Table of Contents
Introduction
Your guide to watching each season and film from My Hero Academia Movies in the correct order. Set in a world where superpowers have become the norm, My Hero Academia sees a boy named Izuku Midoriya strive to become a superhero even though he was born without a “Quirk” of his own.
With the help of All Might, Japan’s greatest hero, Midoriya soon enrols in a special school designed to help young superheroes in training.
On the face of it, the anime doesn’t sound too far removed from the X-Men and other Marvel or DC stories that revolve around wannabe superheroes. However, that comparison massively undersells this franchise which has achieved global success with both Kōhei Horikoshi’s original manga and the anime that followed.
Like trying to watch Naruto or Attack on Titan in order, trying to watch My Hero Academia in order can be quite confusing given the various releases over the years.
Since 2016, the My Hero Academia series has spawned six seasons and three films as well as numerous OVAs. These are often shorter specials that are included exclusively in the anime’s home releases. There’s also a confirmed My Hero Academia season 7.
Combined, that’s a lot of story to get through, so where do you start? That’s where we come in. Here’s how to watch My Hero Academia in order.
What is the Best Way to Watch My Hero Academia’s Movies?
Unfortunately, My Hero Academia’s films are, at present, scattered across multiple streaming services, meaning there’s no simple way to watch all three. Aside from streaming, however, all three are easily available on BluRay, which do come with some additional special features.
The My Hero Academia films can also be digitally rented on marketplaces like Youtube, Google Play, and Amazon. Crunchyroll’s page for My Hero Academia: Two Heroes is titled “My Hero Academia Movies”, implying that the other two films may someday be available to stream there, but at present only the first film is available.
Are My Hero Academia’s Movies Worth Watching?
The My Hero Academia films are absolutely worth watching for fans of the franchise, especially as characters from the films have become more ingrained in the manga. This has the benefit of making the films feel like they matter, something that a lot of anime movies that are non-canonical to their series have trouble doing.
Where exactly the films fit into the anime is a sometimes difficult question, and the anime often keeps references to the films vague for that reason. As big-budget anime films, the My Hero Academia movies have plenty of incredibly animated action to offer, which can be worth the price of admission alone for fans who really want to see the characters go all out. The films are also fairly enjoyable even for those who aren’t caught up on the series, thanks to Deku’s earnest desire to be a hero.
My Hero Academia’s movies have maintained a high quality across all three releases so far, and anticipation for the fourth film. Which is said to be set during the Dark Hero arc, is exceptionally high.
While it may not be as easy as if they were all on one streaming service, it’s worth the effort to track down and see these movies for fans. Full of epic battles, character moments, and all kinds of expansions of My Hero Academia’s world, the series’ films are astonishingly good, and offer fans everything they might want out of an anime movie.
How to watch My Hero Academia in canon order
Here’s how to watch the whole My Hero Academia saga in order including the movies, from the very beginning to where we are now:
- OVA 3: My Hero Academia: All Might: Rising (Two Heroes Special)
- Season 1: My Hero Academia
- OVA 1: (Jump Festa) My Hero Academia: Save! Rescue Training!
- TV Special: Hero Notebook (Recap Episode)
- Season 2: My Hero Academia 2 (Ep 1-20)
- OVA 2: My Hero Academia: Training of the Dead
- Season 2: M hero Academia 2 (Ep 21-25)
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes
- Season 3: My Hero Academia 3 (Ep 1-14)
- ONA: My Hero Academia: Make It! Do-or-Die Survival Training (2 Parts)
- Season 3: My Hero Academia 3 (Ep 15-25)
- Season 4: My Hero Academia 4
- My Hero Academia the Movie 2: Heroes: Rising
- Season 5: My Hero Academia 5 (Ep 1-18)
- OVA 7: My Hero Academia: Hero League Baseball
- OVA 8: My Hero Academia: Laugh! As if You Are in Hell
- Season 5: My Hero Academia 5 (Ep 19-25)
- OVA 6: My Hero Academia: Departure
- My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission
- Season 6: My Hero Academia 6
More About Hero Academia Movies
The main My Hero Academia anime adapts Horikoshi’s manga closely. But films and OVA specials are also added in occasionally to bulk things out and add something new to the story.
However, anyone who’s pressed for time could theoretically skip these extras. Classed as My Hero Academia filler, and just stick to the main six seasons – as they’re separate enough to be enjoyed on their own.
There is one big caveat to all this. OVA 3: My Hero Academia: All Might Rising is a prequel story that reveals what first drove All Might to become The Symbol of Peace.
It’s placed first here because this chapter takes place before we meet Midoriya, but the emotional impact of the story will hit much harder once you’ve become familiar with All Might’s journey in the first couple of seasons.
Because of that, we’d actually recommend watching OVA 3 after season 2 instead of at the start for a more complete experience.
How to watch My Hero Academia in order of chronological release
If you want to watch My Hero Academia in the same way long-time fans had to when it first came out, here’s the correct watch order to dive in according to each official release date.
- Season 1: My Hero Academia (2016)
- My Hero Academia 2: Hero Notebook (2017)
- OVA 1: (Jump Festa) My Hero Academia: Save! Rescue Training! (2017)
- Season 2: My Hero Academia 2 (2017)
- OVA 2: My Hero Academia: Training of the Dead (2017)
- Season 3: My Hero Academia 3 (2018)
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
- OVA 3: My Hero Academia: All Might: Rising (Two Heroes Special) (2019)
- Season 4: My Hero Academia 4 (2019)
- My Hero Academia the Movie 2: Heroes: Rising (2019)
- My Hero Academia: Make It! Do-or-Die Survival Training (Two-Part Special) (2020)
- Season 5: My Hero Academia 5 (2021)
- My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (2021)
- OVA 6: My Hero Academia: Departure
- OVA 7: My Hero Academia: Hero League Baseball (2022)
- OVA 8: My Hero Academia: Laugh! As If You Are in Hell (2022)
- Season 6: My Hero Academia 6 (2022)
How to watch My Hero Academia in the UK
My Hero Academia is obtainable to watch on the streaming service Crunchyroll.
On Netflix, the original 2016 season of My Hero Academia is available, as well as the 2019 film Heroes: Rising.
Elsewhere, the series can be bought or rented on Prime Video.
Also Read