As MY HERO ACADEMIA starts wrapping up the season, they introduce a lot of new elements. There are new characters, new objectives, and new sides to characters we know. The episode is essentially split it two – which, considering the focus on Twice, isn’t surprising. “A Season of Encounters” isn’t the strongest episode, but there are some interesting developments introduced in fun ways. At the very least, the episode seems to promise many more encounters in season four.
The part of the episode that focus on U.A. is the most conventional. Midoriya is put at a disadvantage with schoolwork because of his house arrest. But now Midoriya has a new goal with getting a “hero work study,” which will certainly lead to more action. There’s also his peculiar encounter with one of the “Big Three” students. It’s unclear how sweet or sinister these Big Three are, but either way, their interactions with the younger students will probably be exciting as well. MY HERO ACADEMIA has a solid half-episode with its protagonist students, preparing for the next level.
The other half of the episode is more peculiar. This episode spends a lot of time on Twice, a League of Villains member. It’s weird to spend time with a villain we’ve only seen as part of the larger organization. That said, Twice’s backstory and motivations are definitely interesting. Not only do we meet a potentially bigger villain in Overhaul, but we see a whole new side of a usually goofy villain. Spending this much time with a previously sidelined character means Twice will definitely become a bigger MY HERO ACADEMIA presence.
As far as build-up episodes go, MY HERO ACADEMIA has a good track record. This episode is confusing, mostly because of its construction. We see Twice and Overhaul’s introduction before we see any of the heroes. It would be more understandable if we knew what to expect from Twice. Not knowing is interesting, but spending so much time with Twice is kind of disorienting. The spotlight on Twice would be easier to buy if it was more clear where he would go from here. That said, while it’s confusing, it’s still an interesting story, and not so distracting that it ruins the episode. Even with a split episode, MY HERO ACADEMIA tells solid stories.
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MY HERO ACADEMIA is getting a lot of elements ready for season four. It’s an interesting episode, mostly because of what it sets up for the future. This isn’t a filler episode, but it’s mostly focused on setting the table. Even the title “A Season of Encounters” makes this seem like a season four prologue. However, MY HERO ACADEMIA has always found ways to keep build-up episodes engaging, and this is no exception.
