Two years ago I made one of the best decisions I’ve ever made when I decided to start watching My Hero Academia. While I had seen some anime before, this is the show that got me back into anime. With it’s incredible popularity and success, it’s no surprise that it found it’s way to my screen. However to me the biggest success of this show was it reiginiting passion and evoking inspiration back into my life.

You wouldn’t think a show about superheroes could be that interesting and unique in an age where superhero television has taken over. That being said, what makes My Hero Academia such a refreshing superhero tale is that it goes back to the roots of what a superhero really is. Someone who is selfless and who will always believe in the fight for good. That is what we see in our lead Izuku Midoriya. Someone who will go to the highest lengths to achieve his goals and put a smile on other people’s faces. Seeing Midoriya gradually becoming the hero he was meant to be is a journey millions of people around the world have become attached to in an emotional way and that is because in some shape or form he reminds us of what the best version could look like.

Spoilers for My Hero Academia Season 4 and My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising.

While I have been keeping up with the show, I have to be completely honest in saying that the fourth season really took away from that magical aspect. Deku’s journey came to a grinding halt and he didn’t really progress as a character. His epic battle in the episode “Infinite 100%” was definitely a milestone for him. His heroic performance showcases his progress in a spectacular way but outside of that, Season 4 didn’t really have a place for his story. Because of that my attachment to the show weakened a bit for a while. That being said, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising just came out on digital over here in Europe and it’s safe to say that this emotionally powerful movie reminded me why I love this world and these characters so much.

In the franchise’s second movie, Heroes Rising, Deku fufills his duty as a hero by continuing to be the incredibly selfless and inspiring person that he is. Despite not being canon, seeing the story coming full circle with Deku inspiring a young boy, telling him that he too can be a hero was something rather emotional, even for a relatively newer viewer. While Deku is definitely the lead, he is backed up by his entire class of passionate students who are all working hard to achieve their common goal. Seeing all of these characters begin, struggle, learn and achieve success is incredibly heartwarming and inspiring. I know I keep using that word, inspiring, but I really can’t think of a better word to describe this show.

The show takes the fact that you have to work hard to achieve sucess to the heart. The students in Class 1-A are all doing an incredible job but they still have a long way to go. It’s the fact that they have unwavering passion in what they’re doing which makes it so believable and uplifting. Whenever I see Deku pull of an insane new move like those featured in Heroes Rising, it genuinely makes me proud because I’ve seen the progress. On the other side of the spectrum we have Katsuki Bakugo. Another character with an unwavering sense of pride and passion whose complicated relationship to Deku made him a better hero. The fact that he is teaching his ex-rival and then develop such a trusting bond that Deku transfers One For All to him is a huge contrast to their relationship in the beginning. The show is constantly promoting growth within it’s characters and since we, the viewers have seen the progress we can fully appreciate the message it is sending.

Needless without saying, this year has been incredibly hard on all of us and the thought of hope and inspiration often feels like a diminishing flame. To rediscover the magic of this franchise through Heroes Rising is something I didn’t think I needed to happen. It’s very important that in times like these we hold on to hope and inspire ourselves to be better, to go beyond! Plus Ultra!

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising will be available to purchase on DVD and Blu-Ray later this month.