My Hero Academia Season 4

With his Provisional Hero License finally in hand, Deku can stop training in a vacuum and start doing actual hero work. Season 4 pairs him with Sir Nighteye, All Might's former sidekick, who has his own complicated feelings about the Symbol of Peace and isn't exactly thrilled to take Deku on. That dynamic alone gives this season a different edge from the previous ones. But the real draw here is the villain. Kai Chisaki, aka Overhaul, is genuinely unsettling, not a world-ending threat or a cackling maniac, but someone methodical and cold who's building power in the criminal underworld through means that get pretty dark for a shounen series. There's a young girl caught in the middle of his plans, and Deku's decision about whether to act becomes one of the most emotionally heavy moments the show has done. Bones still delivers where it counts: the animation during the major fights is fluid and weighty, and the soundtrack knows exactly when to pull back and when to go all in. If you liked the superhero worldbuilding of One Punch Man but wanted more emotional stakes, or if Mob Psycho 100's blend of heart and action worked for you, this season hits a similar sweet spot. It's 25 episodes, and the pacing is tighter than season 3. The back half leans lighter with a school festival arc, which is a nice cooldown after everything that comes before it.