Internships, exams, and a whole lot of tears.
Note: This review covers all 25 episodes of My Hero Academia: Season 2; however, spoilers will be kept to a minimum.
The first season of My Hero Academia wowed me last year with its memorable cast of relatable characters, gorgeous animation, and heartfelt story. Season 2 builds upon those elements and takes them to new heights with incredibly rich character development, some of the most beautiful action scenes I have ever seen in animation, and an engrossing story with a villainous threat that serves as a significant improvement over Season 1.
After a relatively slow premiere, Season 2 progresses at a comfortably brisk pace with a few welcomed breathers in between, starting with the U.A. Sports Festival and then moving into the students' internships before culminating with their final exams.
The first half of the season is almost entirely focused on the U.A. Sports Festival, which takes a deep dive into the personal struggles these heroes-in-training face. In being forced to work with and against one another, issues with identity and pride come bursting to the surface, adding an entirely new dimension to several members of the supporting cast. While this is ultimately Deku's story, a fair amount of Season 2 turns the spotlight on several of the other students, some of whom, including Todoroki, Uraraka and Iida, are so well realized they at times feel as much like protagonists of this story as Deku.
That isn't to say Deku doesn't get his fair due, as All Might's adoring fan undergoes a significant transformation over the course of the season. Witnessing that growth, as he learns to control One For All and solidify his own identity as a hero, is so empowering. What truly makes Deku such an inspiring character, though, is his humility. Multiple times throughout Season 2 we see Deku put his own well-being on the line in a selfless attempt to help his friends work through their own personal issues, making for some of the most emotional and memorable moments of My Hero Academia yet.
Several fantastic new characters are introduced in Season 2 as well, including Gran Torino, the semi-senile retired pro hero who served as All Might's mentor. Not only does his dynamic with Deku make for some hilarious moments, his presence spurs some intriguing revelations about All Might's past and the history of One For All. Perhaps the most interesting newcomer, though, is Hero Killer: Stain, a fascinating villain with a wonderfully unsettling character design. Thanks to the complex worldview that motivates his horrific crimes, I found Stain to be far more interesting than the threat presented in Season 1. While Shigaraki is still very much a part of the picture, new plot revelations and the influence of Stain's vigilante efforts help steer the League of Villains in some exciting new directions.
Season 2 also does an excellent job expanding and fleshing out the the Quirk-filled world of My Hero Academia. The sports festival introduces several other U.A. High students who either didn't make it into Class 1-A or have different professional pursuits. Likewise, the internships provide a look at some of the pro heroes and how they function in society. Then, the final exams give the teachers an opportunity to flex their incredible skills, putting into perspective just how much growing Deku and his pals still need to do before they're even remotely on the same level.
Production-wise, My Hero Academia is in a class of its own. Studio Bones maintains an unbelievably high bar of quality, delivering some of the most dynamic and fluid animation I have ever seen. Season 2’s tenth episode, "Shoto Todoroki: Origin," is a particular standout, serving up a dazzling display of ice and fire that collides with One For All in an explosive scene that has yet to be rivaled by any other animation sequence this year. The sound design is spectacular, with music and effects that complement and often heighten the impact of what's transpiring on-screen. The voice acting is also quite solid. While I'm partial to watching the series in Japanese with subtitles, the English dub is also very good, with standout performances from Justin Briner and Christopher Sabat as Deku and All Might, respectively. While this incredible level of quality likely means the recently announced Season 3 may not arrive for at least another year, the top-notch production values that have come to be expected from My Hero Academia absolutely justify the wait.
The Verdict
The second season of My Hero Academia is truly something special. Its ability to weave profound character development into a sports festival, internships, and high school exams with such emotionally resonant success puts it head and shoulders above other anime of its ilk. Couple that with some of the most jaw-dropping animation of the year, a far more interesting villainous threat than the one presented in Season 1, and several fantastic new characters, and Season 2 of My Hero Academia easily earns its place as one of the best TV shows of 2017.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire