Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia has been going strong since it came out, gathering a legion of fans from all over the world. Brimming with passion, depth, and compelling characters, this is one of the most popular Shonen series of today, with seven seasons and counting.
After season 6’s bloody Paranormal Liberation War, it was time for the anime to solve some long-standing mysteries and set up the heroes and villains for a final confrontation. That’s exactly what season 7 is all about, with several much-anticipated battles taking central stage over the course of its run. How long will it run for, though? This is the question on everyone’s minds, and as it turns out, this season will be nothing like the others.
How many episodes will there be in My Hero Academia season 7?
Season 7 of My Hero Academia is confirmed to have 21 episodes and will run for two consecutive cours. This means the season will be shorter than most of its predecessors, which all had 25 episodes each, with the exception of season 1. The anime’s first installment ran for only 13 episodes in 2016, but fans have gotten used to lengthier seasons since then. So, why is season 7 different?
Why is My Hero Academia season 7 shorter?
If fans recall, the anime aired 4 recap episodes from April 6 to April 27, titled My Hero Academia: Memories. Despite including a few original scenes and serving to bridge the gap between seasons 6 and 7, these episodes mostly consist of flashbacks, therefore, they are not included in the official episode count. This is part of the reason why season 7 has 21 episodes instead of the usual 25, but there is more to it.
While studio Bones has not explained why this season is shorter, it’s very likely that the people working on it simply wanted it to end at a certain part of the story. The manga is approaching the end, and with season 7 covering a big portion of the Final War Arc, it’s important to end it in a way that leaves viewers both satisfied and anxious to see what comes after. It’s clear the animation studio could’ve gone for four more episodes if it wanted to — it’d simply be a matter of releasing them in place of Memories — so the decision to keep the season shorter must’ve come down to pacing and the need to leave enough material to adapt in another installment.
Of course, not all fans will be happy about this, but it’s probably for the best in the long run. Let’s just enjoy season 7 as is; while shorter, it has plenty of exciting moments to keep us hooked to the screen.