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All My Hero Academia Arc Ranked From Worst to Best
Kohei Horikoshi’s beloved Weekly Shonen Jump manga My Hero Academia reached its conclusion in August last year, and the anime will also wrap up the story on December 13th, 2025. For over a decade, My Hero Academia has remained one of the most renowned Shonen series thanks to its unique power system, intense fights, and most of all, complex characters. Set in a world where eighty percent of the human population possesses unique abilities called quirks, the series highlights the drawbacks of the superhuman society. With the rise in such powers, crimes became more common than ever, which is why heroes came into action to stop villains from causing chaos.
The story follows the high school years of Izuku Midoriya, a quirkless boy who has dreamed of becoming a pro hero all his life. He gains a legendary power after meeting his idol, the world’s greatest hero, All Might, and enrolls in the prestigious U.A. High School, where he must overcome any challenge to rise to the top. The story is split across 23 arcs categorized into three main sagas. While all My Hero Academia arcs offer something unique to the fans, there’s always something better than the other.
23) Quirk Apprehension Test Arc
Izuku’s high school life is already off to a rough start as he begins at the bottom of his class. He gets a brutal reality check when he sees he has to keep up with his peers who have been in control for several years. However, things take a turn for the worse when their homeroom teacher threatens to expel the student who comes in last in the Quirk Apprehension Test. Running for just three chapters, it’s the second arc of the manga that begins Izuku’s journey.
22) Final Exams Arc
As the term end approaches, Class 1-A prepares for the finals, which will include both written and practical exams. Those who fail will not be allowed to go to the Summer Training Camp, which is why they must all do their best. However, while the written exams are considerably easier, the students are divided into teams of two, and they must defeat one of their teachers if they hope to pass.
21) U.A. School Festival Arc
Things at U.A. are looking grimmer than usual after the brutal battle against Shie Hassaikai. Following the death of Sir Nighteye and the temporary suspension of the Work Studies, everyone is in dire need to lift their spirits, including Eri, the young girl who is still unable to smile after suffering years of abuse at the hands of Kai Chisaki. Class 1-A puts on a performance to bring smiles to everyone’s faces, just what heroes are supposed to do.
20) Entrance Exam Arc
In just four chapters, MHA sets up the premise of the story by introducing the major characters, including All Might and Katsuki Bakugo. Following his fateful encounter with All Might, Deku learns about the hero’s secret that only a handful of people know about. He then gains the power of the world’s greatest hero. He then embarks on a path to follow in All Might’s steps, but first, he needs to pass the difficult entrance exam at U.A. High School.
19) Battle Trial Arc
Students of Class 1-A have a new challenge ahead of them as they are separated into groups of two and compete against each other as heroes or villains. However, for the first time in his life, Katsuki, who has always been proud of his powers, realizes that he may not be as special as he thought he was. With Izuku appearing in front of him with newfound powers and Shoto Todoroki outclassing him without even trying, Katsuki pours out all his frustration on Izuku and almost messes up their test.
18) Pro Hero Arc
After losing the symbol of peace, the entire superhuman society is in shambles as the feeling of unease continues to grow. The story takes a brief break from Class 1-A and focuses on the first Hero Billboard Chart since All Might’s retirement. Knowing that he can’t replace the symbol, Endeavor doesn’t make any big promises as the new No. 1. Instead, he asks everyone to just watch him as he tries to live up to the reputation of the top hero.
17) Meta Liberation Army Arc
This arc sets up the final saga of the series, where the Meta Liberation Army and the League of Villains join hands in order to destroy the foundation of the superhuman society. The country is barely holding its own after countless major troubles, and in a time of chaos, the Meta Liberation Army begins spreading the old belief that quirks shouldn’t be restricted and increases their numbers in hopes of causing even more chaos.
16) Joint Training Arc
Students of Class 1-A and 1-B compete against each other, but they are joined by Hitoshi Shinso, who was forced to join the General Studies course even though he always wanted to be a hero. After recognizing his talents at the Sports Festival, Aizawa trains him so he can achieve his full potential. Hitoshi joins each team from both sides, eager to prove himself. However, while the class is ongoing, Izuku unlocks a power hidden within him that he never knew about.
15) Remedial Course Arc
As the only two students in their class who didn’t get their Provisional Hero Licenses, Shoto and Katsuki must do their best at the Remedial Course and catch up to their classmates. However, their opponent isn’t a hero or a villain, but a group of chaotic kindergarten students who are impossible to control. Making these problem children happy is crucial to getting their license, but that’s a lot easier said than done.
14) U.A. Traitor Arc
While the series already hinted at U.A. being infiltrated by a traitor, no one expected it to be Yuga Aoyama, one of the aspiring heroes of Class 1-A. Since the beginning, he was forced to do All For One’s bidding and give him information about his school, including the location of the Training Camp, from where everything went downhill. However, when the stakes are high during the final battle, Yuga steels his resolve to do the right thing.
13) Star and Stripe Arc
Things are looking even more grim for Japan as Tomura Shigaraki’s body is nearly complete, putting everyone in danger. Although All Might requests immediate aid from foreign heroes, the only one willing to come to help Japan is America’s No. 1 Pro Hero, Star and Stripe. Despite her devastating power, Tomura has all the power he needs to defeat her. Star and Stripe’s defeat again emphasizes the hellhole Japan has become, and now they are on their own.
12) Forest Training Camp Arc
Although five students of Class 1-A failed the final practical exams, they are all allowed to go to the Training Camp since they must improve their quirks as soon as possible. The students do their best to further improve themselves and become the kind of heroes they want to be. They also join Class 1-B and continue the training, but their plans are thwarted by the League of Villains, as the organization has found more powerful members since Stain was captured.
11) Provisional Hero License Exam Arc
The hero society must keep moving forward and nurture new heroes, especially since Japan just lost its symbol of peace. With the beacon of hope gone, the heroes in training have a responsibility to continue pushing forward, and so they all strive to get the Provisional Hero Licenses. Although it’s rare for first years to get the license, nothing is impossible for the students of Class 1-A if they put their minds to it. But before the exam, Deku must find a way to overcome his weakness since using his arms while fighting isn’t an option anymore.
10) Endeavor Agency Arc
It’s the final arc before the major war against the villains and highlights the calm before the storm. Knowing that a major battle is awaiting them, the higher-ups want the help of as many heroes as possible, and that includes students with provisional licences. This is why pros are requested to train the work study students thoroughly. Seeing that his friends Katsuki and Izuku are unable to decide which agency to join, Shoto asks them to come with him and work alongside the top hero in the country, an offer the two of them can’t refuse.
9) U.A. Sports Festival Arc
After the League of Villains attacked the students of Class 1-A, many were unconfident about the Sports Festival happening. However, U.A. decides to stand tall even in the face of all the troubles. On the other hand, All Might explains the true importance of the Sports Festival to Izuku and why he must introduce himself to the world as the best. However, while Izuku was planning to win the tournament, he decided to help Shoto first after learning about his circumstances.
8) U.S.J Arc
This arc features the first appearance of the League of Villains, the moment when everything started going downhill for U.A., especially those in Class 1-A. An ordinary training class turns into a living nightmare when several villains infiltrate a special facility and cut off all communication from the outside. Class 1-A finally finds out what it’s like to go up against powerful villains.
7) Dark Hero Arc
The hero society is almost ruined since the Paranormal Liberation War, with many of Japan’s most dangerous villains, including All For One, having escaped from prison. In these trying times, Izuku leaves his school and works alongside All Might and the top pro heroes to track down the remnants of the League of Villains. He also continues to harness the full power of his quirk to prepare himself for the final battle against the evil incarnate.
6) Vs. Hero Killer Arc
After the Sports Festival, all students from the hero course get an internship for one week, where they learn the ropes by working in the field with the pros. However, things are different for Tenya Iida, who only plans to defeat the Hero Killer Stain, the one who brutally attacked his older brother. Unfortunately, he was helpless when he came face-to-face with the villain, but Izuku and Shoto arrived in the nick of time to save him. While the rookies barely managed to defeat such a powerful villain, Stain made a major impact in society by questioning the morals of modern-day heroes and indirectly inspired countless people, including villains.
5) Epilogue Arc
The epilogue arc is a beautiful and bittersweet farewell to fans who followed the journey for several years. It features the aftermath of the brutal war as the heroes begin to slowly rebuild society after the devastating war. Students of Class 1-A are now moving on to their second year, but the effects of war are still fresh. As a new era of peace begins, the world witnesses the rise of new heroes who fought and survived the battle against All For One and Tomura Shigaraki.
4) Shie Hassaikai Arc
The arc follows the battle against a yakuza group as the heroes join hands to rescue Eri, a young girl held captive by the new leader of Shie Hassakai. Mirio Togata, the top hero student at U.A., stops at nothing in order to protect the girl he once let down. Additionally, the arc also features several intense battles as each of the aspiring heroes pushes past their limits to ensure the mission’s success.
3) Hideout Raid Arc
Several pros join the mission to rescue Katsuki and capture the League of Villains. In the meantime, several students from Class 1-A break the rules and take matters into their own hands in an attempt to save Katsuki. Although the pros initially had an advantage, the villains, especially All For One, were always one step ahead. The arc marks the retirement of All Might, beginning an era of chaos and unease as the hero society lives without a symbol of peace for the first time in decades.
2) Final War Arc
The longest and most devastating arc in the series follows the heroes as they join the final battle against the villains, which will decide the fate of the world. Although the villains clearly have an advantage, the heroes have more than a few tricks up their sleeves to take the win. Even so, the casualties on both sides have been far more than anyone ever hoped.
1) Paranormal Liberation War Arc
The arc is when everything went downhill, leaving the hero society devastated and crushed. It’s an all-out war against tens of thousands of heroes and villains, with Tomura Shigaraki as the ringleader. Thanks to a tip from Hawks, the heroes were more than prepared for the war ahead of them, but no one anticipated the sheer damage it would cause. Facing several casualties and public criticism, the heroes are on the brink, even though the main battle is far from over.
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