My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising just made its rounds in the cinema. And if you're wondering how to catch up on the adventures of Izuku Midoriya and his classmates over at the prestigious U.A. Hero Academy while you're at home, you've come to the right place.
Here's what you need to know:
What is My Hero Academia?
My Hero Academia is a shonen anime (think along the lines of Naruto or DragonBall ) which focuses on the adventures of Izuku Midoriya (hero name - Deku), a high-schooler whose goal is to become the number one hero of his society. Armed with a good heart and literally bone-breaking hard work, the show works well with Studio Bones animation to bring a remarkable experience to viewers worldwide.
How do I watch My Hero Academia without cable?
Being an anime, you'd be most likely not looking for it on cable networks anyway. The show is available for streaming on household names like Hulu and Netflix. Primarily though, you'd want to use anime focused streaming sites like Crunchyroll and Funimation. Both services offer free viewing of the show with ads, while also offering a premium option if you'd like to watch it in higher quality and without ads. If you'd like to purchase it and add to your library on a season-by-season basis, you can do that too.
What if I want to own it?
My Hero Academia is available for purchase on most online media content stores like iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and the Google Play Store. You can purchase it on an episode per episode basis from $2.99, or a seasonal basis for $20.99. As of the time of writing, there are currently four complete seasons, with the fifth announced for Fall 2020.
Hulu offers My Hero Academia alongside its own stable of exclusives like Catch-22 and Atlanta. From $5.99 a month, it's a decent way to dip your toes in.
Stream My Hero Academia on Funimation for free with ads, or sign up from $5.99 a month for a premium subscription to Funimation Now.
Stream My Hero Academia on Crunchyroll for free with ads, or subscribe for $7.99 for Crunchyroll's ad-free Premium plan.
From $26.99 a season, you can purchase MHA from iTunes permanently. Youll be able to stream on Windows PCS, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs.
For as little as $2.99 an episode, you can purchase My Hero Academia permanently on Amazon. Watch and stream it as often as you want on whatever device you choose.
Can I just jump in? What's gone on before?
My Hero Academia, like most anime in its genre, offers a quick recap of relevant events and characters just before the episode begins. Nonetheless, here's a quick summary of the most important events which occur from season to season.
My Hero Academia Season 1: The first season revolves around Deku's call to action. He gains access to the powerful quirk (think superpower) "One For All" and begins his first days at U.A.'s hero training course. A group of villains known as the "League of Villains" makes its debut at the end of the season, forcing mentor character and Number One Hero All Might to leap into action and repel the invaders.
My Hero Academia Season 2: The second season begins with the heroes-in-training of the U.A. Academy facing off against each other in a series of contests as part of the U.A. sports festival. Deku faces off against an especially frigid classmate with a burning fury. Outside of school grounds, an ominous threat in the form of hero-killer Stain attempts to take down the hero society, inadvertently pulling Midoriya and his fellow students into action.
My Hero Academia Season 3: In a bold move, the League of Villains kidnaps Deku's classmate and rival — Katsuki Bakugo — once again compelling All Might into action for one last time. At the same time, the U.A. students are now working on attaining their Provisional Hero Licenses and taking their first steps into the professional hero world
My Hero Academia Season 4: Taking his first steps as a provisionally licensed hero, Deku charges into action against the yakuza and their quirk-powered mask and glove donning boss — Overhaul. The season winds to a close with a delightful musical number, full of heart.
As of now, My Hero Academia has been renewed for a fifth season airing sometime within the next year.
