks to their different styles and aesthetics. The manga obviously can’t show this due to it being black and white, but for the anime, Studio Bones clearly honed in on making sure each and every scene pops on the screen through the stylish visuals.
Though some fans were concerned Bones would struggle to depict the darker scenes without them looking too happy-go-lucky, this has only really been a small issue in the mid-seasons, but it’s improved a lot since then, as evident by the Dark Deku arc, which looked absolutely incredible from a visual standpoint.
2Late-Story Pacing
The Final War Moves At A Much Better Pace In The Anime
By the time Horikoshi had begun writing the final war in the manga, it was clear that years of hard work had taken its toll on him. Many of the chapters came out with fewer pages than usual, some being less than 10, and there were also frequent breaks, which made it difficult to read week to week. With the manga now officially over, though, Studio Bones can animate the final war at a steady pace, ensuring fans are always fully engaged in the action.
It’s important to preface that this particular point primarily relates to thisfinal arc of the story, specifically, as the pacing during the My Villain Academia and Endeavor Agency arcs was admittedly a little slow in the anime. However, this has not been the case with the climactic final battle between the heroes and villains, which has been a joy to watch.
1Voice Acting
Hearing The Heroes And Villains Scream Out Their Attacks Makes Many Fights Feel More Impactful
No fan of theMy Hero Academiaanime will ever be able to forget the iconic moment where All Might beats down All For One after screaming at the top of his lungs, “United States of Smash” to announce his victory. There are plenty of moments like this sprinkled throughout where the voice acting adds a lot more emotion and intensity to a fight scene, or even the more intimate moments shared betweenDeku and his friends.
What also helps is thatMy Hero Academiahas a fantastic English dub, meaning those who prefer watching without subtitles can still enjoy the show without ever getting distracted. It’s an advantage which may seem obvious, but one which adds a lot to the overall story, and especially the fight scenes.
