My Hero Academia Season 7: The New Big 3
After what felt like an eternity for its fans, MY Hero Academia has finally returned! The seventh season of the beloved anime officially dropped earlier this month. Picking up where the last season ended, the new season will cover the Star and Stripe (chapters 329–334), UA Traitor (chapters 335–342), and the Final War arcs from the manga of the same name. In honor of Ani-MAY, let's not spoil the first few episodes. Instead, let's take a closer look at the evolution of the new Big 3 of UA High School.
Deku's Journey: From Quirkless Crybaby to Hero
Izuku Midoriya, affectionately known as Deku, has been the heart of My Hero Academia since its inception. His journey from quirkless boy with a dream to powerful hero-in-training has been nothing short of inspiring, even if his whininess was barely palpable for a few seasons. Still, Deku has much to learn about being a hero and the sacrifices to come.
Deku's mastery of One For All has been a central theme throughout the series. Still, we are only scratching the surface on the extent of how the quirk really works. In this new season, we can anticipate further exploration of the quirks of the previous One For All users, which Deku began unlocking last season. This development adds layers to his power and ties him closer to the legacy of heroes before him, but will that be enough to overcome All for One?
Deku's growing confidence and strategic thinking in battle will undoubtedly be showcased, demonstrating his maturation from a timid student to a capable hero. However, I'm sure he will still need plenty of guidance from All Might to conquer what's ahead, and that relationship is another critical aspect of Deku's character development. As All Might's chosen successor, Deku has always felt pressured to live up to his mentor's legacy. Last season showed him grappling with this responsibility, while actively pushing his mentor away, a considerable departure from previous seasons.
Season 7 will likely explore how Deku grapples with this responsibility, especially, as the world becomes more perilous.
Bakugo's Redemption and Growth
Katsuki Bakugo, one of Deku's oldest friends and adversaries, has evolved dramatically throughout the series. Bakugo is typically more neurotic than calm and has been known to explode at any time; however, he’s gradually showing a softer and gentler side. Season 7 is positioned to continue this process and reveal more about what makes him tick.
Deku's long-standing rivalry with Bakugo underpins the entire plot. As the characters develop, their relationship gradually shifts from terror to a mix that we understand is far more ambiguous. In Season 7, Bakugo will likely continue to wrestle with his fiercely competitive nature and growing respect for Deku. This shift is crucial because it signifies how Bakugo, once a mere bully used only for intimidation and violence, has developed into a multi-dimensional character.
Additionally, Bakugo's journey from sinner to saint is an essential thread in his character history. He showed new aspects of himself during the fight against the League of Villains and the Paranormal Liberation Front. His willingness to work with classmates shows him becoming a real hero in attitude and action.
Season 7 might explore how Bakugo will reconcile his desire for individual triumph with the team spirit of actual hero work. His interactions with other heroes and ability to function as a team will feature prominently in this process.
Todoroki's Struggle with Legacy
The character arc of Shoto Todoroki has been marked by his tumultuous relationship with his family, especially his father, Endeavor. Likewise, Endeavor's efforts to make amends for his past flaws and become a better hero and dad are also critical to both characters ' development. As the son of the current number one hero, Todoroki has always struggled to live up to his family's legacy while forging his own identity.
Season 7 will likely see Todoroki attempting to master both parts of his quirk (ice abilities from his mother and fire-starter powers from his father) — a sign that he genuinely accepts his family as having good and bad sides. It’s also possible that season 7 will feature scenes where the two make peace but also come into conflict, revealing the complexities of their relationship more deeply as they head on for an inevitable confrontation with Dabi (Brother to Todoroki, Son to Endeavor), who is also a member of the League of Villains. Can he become a new hero on his own terms and not in his father's shadow? That is what this journey of self-acceptance ultimately represents.
Final Thoughts
As we dive into this new season, one thing is painstakingly clear: the kids are growing up. Each of these young men has been forced to strengthen their bodies and quirk abilities, as well as their resolve, to overcome emotional setbacks and societal pressures in a world where the only goal they’ve each had—being considered a hero—is no longer enough. The people have lost faith in heroes. And why shouldn’t they?
From what we’ve experienced through seasons five and six, it’s evident that the moniker 'hero' was solely for profit for some and simply not enough for others to fulfill their duties of saving the citizens. No amount of training alone can help them become the heroes Japan—and the world, for that matter—need. Yet, faced with what appears to be insurmountable obstacles, we just know that these three will be the ones to emerge victorious in the end. The youth will save the world from the tyranny of One for All.
Now, if we could just have Class 1-A in our world, maybe they could save us, too.
