Underdog action anime has violence, cursing, innuendo.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that My Hero Academia is an anime action series set in a world where having superpowers is the norm. In this world, violence is frequent and ranges from slapstick comedy to serious life-threatening dangers. Teen heroes undergo dramatic training that involves sparring with peers and fighting actual villains. There are lots of explosions and some guns; most weapons are science fiction gadgets. Injuries are serious but not graphic. There are both male and female superheroes of equal power, but female superheroes are sometimes sexualized for laughs. Language includes frequent profanity ("s--t," "bastard," "damn," "ass"), insults, and threats. Adult characters smoke and drink. Important themes are working hard to achieve your dreams, helping others, and improving one's self. The teen heroes are models of bravery, kindness, perseverance, and humility.
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Frequent cartoon violence in superhero training and battles with villains. Characters' powers include explosions, gunfire, elemental powers, body modifications, and controlling others. Villains use their powers to harm and kill innocent people. High school students regularly get serious injuries (e.g., broken bones, intense bruises, burns) and face life-threatening dangers. Superheroes who overextend themselves throw up and cough up blood. Brief mentions of physical and emotional abuse from parents. A teen boy regularly ogles and comments on his female classmates' outfits and bodies.
Did you know you can flag iffy content?
Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
An adult smokes cigarettes in the teachers lounge. Later seasons include references to alcohol, getting drunk, and fictional drugs that affect characters' powers.
Did you know you can flag iffy content?
Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
A teen boy is shy about talking to a new girl who's nice to him. The school nurse uses kisses to heal injuries. Female superheroes often have sexualized costumes (very tight, shows skin, emphasizes breasts and buttocks). An adult woman known as the "R-rated Superhero" says innuendos like "That turns me on!" and her costume includes sex toys (handcuffs, whips). A character uses her looks and fame to get perks like free food. Some scenes of partial nudity (shirtless, bathing, clothes falling off).
Did you know you can flag iffy content?
Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Frequent profanity like "s--t," "hell," "bastard," "damn," "ass," "shut up," "holy stinking super crap." Classmates insult ("tool," "stupid," "jerkwad," "pervert") and threaten each other ("I'll mess you up," "I'll beat you," "I'll teach you a lesson").
Did you know you can flag iffy content?
Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Themes include heroism, growth, rivalry, teamwork, friendship, legacy, and good vs. evil. The true test of a hero is risking your life, doing something no matter the cost, and self-sacrifice. Don't give up on your dreams and strive to live up to your ideals. Teens struggle with parental pressure, the weight of responsibility, and figuring out who they want to be.
Positive Role Models
a lot
High school students are driven by their desire to succeed. Students support their classmates, and rivalry between students is based on improving one's self. Students overcome personal challenges related to pride, power, and achieving their goals. Young heroes are brave, kind, and resilient. Teachers and mentors encourage, challenge, and protect the students. Midoriya has a very supportive mom.
Diverse Representations
a little
The setting is a world where people have "quirks"; these special powers create a wide diversity of body types. This also means people are divided as "haves" and "have-nots." People without quirks are looked down on a little bit. The superhero class has an even balance of male and female students. Midoriya freely cries and shows strong emotions. Some characters make gendered comments like "stop crying so much" (directed towards boys) or "totally manned up." A major hero has a physical disability.
Parents say this show is entertaining and inspiring for children aged 9 and up, emphasizing themes of hard work and perseverance. However, they should be aware of inappropriate content, including sexualization of female characters and some profanity, particularly from certain characters, which may not be suitable for younger viewers.
age recommendations
empowerment themes
inappropriate content
character issues
positive messages
Summarized with AI
age 12+
Based on 60 kid reviews
Kids say the show is a mix of inspirational themes and intense action but carries a fair amount of violence and mild language which some reviewers feel may be exaggerated in terms of its rating. Many appreciate the character development and humor, while others express concern about sexual innuendos and specific characters who contribute to inappropriate content, suggesting it's best suited for more mature audiences, preferably those aged 12 and above.
inspirational themes
violence and language
character development
sexual innuendos
age maturity required
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
MY HERO ACADEMIA is about Izuku Midoriya (voiced in English by Justin Briner), a boy born with no quirk who dreams of becoming the world's greatest hero. After a chance meeting with his idol, All Might (voiced by Christopher Sabat), Midoriya inherits a powerful quirk and must learn to control his powers. Fortunately, there's a school for that! Midoriya has many challenges ahead, between powerful classmates, scheming villains, and his childhood rival Katsuki Bakugo (voiced by Clifford Chapin).
This powered-up school drama is full of inspiring role models and surprisingly complex life lessons. My Hero Academia has a strong ensemble cast of characters, each with their own attractive qualities. Combat scenes are creative and fast-paced. Despite the fantastical setting, characters deal with realistic problems that any teen is likely to face. It's also refreshing that the adult characters are strong supporters of the kids' growth -- both physically and emotionally.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in media. How do characters throughout the show use violence to achieve their goals? How do their approaches to conflict reflect how we might handle conflict in our own lives?
The UA students are all training to be the best heroes. How do they handle the tension between being friends and rivals with their classmates? What do they learn about teamwork, friendship, and themselves?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.