After nine years on the air, the My Hero Academia anime finally came to an end in December 2025, as millions of viewers got to witness Izuku Midoriya and his friends becoming the greatest heroes of their world. Since this animated adaptation has been completed, now it’s the perfect time to compare it with the original manga it’s based on.
Both the manga and the anime are masterpieces, with Kohei Horikoshi’s art being absolutely beautiful and surprisingly detailed, and Bones’ animated sequences being incredibly fluid and endlessly thrilling. However, the My Hero Academia anime actually took some of the manga’s most iconic moments and elevated them, thanks to its animation, soundtrack, voice acting, and more. This has actually happened multiple times throughout the series, and the following eight scenes are the most notorious examples.
United States Of Smash
The Manga’s Most Epic Moment Was Made Even Better In The Anime
- Chapter 94 (Manga) Episode 49 (Anime)
Most fans agree that the scene in which All Might unleashes his iconic Ultimate Move, United States of Smash, was the moment that made them fall in love with the series, as it features Japan’s #1 Pro Hero using the very last of his power to take down his arch-nemesis, All for One, once and for all. It’s an inspiring and unforgettable sequence that has defined the series as a whole.
What once was one of the most beloved moments in the manga eventually became one of the most exciting scenes in the history of the medium of anime. The animation and the background music were already enough to elevate this scene, but Kenta Miyake’s impeccable performance as he screams “United States of Smash!” Is enough to give viewers goosebumps.
Deku Vs. Overhaul
Perfectly Conveyed How Powerful Both Fighters Are
- Chapter 157 (Manga) Episode 76 (Anime)
As the main character of the series, Deku has obviously starred in many high-octane battles, but his confrontation against Overhaul was particularly memorable, not only because he was finally able to take down one of the series’ most despicable villains, but also because he received help from Eri’s Rewind Quirk, which allowed him to use One for All at full power.
The anime adaptation of Deku and Overhaul’s battle was nothing short of incredible, as it perfectly conveyed how massive the villain’s monstrous final form was and how efficient Deku’s 100% Full Cowl technique was. Seeing him flying around the screen with smooth animation and quickly delivering destructive punches that slowly rip apart Overhaul’s body is incredibly satisfying, even more so than it was in the source material.
Class 1-A’s Concert
A Musical Event Is Not The Same Without Music
- Chapter 182 (Manga) Episode 86 (Anime)
Horikoshi should be commended for coming up with the U.A. School Festival Arc, not only because it was incredibly heartwarming (especially in contrast to how dark the Overhaul Arc was) but also because creating an entire narrative centered on music in an illustrated medium was very ambitious, and it ended up working surprisingly well.
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While Class 1-A’s concert was quite touching in the original manga, it was always going to be even better in the anime. The vibrant colors and stunning animation of this scene are absolutely wonderful, but the music is the true star of the show. Furthermore, the song crafted for this fictional concert, Hero Too, is really catchy, and it perfectly conveys what this scene is all about, not to mention that it makes the appearance of Eri’s smile all the more emotional and wholesome.
Endeavor’s Victory Against Hood
The Fateful Moment That Cemented Endeavor As The New #1 Pro Hero
- Chapter 190 (Manga) Episode 88 (Anime)
Truth be told, the Pro Hero Arc felt like an afterthought in the original manga, since it’s quite short and its only objective is to showcase how the Pro Heroes of Japan dealt with the repercussions of All Might’s retirement. However, since this arc was used as the conclusion of the anime’s fifth season, Bones was able to give it enough time in the spotlight, with the climactic fight between Endeavor and the High-End Nomu, Hood, serving as the season finale.
As always, this battle already looks great in the manga, but the anime took it to a whole new level, mainly because Bones excels at animating fire. Moreover, the conclusion has a particularly brilliant artistic choice, as the background music stops the moment Endeavor and Hood fall to the ground at the end of the fight, and the other characters are unsure who the winner is. As a result, the subsequent scene in which Enji Todoroki suddenly raises his fist into the air to declare his victory while heroic music plays in the background feels very inspiring and has been cemented as one of the character’s most defining moments in the entire series.
Star And Stripes’ Final Bout
Proved Why She Was America’s #1 Pro Hero
- Chapter 334 (Manga) Episode 140 (Anime)
In a similar vein, the battle between Tomura Shigaraki and America’s #1 Pro Hero, Star and Stripe, is considered one of the most divisive moments in the My Hero Academia manga, as it introduced a new character that had been previously established to be incredibly powerful, only to make her die out of nowhere. However, Bones used this short fight as the opener for season 7, thus giving it more time in the spotlight.
Shigaraki and Star and Stripes’ battle features some of the manga’s best and most impressive illustrations, and Bones flawlessly translated them into some of the most outstanding animated sequences in the entire anime. This whole fight is a feast for the eyes and the ears, with Stars and Stripes’ State-of-the-Art Hypersonic Intercontinental Cruise Punch feeling a lot more powerful and destructive than it was in the manga.
Deku’s Final Punch Against All For One
Turned Episode 167 Into The Highest-Rated Episode Of The Entire Series
- Chapter 423 (Manga) Episode 140 (Anime)
The final battle between Izuku Midoriya (and all of his friends) against All For One’s final form was undoubtedly very important in the manga, as it showcased almost every single person who had an impact on Deku’s life, assisting him so he could reach the main villain of the series and land a devastating final punch on him. If all that wasn’t enough, even Shigaraki’s dying vestige helped him finish the job from the inside.
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However, the anime’s adaptation of this same moment is superior in almost every way, and it helped its respective episode become the highest-rated one in the entire series. The brilliant usage of You Say Run as the background music, combined with the vibrant and stunning animation, and the excellent voice acting (with Daiki Yamashita, Kenta Miyake and Aya Kawakami being the three biggest standouts) turned what was once a cool and epic action scene into an unforgettable, moving, and generational moment that encapsulates everything that makes My Hero Academia so special: heroism, selflessness, cooperation, and the idea of always overcoming every obstacle, no matter what.
Uraraka’s Breakdown
An Emotional Scene That Gave Her Story Some Much-Needed Closure
- Chapter 429 (Manga) Episode 169 (Anime)
Of course, My Hero Academia is not all about high-octane battles, as its heroic characters constantly face emotional turmoil that changes their personal perspective of the world they inhabit, and Ochaco Uraraka’s emotional breakdown during the Epilogue Arc is a perfect example. Feeling guilty about the death of Himiko Toga, Uraraka can’t contain her pain any longer and crumbles in front of her close friend, Deku, before the rest of Class 1-A arrives to console her.
This was a touching scene in the manga, and it mainly exists to close off Uraraka’s personal story and establish her future as a Quirk Counselor. However, the anime improved it significantly by making the expressions on her face look even more heartbreaking, not to mention that her voice actress, Ayane Sakura, gave an exceptional performance. Additionally, since this scene is meant to reflect how close Deku and Uraraka are, the anime made it look a lot more intimate than it was in the source material.
The Final Shot
Anime Fans Are A Lot More Satisfied With The Ending Than Manga Readers
- Chapter 430 (Manga) Episode 170 (Anime)
While the ending of the My Hero Academia manga was solid in many ways, it’s safe to say that it was also quite controversial. Some manga readers seemingly did not enjoy the idea of Deku losing his powers and quitting his Pro Hero career for many years, only to become a hero again at the literal last second thanks to the new armored suit that All Might and the rest of Class 1-A gave him. On the other hand, however, anime-only viewers were much more satisfied with this ending, and it’s mainly because Bones did a flawless job at adapting it.
The entire final episode perfectly conveys how (contrary to popular belief) Deku’s life did not get worse just because he quit heroism, but he still yearned to join his former classmates. The final shot of Deku jumping into action alongside his friends while wearing his new armored suit was adorable in the manga, but it was also difficult to pinpoint who was who, whereas the anime turned it into a full-blown animated sequence where everyone gets a few seconds to shine, not to mention that it also serves as a nostalgic callback to the first opening. Needless to say, this scene is now considered one of the best anime endings of all time.
My Hero Academia
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- TBS, MBS, Nippon TV
Cast
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Daiki YamashitaIzuku Midoriya (voice) -
Kaito IshikawaManga Fukidashi (voice)
