REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia,’ Episode 93 – “Operation New Improv Moves”

My Hero Academia is a superhero-shounen anime produced by Bones. With the first battle in the inter-class competition going to class 1-A, the second battle is ready to begin. The students have spent their time between matches coming up with the best strategies they can think of. Can 1-A keep up its unbeaten streak going? Or can Kendo lead her team to victory for class 1-B in My Hero Academia Episode 93?

After a quick analysis of the initial fight in the tournament by the classes’ respective teachers, this week’s episode turns the majority of its focus onto class 1-A member Tokoyami. The character has already been established as possessing one of the more powerful, if situational, quirks in his class. While we have been given a glimpse or two at the character over the previous seasons, My Hero Academia Episode 93 gives a deep look at the character and what he went through during his work studies under the recently introduced number two ranked hero Hawks.

I thought this pairing was an exceptionally clever approach to the story. Putting the two characters together makes an aesthetic sense, as both have avian elements in the outward appearance of their quirks, while also managing to give viewers a deeper understanding of Hawks as well as Tokoyami. Since Hawks seems poised to be a significant character in the coming stories this makes sense and is extremely efficient from a storytelling perspective.

Like many of the other work studies, My Hero Academia Episode 93 reveals Tokoyami’s time with Hawks did not go the way he expected it to. Motives beyond simply helping train a future hero influenced Hawks’s choice to offer an internship to Tokoyami. But despite this ulterior motive Tokoyami ends up leaving Hawks’s hero agency with some good advice and a new perspective on the utilization of his quirk.

This episode also sets up a minor conflict between 1-A’s resident tactical genius Yaoyurozu, and class 1-B’s class representative Kendo. As both have taken the lead with their respective teams the coming battle will be a test of each character’s strategic prowess. With both students familiar with the other due to their shared time together during their internships, the rivalry feels like a friendly one.

My Hero Academia Episode 93’s animation delivers the story the episode presents quite well. While nothing too epic happens in this episode, we are treated to a new quirk’s first appearance, as well as another implementation of Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow. Bones continues to deliver Tokoyami’s various approaches to his quirk with great visual style.

The new quirk introduced in this episode is a cool addition, and Bones does a great job of delivering it to the viewer in a way that made me chuckle. This continues to show off Bones’s ability to balance serious character growth with the humorous visuals the show is known for.

My Hero Academia Episode 93 delivers another solid episode. As the latest battle between the two hero course classes heats up the series seems poised to deliver another unique, character-filled confrontation.

My Hero Academia Episode 93 is streaming on Funimation and Crunchyroll.