My Hero Academia's anime has now adapted almost every story arc in the manga, with only three left to go, but how do these anime arcs stack up against one another? With how long and varied the story has been, these arcs can be quite different from one another, making a strict ranking difficult. Still, it's possible to compare these arcs to one another and pull out reasons why some are better.

While each of these story arcs add some important material that the story would be hard-pressed to do without, some of them just aren't as exciting as others. Some story arcs are also much, much longer than others, which can be as short as two episodes, meaning they have a lot more opportunity for cool moments that will elevate the arc as a whole. Major battles, character moments and scenes of growth, and massive plot twists are all reasons why one arc might rate better than another, and those arcs which contain all three are sure to be near the top. It's recommended that fans be caught up with the My Hero Academia anime before reading this list, due to the possibility of spoilers.

17 U.A. Admissions Arc

The U.A. Admissions arc is the first story arc of My Hero Academia, centered on Midoriya's acquisition of the power of One for All and his enrollment in U.A. High. It covers the first eight episodes of the series, up to Deku and Bakugo's battle in the training facility. While this arc does have some great moments, such as Midoriya's brave confrontation of the Sludge Villain, it's ultimately lacking in the kind of thrills that other, later story arcs have. It has to spend a lot of time introducing characters, which is absolutely important, but as a result doesn't have room for much in the way of anything else.

16 U.A. School Festival Arc

The School Festival arc comes after the incredible Shie Hassaikai arc, and is a bit of a "breather arc," with much lower stakes. While having moments for the story to breathe and the characters to relax is an important part of storytelling, the relatively low stakes of this particular arc keep it from ranking too highly. It also features the sometimes-controversial character of Gentle Criminal, an older man whose relationship with the much smaller and younger La Brava tends to rub some fans the wrong way. While Gentle does have his share of fans due to a sympathetic backstory, his story arc just can't hold up to some of the better ones MHA has to offer.

15 Remedial Course Arc

The Remedial Course arc lasts just three episodes, and focuses on a small handful of characters, including Bakugo, Todoroki, and two recurring characters from Shiketsu High, Camie and Inasa. To obtain their hero licenses, these characters are forced on the ill-fitting task of winning the hearts of some rambunctious elementary schoolers, which is far more difficult than it sounds. While the arc has some funny moments, the stakes are nearly nonexistent. Situated between the Shie Hassaikai arc and the School Festival, the Remedial Course arc is another breather, but it doesn't have much to offer to those who aren't big fans of its small cast.

14 Final Exams Arc

The Final Exams arc takes place after the Hero Killer arc, and lasts just five episodes. It features battles between the students and the teachers of U.A., including a pretty amazing battle between Bakugo and Deku and All Might. While it's fun to see what the teachers can really do, the arc itself isn't too exciting, since it literally is just a test for school. The only real stakes are that the students who fail will have remedial work to do, and even that low-stakes penalty doesn't pan out due to the events of the Forest Training Camp arc.

13 Pro Hero Arc

How much one likes the four-episode Pro Hero arc will depend entirely on their feelings about Endeavor, who is the star of this arc. Endeavor is a controversial character due to his status as #1 hero (which he officially obtains here) clashing with his abusive private life, so an arc focused on him is always going to be iffy. Endeavor's battle with the High-End Nomu is pretty impressive, but Endeavor can be a hard character to root for. The arc does also feature some major revelations for Midoriya about how One for All works, which boosts its importance quite a bit.

12 Joint Training Arc

The 10-episode Joint Training arc was somewhat extended in the anime, and for many fans, that meant that it outstayed its welcome. The Joint Training arc sees Class 1-A go up against Class 1-B, finally giving the 1-B students a bit of an opportunity to shine, but the 1-B students are so out-of-focus for most of My Hero Academia's story that getting to know them better doesn't actually enhance the narrative all that much. The arc features Deku using a new Quirk, Blackwhip, for the first time, a major reveal that makes it a can't-miss arc, even if it's not one of the series' absolute best.

11 Endeavor Agency Arc

The Endeavor Agency arc sees the Hero-work study start back up again, with Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki working under Endeavor. Again, Endeavor's big role in this arc can be make-or-break for fans who really don't like his character, but Endeavor does undergo some character growth here that works to repair some of his bad reputation. The arc also features some intrigue, with Hawks seemingly killing the #3 hero, Best Jeanist, betraying the heroes for the villains. Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki are firmly established as the three biggest characters at this point, and this arc further cements them as the heroes of the entire series.

10 Provisional Hero License Exam Arc

The Provisional Hero License Exam arc lasts 12 episodes, and has a fair amount of anime-original content added to it. The arc pits the kids of Class 1-A against students from other schools, who are all competing to obtain a small number of available provisional hero licenses. Since the license is needed to perform hero work, that means there are actually some stakes here, and the infiltration of the test by a member of the League of Villains raises those stakes significantly. The nature of the test opens up all kinds of interesting battles between bizarre Quirks, something the show does very well overall.

9 Meta Liberation Army Arc

The Meta Liberation Army arc sets aside the hero characters to focus on a conflict between two groups of villains: Shigaraki and the League of Villains, and Re-Destro and his Meta Liberation Army. The battle between the two groups of villains that makes up the bulk of this 6-episode arc is extremely cutthroat, and showcases how dangerous a world of unregulated superpowers would actually be, as they destroy a massive area. This arc also shows how the villains gain the power they will soon be wielding as the two groups end up merging, creating a serious threat that shapes the rest of the series.

8 U.A. Sports Festival Arc

The U.A. Sports Festival is a classic tournament arc that appears early in the series, giving some characters their first chance to really show off their Quirks. Since the Sports Festival acts as students' first impression on the world, performing well was extremely important to all of them, meaning they really give it their all when it comes to competing. The arc also introduces some fun new characters, like Hatsume and Shinso, who show a different side of U.A. and being a hero student than what Class 1-A is up to. The arc isn't without its share of laughs, either, particularly Bakugo's reaction to winning.

7 U.S.J. Arc

The attack on the U.S.J, or "Unforeseen Simulation Joint," was the first time that the students had to battle against real villains, and they'd only been in school for a few weeks. By splitting the class up into smaller groups, it gave a chance for both the characters to get to know each other and the audience to get to know the characters better, particularly Tsuyu Asui, who accompanies Midoriya for much of this arc. Mineta's large presence is a bit of a detractor for this arc, but the eventual arrival of All Might and his epic battle with the Nomu are the absolute standout moment from the U.S.J. It also confirms that Shigaraki is a real threat who very nearly kills a student--this is a villain who must be taken seriously.

6 Forest Training Camp Arc

Like the U.S.J., the Forest Training Camp arc sees Class 1-A come under attack while training, but this time the assault force is far more skilled. It introduces the key villains who will play a role in the rest of the series, like Toga and Dabi and Twice, and their success in their aims here makes it clear that these villains aren't to be underestimated. The Forest Training Camp also includes Deku's absolutely brutal battle with the villain Muscular, who deals out some of the worst injuries seen in the show up to that point. The events of this arc are pivotal for the rest of the series, shaping how U.A. goes about protecting its own students.

5 Hero Killer Arc

The Hero Killer arc is arguably one of the most important arcs in the series. It features some very important training with Gran Torino for Deku, but aside from that, the focus is really on Ida and his desire for revenge, something that's distinctly unheroic, as the Hero Killer Stain warns him. Stain is arrested by the end of the arc, but his ideals about many pro heroes being undeserving of the title hold a large amount of sway over the public, long after he's gone. By using Stain's reputation, the League of Villains is able to transform itself into a truly dangerous organization, recruiting people like Dabi and Spinner as a result of their association with him.

4 Dark Hero Arc

The Dark Hero arc is set after the Paranormal Liberation War, when Deku is on the run from All for One and his various assassins. The arc features a very different version of Midoriya than that seen in the rest of the series, as he grows isolated, desperate to keep the others safe by avoiding them. It features Lady Nagant, a former hero who is one of the most interesting villains in the series, as well as an emotional confrontation between Midoriya and the rest of Class 1-A, as they try to talk some sense into the lone hero. The upcoming fourth My Hero Academia movie is supposedly set during this period, and given how good the arc was, it's easy to see why they'd want to return to it.

3 Shie Hassaikai Arc

The Shie Hassaikai arc sees the pro heroes going up against organized crime, giving a very different sort of conflict. The villain of the arc, Overhaul, is diabolical and deadly, and his fight with Deku is easily one of the best battles in the entire series. The stakes are intensely personal for Midoriya, who sees the young girl Eri being abused by Overhaul and becomes fixated on rescuing her. Eri's Quirk also happens to be a game-changer for the series, introducing the highly dangerous "Quirk-deleting" bullets. The arc also features the death of a major character in the form of All Might's former sidekick, Sir Nighteye.

2 Hideout Raid Arc

After the Forest Training Camp arc, Bakugo is kidnapped by the villains, and the race is on to save him. A group of the students go against orders to try to help out, and find themselves watching an epic battle between All for One and All Might--what turns out to be the number one hero's final stand. Through an ingenious and amazing plan, the kids are actually able to help rescue Bakugo, leading to one of their greatest successes. The loss of All Might, who can no longer fight, is a major blow to the heroes, however, and that sets the stage for many of the later plot points that make the series what it is.

1 Paranormal Liberation War Arc

Easily the best arc of the anime so far, the Paranormal Liberation War begins as a raid on the villains' hideouts that immediately goes awry. Shigaraki is nearly killed while recuperating from receiving All for One's Quirk, but he emerges stronger than ever, destroying an entire city with his Quirk just to show how powerful he's become. He also activates the humanoid disaster known as Gigantomachia, who plows through over 20 miles of land, destroying everything in his path. The arc is absolutely stuffed full of plot twists, and marks a major turning point in the world of My Hero Academia, with faith in heroes obliterated by this tragedy.

My Hero Academia is getting close to its end, with only three arcs left to adapt (including the currently unfinished Final War arc), so these anime arcs represent the bulk of the story. The anime's overall execution of these arcs has been amazing, adding its awesome soundtrack to already major moments in the manga to bring them to a whole new level. Some good content still lies ahead in the upcoming season 7, and fans can't wait to see how the anime elevates these moments even further. The best of My Hero Academia may well be waiting in these arcs that haven't yet been adapted, but for now, these rankings represent the best story arcs in the anime.