Warning: SPOILERS for the mid-season finale of My Hero Academia Season 6
The first half of Season 6 of My Hero Academia has concluded, and it was so good that it sets up an impossible standard for the series finale. This part of the anime adapted the Paranormal Liberation War, which many fans consider the best arc of the manga. However, it was actually so good that it was hard to follow up, and many fans consider the finale of the series (which is currently unfolding in the manga) already disappointing in comparison.
The Paranormal Liberation War arc is surprisingly simple, as it follows the all-out battle between the assembled Pro Heroes of Japan and the forces of the Paranormal Liberation Front, an organization resulting from the combined forces of the League of Villains and the Meta Liberation Army, coalesced under the leadership of Shigaraki Tomura. The no. 2 Pro Hero, Hawks, has infiltrated the Front, posing as an ally, and thanks to his intelligence the heroes prepare a surprise all-out attack. However, the awakening of Shigaraki, who was undergoing a procedure to acquire the All for One Quirk, turned the tables completely. Shigaraki, with the help of Gigantomachia, destroyed entire cities, despite the efforts of the no. 1 Pro Hero, Endeavor. Only the intervention of Deku managed to stop Shigaraki, but the villain still managed to get away with his army of Nomu soldiers.
The reason why My Hero Academia's Paranormal Liberation War arc is considered the best of the series is that it represents the culmination of almost every plot thread and character arc up until that point. These are all thrown together into the background of intense, non-stop fighting on a scale the series had never shown before, and the result was excellent. Season 6 of the anime made justice to the story thanks to Studio Bones' excellent work, which highlighted the most important moments without losing the rhythm of the action. Season 6 had many moments that fans had been waiting for, like the reveal of Dabi's identity and a fight between Ochaco and Toga. There were also shocking surprises such as Shigaraki's awakening and Deku entering the subconscious realm of One For All.
My Hero Academia's Season 6 Is So Good, It Will Ruin The Rest Of The Series
For all the great moments shown in Season 6 of My Hero Academia, the conclusion of the Paranormal Liberation War hints that there are even more exciting developments to come. Endeavor and Shoto have to deal with Dabi, Bakugo's defeat makes him question his worth as a hero, and Deku has to decide if he wants to consider Shigaraki a victim of All For One or an unredeemable villain. However, as readers of the manga already know, the actual final arc of the series is falling short of expectations. Without giving away any spoilers for anime-only fans, suffices to say that the final arc is recycling many moments from the Paranormal Liberation War, mirroring them but with way inferior results.
This begs the question of why My Hero Academia's author Kohei Horikoshi wanted to conclude his series with another huge, all-out battle, taking place not too long after the Paranormal Liberation War. That part of the story is so good because it manages to slip in the middle of a chaotic battle incredibly emotional and meaningful moments, such as Hawks murdering Twice. This feat is hard to replicate, and the final battle of the series is looking (for now) just like a pale replica of the Paranormal Liberation War. Season 6 of My Hero Academia was one of the best anime of 2022, but fans should be fully aware that it could have set a standard so high that the series finale will find it impossible to live up to it.
Season 6 of My Hero Academia is streaming on Crunchyroll.