My Review Academia S5 E25 FINALE: Calm Before the War

Well, here we are folks. The end of season five. Will it go out on a bang? Or a whimper?

We open with Hawks observing Shigurake’s rise to power in stunned horror. A month later, we rejoin the kids of Class A as they show off what they’ve learned in their recent study. Together, they share one last celebration before spring comes and they become second years. All the while, Deku and All Might begin preparing to train in the next Quirk Deku will likely unlock: Float, Nana Shimura’s power. Meanwhile, Shigurake begins his operation under the doctor’s knife to attain even more power. The stage is set for X-Day, the battle that will shake the world.

Unfortunately, we don’t get to see the play the stage is set for until season six. So… see you guys in a year or two for that.

After the last two episodes of pure horror, this episode is a refreshing change of pace. It’s nice to go back to all the hero kids just being goofy teenagers. We even get to see their last little celebration before shit hits the fan. It can be a little slow at the beginning, and I wish the Deku/Uraraka scene had a little more going for it than just ‘two dorks in love talk about how they inspired each other’. But it’s cute, it’s relaxing, and when you remember what’s about to happen to them: kind of sad.

There’s also a great scene with Aizawa and All Might around this time. I love the contrast between them and the kids. The kids are all inside, surrounded by light and warmth and looking forward to their futures. Meanwhile, the two adults are sitting in the cold, looking out into the darkness, reflecting on their mistakes, their regrets, and their worries. It’s a small thing, but I thought it was neat.

But my favorite part of the episode is the shared scene with All Might, Deku, and Bakugo. Not only do we learn more about the past of One For All and get some foreshadowing for what Deku is going to be capable of later, but we also get tons of Bakugo gloating! It’s a fun scene that highlights the fun rivalry between Deku and Bakugo.

That’s not the only foreshadowing we get. Eri’s power begins to return, Mic vows revenge on the man behind the Nomu, and Hawks begins his final push for information. This final episode sets the stage for the dramatic battle perfectly.

If a bit directly. The final scene of the episode, the post-credits scene, is literally all of the heroes lining up on the day of the fight and preparing. They really want you to get excited for this battle. And for good reason; it’s a doozy.

Although the final shot is cut off kind of awkwardly.

This episode sports some pretty strong visuals. We get to see Shigurake’s cocoon from the last episode break open, revealing the horror growing within. That, and the animation is decent. It isn’t some insane display of sakuga, but it’s never appalling. The whole episode is nice on the eyes.

Overall, this final episode was decent. It had some fun moments and it set the stage for season six really well. It doesn’t have some insane display of animation, nor a dramatic narrative moment. But it’s a good enough way to wrap this season up.

Alright. That’s one more season down. Now we can rest until season six drops.

Well… after I wrap one more thing up.