Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

My Hero Academia: Season Three, Part Two Blu-ray Movie Review

A must-see collection of My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia: Season 3, Part 2 is another action-packed set that fans of the series will enjoy in spades. The series is produced by the acclaimed Studio Bones (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) and is one of anime's most entertaining long-form series. From creator Kôhei Horikoshi (My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising), the anime adaptation is a must-see. A smash-hit, the anime airs on Cartoon Network's Toonami action-anime block in North America and is distributed by Funimation Entertainment on Blu-ray.

The second half of the third season picks things up where My Hero Academia: Season 3, Part 1 left off and pushes the adrenaline level to the max. The group of heroes in training are on a quest to learn the tricks of the trade in the world of superheroes. The classmates are determined to step up their game. Learning from the best (including the super-heroic All Might), Deku and the gang are back and the journey is still just beginning. This time the stakes are raised as the classmates must manage to pass every test in front of them to become licensed super- heroes! Can the students pass their exams or will “failure” be in their futures?

The second half of season three is another mega-successful set of episodes. The batch of episodes has a lot of fun with the focus on the students working towards becoming licensed. This element of the set is the backbone. Yet what surprised me was how the set focuses on a lot of comedic side-stories as well. There are some interesting character-driven episodes which recalled the earlier episodes (and was in line with some of the season one introductory arc episodes).

The change of pace was actually appreciated: the previous set was so action-packed that it was nice to have a bit of a breather on this set (even though the action is non-stop during the superhero exam episodes). Regardless of whether or not one is a bigger fan of the action-packed episodes or the character-driven episodes, My Hero Academia: Season 3, Part 2 has plenty to offer fans. And it definitely excels in both arenas without ever seeming to delve into filler-episode territory.

Does Deku have what it takes to be a superhero?

One of the best elements of the series is the exquisite animation. The animators have once again knocked it out of the park with their strong efforts during season three. The background art is a fantastic example of how dedicated the team of animators are on the program. There is a lot of impressive detail in the art work. The character designs also continue to be every bit as effective as found during the earlier sets.

Perhaps the most under-rated component of the series is the first-rate music score. My Hero Academia features a score composed by Yuki Hayashi (Here Comes the Morning, Run with the Wind). The high quality music is at the forefront in this action- packed set. The score manages to fit both components found in the series: the action and the heart. The character-driven aspects are covered well by the composer. The series benefits greatly from having a great composer to help carry it.

Fans of action will find the set another satisfactory entry in the My Hero Academia saga. The action scenes hit home. The last few episodes in the collection are some of the most intense episodes the season showcases. Screenwriter Yôsuke Kuroda (Mobile Suit Gundam OO: A Wakening of the Trailblazer, Honey and Clover) remembers to cater to fans looking for some fun action while continuing to explore the more complex themes of the series.

Director Kenji Nagasaki (My Hero Academia: Two Heroes) is the MVP of the production. My Hero Academia is a massive hit for a reason: the series is expertly directed. Nagasaki makes the series intense. In some respects, the second-half of My Hero Academia: Season 3 outdoes the first ½. Building the series towards something even grander, the saga remains a must-see blast from start to finish. No fan should go without seeing this great collection of episodes.

My Hero Academia: Season Three, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation Entertainment, My Hero Academia: Season 3, Part 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The series looks every bit as magnificent as it has on the previous releases on Blu-ray. Color reproduction is downright superb. The set has a colorful palette and each episode does an effective job of showcasing the beautiful artistry of the animators.

The encoding effort is quite good as well. Outside of a few brief moments of slight banding (which might be source-related), the discs are phenomenal. The rich colors, beautiful textures, and detail are apparent throughout the entire set. The action scenes have a superb fluidity to them and there are never any distracting compression artifacts to get in the way of enjoying the series. A high-quality presentation for a must-see anime.

My Hero Academia: Season Three, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release features two lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround sound and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles). Both options will provide viewers with a impressive listening experience. The lossless audio allows for the tracks to have an even greater range and depth. Dialogue is consistently crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The music sounds lovely and has a warmth which is well-appreciated. The audio tracks are remarkably crisp sounding and also have more than enough bombast during the action scenes spread throughout the set. LFE is a little on the lighter side but the overall dynamics of the presentation are solid. An effective lossless audio mix.

My Hero Academia: Season Three, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The set includes a set of three exclusive art cards featuring some of the iconic art work from the My Hero Academia series. These art cards were a surprisingly nice pack-in addition to the release.

On disc extras are as follows:

Inside the Episode: Create Those Ultimate Moves (HD, 7:24)

Inside the Episode: A Talk About Your Quirk (HD, 8:29)

My Hero Academia: Conversation with the Cast (HD, 24:25) features a discussion with members of the English dub voice-cast. The participants include Colleen Clinkenbeard (ADR director and voice of Yaoyorozu), Justin Briner (voice of Deku), Clifford Chapin (voice of Bakugo), and Ricco Fajardo (voice of Mirio).

My Hero Academia: Outtakes Reel (HD, 1:57)

Promo Videos (HD, 1:30)

Commercials (HD, 1:08)

Textless Opening Song "Make my story" (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Song "Longhope Philia" (HD, 1:32)

My Hero Academia: Season Three, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

My Hero Academia: Season 3 is a total blast. The second half of the season is even better than the first set. The action remains intense while the characters are given plenty of moments to shine during some comedic side-stories that made the set all the more entertaining. The animation remains just as vital to the viewing experience: My Hero Academia is a beautiful looking anime production. The Blu-ray has a strong video-audio presentation. Fans will want to add this one to the collection. Highly recommended.