With the Avengers: Infinity War dominating the box office, we decided to take a look at the DC Expanded Universe and the movies they have put out so far. Marvel under the direction of Disney… More
Review – My Hero Academia: Season 3 , Ep. 1 & 2 (Spoiler Free)
My Hero Academia, the popular anime series has finally returned with it’s third season. Being simultaneously released worldwide through Crunchyroll and Hulu, the Japanese cartoon series has become a phenomenon for fans of both anime and comic books. First released as part of the Japanese manga publication Weekly Shōnen Jump in 2014, My Hero Academia became a very popular serialized comic. In 2016 the manga series became a television show and has continued to grow in popularity.
The appeal of the show (for me at least) is that we are getting an “outsiders” look at a world where 80% of the population is born with some sort of superpower, or “Quirk” as its known. The outsider in question is Izuku Midoriya, a young teenager who was born without any Quirks but has the selfless heart of a true hero. After being bestowed powers by the greatest hero of all time, All Might, Izuku begins navigating a world where he is just learning his abilities while everyone else has grown up with them. The learning curve becomes even steeper when he has to overcome this hardship while being enrolled in the most prestigious “hero school” in the world, U.A. High School.
The Story So Far…
The first season of the show explores the theme of having one of the most powerful superpowers in the world but having no knowledge of how to truly use it. With every obstacle Izuku overcomes and achievement he earns, the viewer shares in the joy the character feels. But on the flipside all of his failures (and his self sacrifice while using his powers) also are felt. The season ends after the school is attacked by a super villain team called The League of Villains lead by the decay powered Tomura, with the agenda of killing All Might. Cut off from the rest of the school and other outside heroes, we see Izuku and the rest of his classmates in Class 1-A defend the school and drive off the villains.
Season two is more of a continuation of the first season than a true second season as Izuku continues to harness his powers and we get to know the other students in Class 1-A. This season starts with a focus on a yearly “super Olympics” like event the school holds called . This televised competition is where the super teams of the world get their first look at the up-coming heroes and begin to woo the best-of-the-best to join their teams after graduation.
The season also sees the teens begin internships with some of these teams and Izuku begins working with the same teacher All Might had as a teenager. Under the tutelage of the Hyper Leaping Gran Torino (a short, Yoda like retired freelance hero), Izuku begins to finally understand how his superpowers work. This arc concludes with Izuku and a handful of Class 1-A students taking down the bloodthirsty super villain known as the Hero Killer: Stain.
After the battle with Stain, Izuku and the other students return to U.A. to finish out the school year. It is revealed that the students can take part in a summer program. The last episode of the season shows the students preparing for the U.A. summer camp and Izuku running into the villain Tomura in a very unlikely place.
Believe me, I am only scratching the surface of what My Hero Academia is. But I need to continue onto what the first two episodes of the third season have brought us and I don’t want to spoil too much of the first two seasons for anyone who wants to embark on this awesome story.
Here’s the intro to Season 3…for now.
Episode 39: Game Start
The episode also offers a recap of what has happened in Seasons 1 and 2 while highlighting the emotional toll the battle with Hero Killer: Stain has left on Tenya and how his friendship with Izuku and Shoto has grown after they saved him from Stain. We also get a crash course in the connection between Izuku and All Might and how much Izuku wants to be a hero like him.
We see Tomura and Kurogiri at their bar/hideout where they discuss Tomura’s hatred of the students of 1-A, and Hero Killer: Stain because they all are motivated by the actions of All Might. Kurogiri also fills us the viewer in on the person Tomura is.
We also get a refresher on the anger that courses through Katsuki and his distain for everyone in Class 1-A because he views them all as competition in becoming the most powerful hero ever. Also, All Might meets up with Izuku at the beach where it all started and we get a flashback to their training and the Quirk “All For One”
The episode was a good refresher of the world of My Hero Academia and the parts at the school’s pool kinda reminded me of the old school X-Men pool parties, kinda. I also really dug the show’s new outro/end credits because it looked like comic panels with word balloons.
Episode 40: Wild, Wild Pussycats
The episode begins with Tomura and Kurogiri at their bar/hideout, the black market dealer/villain broker Giran arrives and informs them that the union has agreed to supply Tomura with something because they believe in him. After Giran leaves, Tomura says “All the pieces and prey have arrived at the destination. Then, its time to start the game.”
We then see the students of Class 1-A at U.A. High School being lectured by Eraserhead before they board their buses to summer camp. It is reveled that the students of Class 1-B will also be going. This is exciting because we only got a little glimpse of this class and their powers at the U.A. Sports Festival. Minoru seems happy to get more than a glimpse too, at least at the girls of Class 1-B.
The bus finally makes a stop after an hour of driving. Class 1-A stops at a rest stop on the mountainside. It is here that we are introduced to two members of the superhero team The Pussycats. Izuku fills in everybody that they are a hero team known for their forest and mountain rescues.
The Pussycats quickly elude to the fact that Class 1-A is going to have to go by foot the rest of the way to the camp and they have 3 hours to get there. Everyone tries to dash back to the bus but Pussycat Pixie-bob flings them down the mountain with her earth moving ability. The class is then told that it is private land and they are free to use their Quirks.
The forest that they are about to entered is called “The Beast’s Forest” by The Pussycats, and the class soon learns why as they are attacked by a large creature.
Soon they are attacked by more and it is a fun little battle to watch as Class 1-A fights the creatures. The class is use to working together now and how their Quirks play off of each other’s.
After a long battle and an even longer hike to the camp, Class 1-A finally arrives in time for dinner. It’s at this moment that Izuku calls attention to a small boy that has been accompanying the Pussycats. His name is Kota and he is Mandalay’s cousin’s son. Later on in the episode we learn he has a tragic backstory that I’m sure will become Izuku’s job to investigate and try to make right.
At the end of the episode it is revealed by Eraserhead that everyone is at the camp to improve their Quirks since the normal school year has been mostly about improving their knowledge of the world of heroes and their mental prowess.
It was a fun episode with the creature fighting and it had a couple really funny parts (one involving Minoru and a bathhouse). Can’t wait for the season to kick into high gear but so far, so good.
See ya back here in a couple of weeks for quick little reviews for episodes 41 and 42!
It Came From…Issue #2
Welcome back to the new and improved IT CAME FROM….My Side of the Laundry Room. In this issue I un-bag a few McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys from the 80s and I take a look at one of the oldest gaming books in my collection…1978’s D&D Player’s Handbook. Continue reading “It Came From…Issue #2”
It Came From…. Issue #1
This weeks episode is something a little different. To be honest I ran outta time to edit the latest episode of LIVE, so I thought I’d post something little I’ve been working on.
In this episode of IT CAME FROM……My Side of the Laundry Room I go over a couple of the G.I. Joe figures in my collection and I give a quick review of the Nintendo Switch.
As with before, IT CAME FROM…is a place where I can talk about the books, toys, video games, comics, and anything else that make a home in My Side of the Laundry Room and anywhere else in my house. Each time I do an episode it will have two segments of various subjects. Most segments will be reoccurring.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy!
After watching (if you do) please let me know what you think. I’d love to hear some feedback so I can craft a better experience.
LIVE – Favorite Cartoons of the 90s
In a departure from our normal 80s chatter, in this weeks episode we talk about some of our favorite 90s cartoons. These cartoons range from the dark and gritty to the heartwarming and uplifting. Continue reading “LIVE – Favorite Cartoons of the 90s”
Sorting Laundry – March 2018 Update
Well, March has been pretty lackluster around the Laundry Room. Unknown to me at the time, I have taken an unplanned break from writing this month. To be fair, everyday I want to write and plan to write but no writing takes place. Either I get to busy, totally space out, or lose all motivation. Continue reading “Sorting Laundry – March 2018 Update”
LIVE – 20 Favorite COBRA Vehicles
In this weeks episode with explore the motorized world of the vile terrorist organization known as COBRA. Sometimes wacky, weird, and down right silly, COBRA had some of the most inventive vehicles of any toy line of the 1980s. Continue reading “LIVE – 20 Favorite COBRA Vehicles”
LIVE – 20 Favorite G.I. Joe Vehicles
In todays episode we each give our Top Ten favorite G.I. Joe vehicles. Some we owned, some we wished we had owned, but either way these awesome vehicles have stuck with us. Continue reading “LIVE – 20 Favorite G.I. Joe Vehicles”
