My Hero Academia

Even though it's still running as of the writing of these words, there's little better than a good Superhero gifted youngster at an academy series. Be it X-Men's Xavier's School for Gifted Youngster or Gail Carriger's Finishing School novels, watching young folks move through the rigorous machinations of schooling, coupled with extraneous adventures, is always fun. In My Hero Academia, we follow Izuku through a world where everybody else has powers EXCEPT our hero. After proving extreme bravery and compassion, he's gifted with powers and goes into training. There's a wonderful joy to this series (and to the marvelous manga that it is based on) and the first season alone is worth a place on this list. Funny, charming, brave, and most of all, approachable, My Hero Academia is that rare intersection of superheroism and human frailty that doesn't make you worry about what it means to be the outsider. Ikuru is an incredible protagonist, one of the finest in recent years, and makes the series feel in line with the best of all anime series. Why it's on the list: The most recent work that feels as if it's a part of the long-tradition of exceptional science fiction anime.