With My Hero Academia Season 8 just announced for 2025, fans are buzzing with bittersweet excitement as the beloved anime begins its journey towards the end. The upcoming season is expected to mark the final chapters of the final fight against All For One and their journey towards becoming number one heroes. However, while some anime franchises have taken to wrapping up their stories with big-budget movies, MHA is choosing a different path.
✕ Remove Ads
As rumors swirl about Season 8 being a shorter season, with only 13 episodes, it promises something that may be missing from anime finales these days — a more comprehensive, satisfying conclusion to the long-running shonen. This stands in stark contrast to how other major franchises, like Demon Slayer and Haikyuu!!, decided to end their stories with movies.
Related
My Hero Academia Never Should Have Killed Its Most Popular Character
Bakugo's death was undone in a very interesting fashion, but killing him at all was a controversial choice that ended up not impacting the plot.
2
✕ Remove Ads
Anime Movie Finales Always Leave Something Missing
They Focus More on Spectacle Than Story
Lately, it seems that wrapping up anime series with a movie or even a trilogy has become a popular trend. Demon Slayer, one of the most successful anime of recent years, is ending its saga with a trilogy of films. While these films are sure to include stunning animation and action-packed fights, there's something that many fans feel is missing in these film conclusions: the depth and pacing that long-form storytelling offers. Fans may be eagerly awaiting the epic conclusion in theaters, but the decision to wrap it up in three movies leaves some worried about the depth and nuance of the shonen's conclusion.
✕ Remove Ads
My Hero Academia has always been an anime that properly sets up the spectacle by giving it a strong emotional foundation and rich character moments that keep fans invested. The cinematic finale approach can feel rushed, cramming major events from the manga into a limited runtime. Films inherently have a restricted amount of time to tell their story, which means that slower, more emotional character moments, like those fans have witnessed throughout the seasons in MHA, can often be sacrificed in favor of spectacle. This can result in an experience that feels grand and epic but lacks the same emotional payoff as a well-paced anime season.
MHA Deserves a More Thoughtful Ending
Character Arcs Shouldn't be Sacrificed for Spectacle
Related
My Hero Academia's Greatest Message Comes Full Circle With The Least Likely Character
One unlikely MHA hero turns the tide back in the heroes' favor and reflects the whole point of the anime.
✕ Remove Ads
My Hero Academia seems to be taking a different route with its final season, which could set it apart from franchises like Demon Slayer and Haikyuu!!. While Season 8 is rumored to be a shorter season, this could actually work in the shonen's favor. Instead of cramming the finale into a handful of blockbuster films, MHA is allowing its story to unfold over the course of several episodes, giving the production the space to dive deeper into the characters' journeys, emotions, and the themes that have been building since Season 1.
Additionally, a shorter season doesn't necessarily mean a lack of narrative — it means tighter storytelling. The final season will more than likely have better pacing and a more satisfying resolution to the arcs that have been central to the anime. The emphasis of My Hero Academia Season 8 will be on resolving the final war between Deku and All For One, the answer to who will replace All Might as the true Symbol of Peace, and the end of the trials and tribulations of the Todoroki family. With the Final War coming to a close, fans are on the edge of their seats, waiting to see the fate of the hero society itself.
✕ Remove Ads
Fans are Experiencing Anime Franchise Fatigue
Stretched Out Anime Finales Risk Losing Fans
Another issue with movie finales is the potential for fatigue, particularly when stretched over multiple films. While fans are undoubtedly eager for Demon Slayer's trilogy, there is a risk that stretching out the conclusion over three separate releases could lead to diminishing excitement. With months, or even years, between installments, momentum can be lost, and the emotional investment may fade.
✕ Remove Ads
By contrast, My Hero Academia Season 8 will offer a more continuous viewing experience, likely to release over a single season, allowing fans to stay immersed in the story from start to finish. There won't be long gaps between releases, nor will there be a need to reintroduce characters or plot points with each installment, as is often required with movie trilogies. Fans will be able to experience the entire conclusion in one cohesive season, which can heighten the emotional payoff and provide a more seamless end to the series.
Fans Deserve to Say a Proper Goodbye to MHA
Season 8 Will Give Fans What They Need
In the end, what sets My Hero Academia apart from other anime opting for movie finales is the sense of closure that a well-paced season can provide. Characters like Deku, Uraraka, All Might, and the Todoroki family have undergone immense growth over the course of seven seasons, and a rushed movie could never do justice to the conclusion of their arcs. By allowing the final story arcs to play out in a seasonal format, MHA ensures that every character, relationship, and storyline gets the attention it deserves.
✕ Remove Ads
The final season will certainly be a bittersweet farewell, but it will be a farewell that gives fans the satisfying conclusion they've been hoping for. Rather than being caught up in the spectacle of a cinematic finale, My Hero Academia is staying true to the heart of the anime — emphasizing character growth, the depth of its world, and the emotional stakes of its story. In a time where more and more anime franchises are turning to movie finales, MHA Season 8 is indeed a breath of fresh air, proving that sometimes, a final season is still the best way to say goodbye.
My Hero Academia (2016)
Action
Superhero
Animation
Izuku has dreamt of being a hero all his life—a lofty goal for anyone, but especially challenging for a kid with no superpowers. That’s right, in a world where eighty percent of the population has some kind of super-powered “quirk,” Izuku was unlucky enough to be born completely normal. But that’s not enough to stop him from enrolling in one of the world’s most prestigious hero academies.
- Release Date
- April 3, 2016
- Cast
- Aoi Yuki , Ayane Sakura , Christopher R. Sabat , Yûki Kaji , Nobuhiko Okamoto , Luci Christian , David Matranga , Justin Briner , Kenta Miyake , Clifford Chapin , Daiki Yamashita
- Rating
- Seasons
- 7
- Franchise
- My Hero Academia
- Characters By
- Kohei Horikoshi
- Distributor
- FUNimation Entertainment
- Main Characters
- Tsuyu Asui, Katsuki Bakugo, Ochaco Uraraka, Izuku Midoriya, Shoto Todoroki, All Might
- Production Company
- Bones
- Story By
- Kōhei Horikoshi, Yōsuke Kuroda
- Number of Episodes
- 113
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu , Crunchyroll