Episode Air Date
19-05-2025
The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia, Episode 157, “I AM HERE”, now streaming onCrunchyroll.
It’s difficult to put into words how impressive this season ofMy Hero Academiahas been without sounding like a broken record, and there are still two weeks for it to raise the bar further. Between the animation, performances,and the mounting scale of its climax, this season has not only been great but has gone above and beyond to deliver the best storytelling in the series' history.
Last week, All For One’s regenerative abilities, in tandem with the rewind quirk, turned his body back into that of a young man and likewise returned the villain to his prime - at the height of his power. But just as the previous episode was a figurative rebirth for the central villain, Episode 157 serves as the same for All Might, who is back to remind everyone that he’s still the #1, and always will be.
I Am Here… Again
The Best Animation of the Season (So Far)
Right off the bat, a huge round of applause is warranted for episode director Masayuki Otsuki and the entire animation staff. There have been plenty of impressive cuts this season andthe artwork in general has been praisedto no end already, but this episode truly held nothing back from beginning to end. Even dialogue scenes are imbued with an extra flair to the shading and line art - an early hint to viewers that this episode was going to rock, and it did. Let’s not forget the man himself.
Yutaka Nakamura… and of course All Might, but one thing at a time. This animator has been synonymous not only withMy Hero Academia’s highest peaks of visual quality, but Studio Bones' oeuvre in general, and for a time, it felt like this season was lacking his touch. His return this week was a homecoming worthy of thunderous applause, the sound of which could only be deafened by the sound of Iida’s engine firing on all cylinders as he helped Todoroki get to Gunga Villa.
With this show’s central trio being Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki, this moment felt particularly nostalgic for the early seasons, back when Iida felt like a more prominent character. His teamwork with Todoroki awoke memories ofwhen they and Deku fought Stain in Season 2. The reveal that Stain was watching this very moment only further cemented this nostalgia as a feature and not just a side effect. An utterly captivating scene, elevated by one of the greatest animators alive.
All Might Isn’t Done Fighting
Immediately following Iida and Todoroki’s triumphant blast-off, the episode rides that high and aims to take it even higher. After eight years of watching the #1 hero loosen his grip on that title and pass the baton to the next generation, Episode 157 shows that his continued role need not be limited to that of an observer. It’s here thatMy Hero Academiacomes full circle in a deeply profound way.
With all that has happened, every hero is either in combat or out of commission and there are no more reinforcements to call,but All Might is still there. Seven seasons ago, it was Deku who asked him if it was possible to be a hero, even without a quirk. After everything that’s transpired since, he has no reason to doubt the answer. With that, the teacher takes a page out of his greatest student’s book as he stands beneath a dreary sky, ready to face his strongest rival.
All Might isn’t at his primethe way All For One is, but he exudes a strength of will not felt in the character since Season 3 when it seemed as though his career was well and truly over. His smile in this episode hits harder than any he wore previously, and you’ll find that smile to be infectious. Even without seeing the fight or much less All Might’s advanced suit, the sequence feels momentous.
Dabi’s Dance: Prepare to Cry Edition
There have been numerous episodes that have attacked the heartstrings this season, but very few have come close to the sheer emotional onslaught that is this episode’s latter half. With this masterstroke,My Hero Academiaproves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the story ofthe Todoroki family is the series' best-written arc. Not everyone loves Endeavor and not everyone needs to - that was never the point.
It was about reckoning with trauma, grief, and guilt. The fact that a sizable portion of the fandom might find Endeavor unforgivable is precisely why this story’s persistence in exploring the lengths of those sins - and the labors necessary to atone - is so commendable. Beyond that, it’s so important that the whole family was there for said reckoning, as the depth of this narrative is contingent on each family member’s unique journey grappling with the trauma.
Shoto Saves the Day
It wouldn’t be complete without Shoto, whose arrival atop Iida’s back is just as incredible as when they set off, complete with Todoroki forming an ice jet around them to make them aerodynamic. The animation is legendary, and the climax is powerful, but the pain in the family’s vocal delivery throughout and afterward is even better.
The above tweet regarding this episode called it “generational” and that feels remarkably fitting. This is the kind of episode that will be remembered for years in discussions of shōnen anime. At the very least, it deserves to be. It not only exemplifies what makesMy Hero Academiaso special, but it embodies what makes Studio Bones capable of such magnificence, and how no one could have made this show quite like them.
