Easily one of the greatest and most popular shonen series right now, My Hero Academia is consistently going strong as one of the hottest franchises around, sporting an anime that has gone through a massive number of changes and developments from its fledgling first season. Any person that tries to rewatch the series will be truly astounded as to how different the first few chapters feel.
To put this statement into further context, here are ten of the biggest changes between the first and latest season of My Hero Academia that'll make the startling developers of the series quite evident indeed. It's a brilliant sign of the fast-paced nature of this amazing anime and how important the plot developments of the show really are.
10 Midoriya Gaining Greater Control Over His Powers
At the start of the show, Midoriya was just a fledgling when it came to controlling the powers of One for All, with a single release of this technique absolutely decimating his body and shattering his bones.
So, to finally see him slowly master the Full Cowl ability and draw from just a small pool of his power in order to prevent his body from being crushed by this force is an impressive feat, finally allowing him to become the hero he always wanted to be.
9 Bakugo Developing Newfound Respect For Midoriya
Bakugo is one of the most popular characters in My Hero Academia, even though his first impression — and a number of other instances as well — made it clear that he had absolutely no respect for the protagonist of the series.
However, over time, Bakugo's inner turmoil coupled with his jealously of Midoriya's meteoric rise as a budding hero finally forced him to face off against Midoriya in a battle that truly brought out the best of both fighters, while simultaneously placing Bakugo's character in a positive light in the most resounding manner possible.
The fact that he ended up developing an underlying respect for Midoriya post this battle speaks volumes when it comes to his character.
8 Todoroki Embracing Both Sides Of His Power
For the longest time, Todoroki was shying away from using his full power due to his inability to accept his father's abilities. However, Season 2 put a halt to that with one of the best fights in the series between Midoriya and Todoroki.
The fact that Midoriya actively tried to help Todoroki face his demons and embrace his power is admirable enough as is, and the fact that this even worked in convincing Todoroki allowed for an amazing moment where Todoroki unleashed his fiery side against Midoriya in a massive attack.
7 Eri Becoming A Mainstay In The Series
Easily one of the most mysterious — not to mention adorable — characters on the show, the strife that Eri went through in her childhood is something that no child would want to experience at all.
While her powers are nothing short of a mystery at this moment, one can only wait and see how her character develops after finding refuge within U.A. The possibilities of her powers are truly immense and can be a complete gamechanger in battle.
6 The Introduction Of People Close To All Might
Eri isn't the only new character to be introduced since Season 1 — there are a whole host of important figures that have made their debut since the first chapter of My Hero Academia. The most notable mentions in this regard are Nighteye — All Might's ex-sidekick — and Mirio — one of the members of The Big Three at U.A.
The reason why both these characters are so important is due to the nature of their relationship with All Might. Nighteye was his loyal sidekick for the longest time and the reputed brains behind All Might's operations, while Mirio was slated to receive the power of One for All before Midoriya was chosen as its successor instead.
5 All Might's Retirement
All Might was the Number One Hero for the longest time, with everyone admiring the hero for always giving it all without losing his iconic smile. So, when it was revealed that his powers were slowly ebbing away, it was only a given that people would be more than worried about his retirement post his fight with All for One.
That being said, it seems that people need not fear — after all, there was another hero in All Might's shadow all this time who is finally getting his time to shine...
4 The Rise Of Endeavor
Endeavor's personality might not have been all that engaging in the early goings, but there's no denying the fact that his character arc has certainly swung in a positive direction post All Might's retirement.
Whether it be saving the people from devastating threats or trying to improve himself as a person, it's clear that Endeavor is becoming a major part of the show along with a new face in the Pro Hero landscape...
3 Hawks Becoming A Central Figure
Hawks' ranking of being the second-most powerful hero around might seem quite surprising at first — especially considering the fact that he isn't really all that powerful — but there's a reason why he's risen up the ranks so efficiently.
His powers are perfect for saving people and his sharp thinking allows him to make for any physical shortcomings. Given the events of Season 5 up till now, it's clear that Hawks is going to have a significant impact on the events of the story.
2 The Revelation That Nomus Are Getting More Advanced
The advanced Nomu that ended up assaulting Endeavor and Hawks near the end of Season 4 made it infinitely clear that the Nomus weren't going away anytime soon.
If anything, these monstrosities were getting more and more powerful, which is definitely quite worrying given Endeavor's massive efforts to take care of this destructive anomaly.
1 The Slow But Sure Rise Of The League Of Villains
For a while, it seemed that Shigaraki was out of his depth as a villain, with his whole menacing act serving as nothing more than a front for his incompetence. However, over time, Shigaraki has shown that he's more than capable of wreaking havoc.
It's clear that the League of Villains is destined for great things, with members of this group coming into the spotlight time and time again. It's a given that major events are going to be triggered in the anime as a result of this villain group — it's only a matter of when.