Manga Moments in MHA that Became Even More Epic in the Anime

Both the My Hero Academia manga and anime are beloved the world over. Many fans prefer the manga, but there’s no denying the visual effects and emotions that can be wrought in the anime. Kohei Horikoshi’s manga art style is amazing and features many impeccable moments. However, some moments shine more brightly in the anime than they do in the manga.

The most iconic My Hero Academia scenes are often more powerful in the anime not only due to the animation, but also the voice acting and music paired with the scenes. These moments are incredible parts of the manga, but there’s something to be said about the way these scenes are portrayed in the anime.

10 Tamaki Amajiki’s Confidence Comes Through Onscreen

Season 4, Episode 71, “Suneater of the Big Three”

Tamaki Amajiki is presented to the audience as one of the top three students at U.A., but his intense shyness makes him seem less qualified for that title than his peers. However, fans get a better glimpse of his true power during the Shie Hassaikai Raid. It’s during this event that Amajiki fights three yakuza on his own using his incredible Manifest Quirk.

Although the manga showcases Amajiki’s power proficiently, there is something to be said about seeing it acted out in real-time. Watching Amajiki use his animal abilities and crystals to incapacitate the villains is much more tangible on a screen than on a page. Viewers can also hear the confidence in Amajiki’s voice as he gets the advantage over his foes. Fans at last see why Amajiki is one of the top students.

9 Class 1-A Confronts Deku

Season 6, Episode 136, “Deku vs. Class A”

When Deku becomes a vigilante to “protect his loved ones” from himself, he disregards all of his own needs. Although he continues to save people, Deku lets his mental health and personal hygiene suffer. This sparks his classmates to eventually confront him.

The manga does a great job of capturing the pain and earnest feelings of all involved. However, it’s much more profound to hear the students’ pleas for Deku to return to U.A. Plus, Bakugo’s apology and actually hearing him say the name “Izuku” have much more emotional relevance. Audiences are more appreciative of the anime’s take on this scene because it places greater emphasis on all the sentiments involved.

8 Dabi’s Dance Highlights A Plethora Of Emotions

Season 6, Episode 124, “Dabi’s Dance”

Dabi’s reveal as Endeavor’s lost son, Touya, wasn’t a surprise to many fans. However, the truth still packs enough of a punch due to how it plays out. Dabi is portrayed with clear joy at the devastating revelation, while Endeavor exhibits both shock and heartache simultaneously. It’s one of the most powerful scenes in the story, but it is better presented in the anime.

Voice acting plays a key role in this scene. Every sinister giggle and unhinged shout from Dabi elicits a more guttural response than simply reading Dabi’s words on a page. Likewise, Endeavor’s conflicted emotions come through more clearly with his voice added. Plus, the visual reveal of Dabi’s hair fading from black to white is a much more stark change in the anime than it is in the manga.

7 Bakugo & Deku’s Quirks Glow

Season 3, Episode 61, “Deku vs. Kacchan, Part 2”

Night scenes are always difficult to convey in manga. Artists can’t make things too dark, or the readers won’t know what’s going on. Yet, in anime, animators can use lighting tricks and other editing to make night scenes really pop – especially when electrical arcs and explosions are involved.

Katsuki Bakugo and Deku’s second head-to-head battle is an awesome display of power and lighting. But black-and-white manga art loses some of that splendor. This fight also includes Bakugo’s heartwrenching, guilt-ridden soliloquy about how he believes he’s the cause of All Might’s downfall. Although the frantically tearful Bakugo scene is better artistically in the manga, nothing emotionally compares to hearing the pained cries of a young boy who believes he caused the end of his idol.

6 Todoroki & Deku’s True Power Shines Through

Season 2, Episode 23, “Shoto Todoroki: Origin”

Shoto Todoroki and Deku’s fight during the U.A. Sports Festival is one of the most iconic battles in My Hero Academia. Not only does it showcase some truly impressive Quirk use, but it also shows a lot of emotional growth for Todoroki. Unfortunately, a lot of the might behind each of Deku and Todoroki’s attacks is lost in the still art of the manga.

Todoroki and Deku’s fight is made to be a visual and auditory experience. The impact of every punch is more powerful when it can be both seen and heard. The spectacle of Todoroki’s flames is also more impressive when they’re in color. Deku’s iconic “your power” cry gives audiences an even greater depth of emotion as well.

5 Overhaul’s Power Is Properly Portrayed

Season 4, Episode 76, “Infinite 100%”

The fight between Overhaul and the party of the Shie Hassaikai raid is one of the largest battles since All Might faces One For All. Big moves and even bigger stakes are up for grabs during this fierce fight. Due to its grand scale, the manga can only cover so much of the action as restricted by the confines of two pages at most. Conversely, anime adaptations have seemingly more room to work with.

Animation can use different camera angles and various perspective tricks to capture more of the action at once. Animation also has the advantage of effects creators can use to enhance a scene. This is especially true when Deku faces Overhaul on his own with Eri on his back. In the anime, fans can see Deku glow with the amount of power flowing through him as Overhaul attempts to bring the full force of his power Deku’s way. Deku’s glow and the rumbling of the attacks simply can’t be duplicated in a manga.

4 Shigaraki’s Fight With Re-Destro Is Vividly Massive

Season 5, Episode 112, “Tomura Shigaraki: Origin”

After battling Gigantomachia and enhancing his Quirk, Tomura Shigaraki and the rest of the League of Villains vow to take over the Meta Liberation Front. To do this, Shigaraki faces their leader, a self-named man called Re-Destro. Despite Re-Destro’s Stress Quirk that increases his power, Shigaraki easily overpowers and gravely injures him.

Shigaraki’s improved Quirk is a site to behold – especially with animation and sound added. The sheer devastation that Shigaraki brings is appreciated more when it’s animated. Shigaraki and Re-Destro’s fight is an extreme show of power and destruction that can only be purely captured onscreen, rather than manga art.

3 All Might vs. All For One Showcases A Hero’s Final Stand

Season 3, Episode 49, “One For All”

All Might and All For One have been enemies for decades. Their grudge goes back as far as when Nana Shimura held the One For All Quirk. Therefore, the seemingly final battle between them in Season 3 is one of the most iconic and bombastic fights. Their conflict is great in the manga, but seeing and hearing the onslaught puts the battle on another level.

With each new move All Might calls out, fans can sense the strain in his voice. This helps audiences to feel the true stakes of the fight that they can’t get from only reading the manga. The animation and colors bring life to this epic battle – giving credit to the seriousness and finality of what appears to be the Symbol of Peace’s final conflict.

2 Jiro’s Song Is Best In Sound

Season 4, Episode 86, “Let It Flow! School Festival!”

The U.A. School Festival is a welcome respite after the dark events of the Shie Hassaikai Arc. The most iconic part of the school festival is Class 1-A’s performance. The students work tirelessly learning to dance, play instruments, or sing. Their hard work pays off in a perfectly executed spectacle with Kyoka Jiro singing lead.

The manga shows the students’ work accurately enough, but nothing can compare to hearing Jiro singing her song in real-time. The music is uplifting and helps audiences feel like they could do or be anything. The Class 1-A performance is a great scene that is best experienced in the anime.

1 Izuku Midoriya’s Dreams Are Validated

Season 1, Episode 2, “What It Takes to Be a Hero”

Arguably, the most iconic scene in My Hero Academia occurs during the first season, when All Might tells Midoriya that he, too, can be a hero. The scene is set during a glowing golden twilight as wind and heroic, swelling music soar. Midoriya’s sobs add to the extreme emotions of the scene since he finally feels like someone believes in his dream as much as he does.

This scene is one of the best in both the anime and manga, but there is so much more impact when it comes to the anime. All aspects of this iconic moment are more vibrant thanks to the animation, score, and voice acting. For all its perks, the manga simply can’t capture the moment as perfectly as the anime.