The beginning of the end: My Hero Academia final season episode 1 delivers an emotional return for All Might

Still from My Hero Academia final season episode 1
Still from My Hero Academia final season episode 1 (Image credit: Studio Bones)

My Hero Academia's final season episode 1 has finally arrived, and it wastes no time bringing the heat and the heartbreak. Titled “Toshinori Yagi: Rising Origin,” this episode marks the beginning of the end, setting the tone for the final stretch of one of anime’s most beloved superhero sagas.

But instead of opening with Deku, Bakugo, or Shigaraki, it’s All Might who takes the spotlight in what might be his last stand against All For One. The My Hero Academia final season episode 1 picks up immediately after the events of Season 7’s finale, dropping us right back into the chaos of the Final War arc.

Armored All Might, an older, quirkless hero now relying on pure determination and a tech-enhanced suit, faces off against a rejuvenated All For One, who has been rewound to his prime. It’s a battle steeped in symbolism.

Even stripped of his powers, Toshinori Yagi’s unyielding resolve makes him shine brighter than any quirk ever could. His armored suit, which incorporates abilities inspired by his students from Class 1-A, is both poetic and emotional.

All Might, as seen in My Hero Academia final season episode 1 (Image credit: Studio Bones)
All Might, as seen in My Hero Academia final season episode 1 (Image credit: Studio Bones)

Watching him channel their strengths: Deku’s mobility, Bakugo’s explosive spirit, and Uraraka’s tactical thinking feels like a full-circle tribute to the generation he inspired.

And yet, in My Hero Academia's final season episode 1, there’s tragedy in the air. All Might smiles through the pain, confronting a villain who embodies everything he once fought to eradicate. He knows he probably won’t survive this encounter, but that doesn’t matter.

He’s here to buy time, to protect the young heroes who now carry his dream forward. This version of All Might, seen in My Hero Academia's final season episode 1, broken, determined, and still smiling, might just be his most human and heroic incarnation yet.


My Hero Academia final season episode 1 delivers a spectacle of emotion and animation

All Might, as seen in anime (Image credit: Studio Bones)
All Might, as seen in anime (Image credit: Studio Bones)

From a production standpoint, Studio Bones clearly understood the importance of this premiere. The animation quality is stellar, bordering on movie-tier at points. The fluidity of motion during All Might’s clash with All For One is breathtaking, and the sound design amplifies every punch, explosion, and emotional beat.

The music and timing elevate the stakes further. When the new opening theme plays for the first time, it’s impossible not to feel that nostalgic lump in your throat. Interestingly, Bakugo is missing from the opening, a decision that didn’t go unnoticed by fans.

Many speculate that the OP will be updated later once Bakugo re-enters the story, possibly in the same sequence showing All Might’s fight. It’s a clever move by the studio to avoid spoiling his fate.


The episode’s biggest weakness: Too much recap

All for One, as seen in anime (Image credit: Studio Bones)
All for One, as seen in anime (Image credit: Studio Bones)

As epic as the My Hero Academia final season episode 1's central fight is, it’s hard to ignore its pacing issues. Roughly ten minutes of the premiere reuses footage and scenes from Season 7’s finale, which slows things down considerably. For longtime viewers who rewatched the finale before the premiere, it felt like unnecessary filler.

Once the My Hero Academia final season episode 1 transitions to new material, however, things pick up fast. The shift from All Might’s battle to Aoyama’s scene adds emotional contrast, though some fans found it distracting. The moment when Aoyama and Hagakure team up to take down Kunieda with a reflected laser blast is visually impressive, but cutting away from All Might’s momentum at that moment was jarring.

Still, the aftermath of their fight, showing Aoyama’s renewed determination to atone for his past, gives the moment emotional depth. It’s also a nice callback to how far he’s come since his days as the insecure traitor of Class 1-A.

My Hero Academia's final season episode 1 may not be perfect, but it’s a heartfelt beginning to the final chapter of a story that has always been about courage, mentorship, and the human spirit. If this is how All Might goes out, then he’s doing it the only way he knows how, smiling. The Symbol of Peace may fall, but the world he built will never stop going Plus Ultra.

Edited by Nisarga Kakade