English Dub Review: My Hero Academia “Gear Up for the Final Exams”

Study hard.

Overview (Spoilers Below)

My Hero Academia resumes its post-internship story arc. “Don’t forget to keep training,” Mr. Aizawa heeds his students. The Written exam is only one element. There’s also the practical portion to worry about.” In a rather self-aware moment, several of the students panic. While others freak out, a few students exhibit their increased proficiency and offer to tutor their classmates.

An older student, Kendo, reveals to Deku that the practical portion of the exam is a fight against robots. But Bakago becomes rather irked. For one, he’s bothered with how Deku moved around like him in  “Listen Up!! A Tale From the Past.”

Unfortunately, the students discover that their opponents aren’t robots. Instead, all of the work that goes into prepping for robots is all for naught.

Our Take

I like this episode and its continued wind-down. As with previous season entries, there are a few montages: one of student reactions to the exams, and another of the kids studying. Plus, there’s an important flashback with the teachers communing and discussing the practical element of the exam. This shows how the current landscape with increased threats from villains influences the education system.

Although she’s not in the actual episode, I do appreciate hearing more about Hatsume. One of her inventions comes into play, and it’s fun to see what she’s been up to.

There’s a major twist I didn’t see coming which makes for an interesting dynamic with both students and teachers. Plus, it puts the student development into perspective. While they’ve exhibited increased abilities over the course of the term, the kids aren’t as advanced as they think.

A few moments remind me of “Roading Sports Festival,” notably with the montages. It seems for the practical portion of the exam, action will emulate the format of the earlier UA Sports Fest. I’m excited to see where the season continues from here. There’s definitely an onus on relationships, not only skills. Interpersonal connections are poised to fluctuate as students are paired off, and interact with teachers in a unique way.

SCORE
8.0/10