REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia,’ Episode 125 – “Threads of Hope”

With the return of Best Jeanist at the end of the last episode, My Hero Academia Episode 125 was poised to see the battle finally go in the heroes’ favor. But with Dabi still standing strong and Nomus on the loose, it seems everything may not be finished quite yet.

The latest entry in the pitched battle between the heroes and the Liberation Front delivers more of the emotion and tension that has been the highlight of this season. More surprise appearances and shifts occur on the battlefield as both sides struggle to get the final blow in to finish the fight once and for all. These repeated shifts in the balance of power throughout this episode provide my one complaint about this entry. The battle as a whole is starting to get a noticeably dragged-out feeling.

I feel bad saying it, as no given moment feels worn in and of itself, but as I watched the battle unfold in My Hero Academia Episode 125 I couldn’t help but feel like there were just too many changes to the balance of strength happening. It is like the show has reached that point where it knows if it doesn’t keep throwing surprises at the audience, they are going to start noticing just how long this has been going on for. These repeated surprise shifts to the battle overwrite each other so quickly it makes some of them feel utterly pointless. It by no means breaks the episode, but with how great this season has been, little cracks like these become all the more noticeable.

While the shifts in the battle come a little too rapid for my taste, My Hero Academia Episode 125 nonetheless continues to pour plenty of emotion into its narrative. Dabi and Todoroki’s fight continues to burn as hot figuratively as it does literally, and we also get to see a long-dormant plot element return in a surprising way that will have many fans cheering. And to top it all off, Bakugo graces all of us with his newest superhero name. And yes, it’s as ridiculous as you would expect it to be.

Studio Bones continues to deliver an amazing quality of animation to My Hero Academia Episode 125. With My Hero Academia now well into its sixth season, it’s easy to take for granted the incredible work Bones does on each episode, as they bring the acclaimed manga to life. It is largely thanks to the amazing work the visuals do to reinforce the excitement and emotion of the ongoing story that the plot’s shortcomings in this episode feel so minor overall.

When all is said and done, My Hero Academia Episode 125 delivers some great plot beats and emotional moments, even as it feels like the battle as a whole becomes a bit drawn out. Hopefully, this arc will wrap up soon so it can go out with most of its initial luster still intact.

My Hero Academia Episode 125 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.