After watching he third season of My Hero Academia, I was truly amazed by how good it turned out to be in the end. I already found the beginning relatively strong, but I felt that in Season 2, many plotlines were somewhat stagnant. However, most of it served as a setup for Season 3, which is something I can absolutely appreciate.

I particularly like the narrative structure. In this season, it became more apparent than ever that the heroes have to go through a real educational system with various curricula. At the same time, the narrative convincingly justified why certain activities, which should have been relevant for a higher grade, were antedated. This, combined with many smaller time jumps, ensures that there is always a new school activity at the forefront of each arc without it feeling contrived. The numerous gradual steps they have to go through, especially the provisional hero license exam, feel authentic because they reminded me of my own educational path and the many stages I had to go through during my training, leading to a provisional and later a permanent teaching license. This makes the world feel extremely alive, which is deepened in other aspects, particularly in how the public reacted to certain events by criticizing U.A. High School for its lack of protection for the students and the school having to come up with a PR strategy or the public's reaction to All Might's retirement. The season achieved the perfect balance: the world doesn't continue as before, nor does anarchy suddenly break out on the streets. People are mostly bewildered, searching for orientation, with many finding it difficult to perceive Endeavor as that guiding figure. This convincingly shows how important All Might's role was beyond his power, namely that he managed to be so approachable to the general population that he could hold them together. And also why his departure doesn't lead to immediate anarchy but forms factionalization within this cohesion: people slowly losing faith in heroes; people still believing in heroes and their protection; people seeing others as responsible for actively helping heroes instead of being passive. All of this exists simultaneously and is publicly discussed, making the entire world feel immensely dynamic.

Apart from the plot, the season shines with its characters, all of whom are excellently portrayed, especially Deku and Bakugo. Deku is one of the best Shonen protagonists I have ever seen because he undergoes one of the most interesting journeys. He grew up without powers but always stood out for having the courage of a hero, analyzing them so well due to his sense of strategy. This is not Light Yagami's 5000 IQ level; it's grounded enough that you can follow Deku's thought processes, yet it remains his great strength. This is what he needs for his ability, which, although powerful, is not suitable for his body. So, he constantly tries new tactics, learns from his mentors, learns from his opponents, gradually making One for All "his own." It's a fascinating middle ground between Shonen protagonists who either get their power boosts more or less out of nowhere and those who have to earn them. It believable explains why Deku is so special, that he has the potential to become the greatest hero of all time, without making it seem like everything is handed to him on a silver platter. This is also shown through the real threat that if he continues to injure his body, he might lose his arms. It's this creativity demanded from Deku that makes his battles and his journey so exciting.

However, the best character in this season was undoubtedly Bakugo. So far, he has been a difficult character to understand, as he hasn't shown many facets beyond his anger. However, there were indications that there was more to him, such as during the provisional hero license exam where he behaved very rationally, contrary to what his opponent assumed based on his previous behavior. Also by slowly befriending Eijiro because he was the only one who consistently followed him without blaming him or criticizing his behavior. But I was truly surprised by him when he was kidnapped and without hesitation said he would remain true to the path of a hero. If Bakugo weren't such a complex character, this could easily have turned into a new Sasuke storyline, where he does anything for power. Instead, this scene made it clear how similar he is to Deku and how important All Might was as a figure for Bakugo as well, even though it wasn't as apparent prior. The parallel between them became evident, especially when All Might made the final blow against All for One, and both were equally invested and similarly affected by All Might's retirement. This not only made it clear through the eyes of Bakugo what an important symbol All Might was not only for Deku but for all of humanity, but suddenly, his entire anger was contextualized: at first, he felt inferior to Deku because All Might recognized him and built a special relationship with him. However, Bakugo also had to carry around the feeling that his own weakness was responsible for All Might losing his powers. Seeing how guilty Bakugo felt really touched me and made me understand his motives to challenge Deku much more than - forgive the comparison once again - I could with Sasuke. This wonderful moment came full-circle when All Might embraced him and apologized for not understanding how Bakugo felt all this time. After that, Bakugo experienced a kind of internal catharsis when All Might finally revealed his secret, and contrary to his fears, Bakugo was absolutely loyal. On the contrary, he even criticized Deku for his lax handling of All Might's secret and was then able to let go of his hatred towards Deku and himself, seeing him as a rival on equal footing. For me, this was the absolute highlight of the series so far. It was an incredibly powerful ending, and the Deku/Bakugo rivalry is one of the most well-developed I have ever seen.

I also liked that the provisional hero license exam went so unexpectedly. Due to his character, Bakugo didn't pass without a deus ex machina moment preventing it, which was unexpectedly expected, while Shoto, as the top of the class, despite his character arc during the fight, didn't manage to make up the difference to pass the exam, which was also unexpectedly expected. My Hero Academia doesn't do what you would expect from it topically, nor the exact opposite, but it always comes up with creative solutions to bring these conflicts to a conclusion, which I liked. Another such case is that it was Deku's mother who had to be convinced to let him into the dormitory. The latter, it should be said in this context, is also a nice example of how the world is constantly changing: there are no huge time jumps like in Dragon Ball, but the status quo doesn't remain the same and fluctuates continuously, making the overall setting appear more dynamic. Seeing the student group after the orientation phase now living together as roommates makes you appreciate them more.

Lastly, I find it very interesting how Season 1-3 feel like the first chapter of a narrative that is now experiencing its first turning point and moving on to the next. The primary example of this is, of course, All Might's retirement and the reconciliation between Bakugo and Deku, the acquisition of the provisional hero license, and the gathering in the dormitory. However, it goes much further: All Might represents One for All and, together with All for One, stands for the old generation. With the final showdown between the two, this constellation comes to an end, and both slip into the mentor role for their students: All Might for Deku and All for One for Tomura. The stories of both are parallelized, and while in the first chapter, both were introduced and built up, the next chapter will now show how both fulfill their roles without their master as a support in battle. As with Deku/Bakugo, the protagonist-antagonist role is one of the most exciting constellations I have seen so far.

Overall, I can now say, especially now, that My Hero Academia has really hooked me, and I am genuinely invested. I love the characters, the world, and the dynamic plot, and I can't wait to see how it will continue.