My Hero Academia Story Arcs: A Complete Timeline Guide

My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi is a masterclass in serialized storytelling, with each arc building upon the last to create a cohesive timeline that spans just over two years in the lives of its characters. From Izuku Midoriya’s first steps as a Quirkless boy to the final war that reshapes society, understanding how these arcs fit together chronologically deepens appreciation for the series’ emotional and thematic weight. This guide breaks down every major story arc in timeline order, highlighting how each advances the plot and develops the world.

The Foundation: The Starting Line

The Entrance Exam Arc – A Quirkless Beginning

The timeline begins in the spring of Midoriya’s middle school graduation year. After a fateful encounter with All Might, he inherits One For All and applies to U.A. High School, the most prestigious hero academy. This arc spans the entrance exam itself, where Midoriya’s desperate act of saving Ochaco Uraraka from the giant zero-pointer earns him the points to pass despite using his Quirk recklessly. Key introductions include the explosive Katsuki Bakugo, the rule-sticking Tenya Iida, and the supportive Uraraka. The official manga opens this arc, and it establishes the fundamental conflict: a boy without a Quirk must become the world’s greatest hero.

The Quirk Apprehension Test Arc – First Constraints

Immediately after enrollment, Class 1-A meets their homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa, who administers a physical fitness test that threatens to expel the lowest-performing student. This short but pivotal arc reinforces the theme that a Quirk must be mastered as a tool. Midoriya’s struggles to control One For All’s output lead to broken bones, setting a pattern for his early growth. Chronologically, this takes place in the first week of school, establishing Aizawa’s pragmatic mentorship and the high-pressure environment of U.A.

The Battle Trial Arc – First Rivalry

Days later, the students engage in two-on-two combat simulations. The highlight is Midoriya and Bakugo’s first direct confrontation as enemies, where Midoriya uses a calculated strategy to immobilize his explosive rival. This arc plants the seeds for Bakugo’s complex development, revealing his pride and the emotional turmoil of Midoriya suddenly possessing a Quirk. The timeline remains in early semester, and the outcome solidifies the fierce rivalry that drives both characters for the rest of the series.

The First Major Crisis

The U.S.J. Incident Arc – Villain Attack

Shortly after classes begin, the League of Villains, led by Tomura Shigaraki, attacks the Unforeseen Simulation Joint (U.S.J.) with the goal of assassinating All Might. This arc marks the first major escalation in the timeline, bringing real danger into the students’ lives. The villains use a bio-engineered Nomu to fight All Might, exposing the Symbol of Peace’s weakening state. The students must survive on their own until reinforcements arrive. The aftermath leads to a security overhaul at U.A. and directly sets up the next major event. For an in-depth look at this turning point, the Anime News Network encyclopedia covers the episode chronology.

The Tournament Arc

The U.A. Sports Festival Arc – Public Stakes

To restore public faith in hero society after the U.S.J. attack, U.A. stages its annual Sports Festival – a nationwide broadcast tournament. This arc occupies the first semester’s end and serves as a major character showcase. Highlights include Shoto Todoroki’s backstory with his abusive father Endeavor, Shinso Hitoshi’s challenge to Quirk-based discrimination, and Midoriya learning to channel One For All without breaking his bones. The festival solidifies the central rivalry between Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki, and it acts as a scouting event for hero agencies, directly transitioning into internships.

Internships and Moral Awakenings

The Hero Killer Stain Arc – Ideological Clash

After the Sports Festival, students begin their workplace experience with professional heroes. Tenya Iida’s quest for vengeance against the Hero Killer Stain in Hosu City drives this arc. Stain’s radical ideology—that only a selfless hero like All Might deserves the title—shocks society and the hero community. Midoriya, Iida, and Todoroki’s battle against Stain earns them reputations as “true heroes” and introduces the concept that public perception can be weaponized. Chronologically, this arc takes place during the first-year workplace experience week. Stain’s influence echoes for years, as the League of Villains recruits followers inspired by his manifesto.

The Final Exams Arc – Proving Worth

Before summer training camp, Class 1-A must pass exams where they fight their own teachers in paired scenarios. This mid-first-year milestone pushes characters like Denki Kaminari, Mina Ashido, and Todoroki into new strategic thinking. The arc highlights Aizawa’s growth as a mentor and gives Midoriya and Bakugo their first forced cooperation against All Might, forcing them to overcome mutual animosity. This serves as a gatekeeper for advancement in the timeline.

The Summer Crisis

The Forest Training Camp and Hideout Raid Arcs – The Kidnapping

These two interconnected arcs form the emotional center of the first year. The Forest Training Camp Arc begins during summer vacation, with Class 1-A undertaking wilderness training to strengthen Quirks. The League of Villains attacks the camp, abducting Bakugo. This leads directly into the Hideout Raid Arc, where a coalition of heroes storms the villains’ headquarters to rescue him. The timeline accelerates dramatically: All Might faces his nemesis All For One in a catastrophic broadcast battle, losing the last embers of One For All and retiring. This is the moment the age of All Might ends, and the students realize they must grow up fast. The loss of the Symbol of Peace fractures society’s confidence, shifting the series from school-centric stories to a darker, larger narrative.

A New School Year

In the aftermath, the fall semester demands that students earn provisional licenses to legally use Quirks in public. This arc introduces characters from other hero schools like Shiketsu High and the eccentric Inasa Yoarashi. The exam’s philosophy—assessing rescue and judgment under pressure—prepares the students for active duty. Midoriya develops his “shoot style” to avoid breaking bones, and Camie Utsushimi’s impersonation hints at deeper infiltrations, foreshadowing the later war arcs.

The Shie Hassaikai Arc – A Rescue Mission

As second-semester internships begin, the narrative focuses on the Shie Hassaikai, a yakuza organization led by Overhaul. This arc spans several weeks and involves Midoriya, Mirio Togata, and Nighteye’s agency attempting to rescue a young girl named Eri, whose destructive Quirk is exploited to produce anti-Quirk bullets. The operation against the Hassaikai compound is one of the most intense sequences in the series: Nighteye’s death, Mirio’s sacrifice of his Permeation Quirk, and Midoriya’s unwavering resolve to save Eri deepen the emotional stakes. The timeline pushes the students into adult-level tragedy, showing that hero life carries permanent consequences.

Healing and Shifting Paradigms

The U.A. School Festival Arc – Psychological Recovery

To lift spirits and restore a sense of normalcy, U.A. holds its cultural festival. This arc focuses on the student-body effort to make Eri smile. While lighter in tone, it underscores the psychological recovery timeline after the Hassaikai horror. Class 1-A works together to put on an incredible performance, reinforcing their bonds before the storm ahead.

The Pro Hero Arc – Adult Responsibility

In parallel, the Pro Hero Arc shifts perspective to adult heroes. Endeavor battles a High-End Nomu and assumes the role of the new Number One Hero. The public’s waning trust and the Todoroki family’s buried trauma come to the forefront. This arc serves as a bridge: the younger generation’s timeline begins to merge with the professional world as Endeavor’s atonement arc intersects with the League’s activities.

Escalation on All Fronts

The Joint Training Arc – Class Rivalry

The third semester of the first year sees Class 1-A volley against Class 1-B in a series of team battles. This arc allows supporting characters like Itsuka Kendo and Neito Monoma to shine, and it reveals a new Quirk—Blackwhip—within One For All. The arc deepens the understanding of Midoriya’s inherited power and prepares the class for the larger conflict.

The Meta Liberation Army Arc – Villain Consolidation

Running concurrently in the villain timeline, this arc gives Shigaraki’s harrowing past and his ideological fusion with Re-Destro’s army. The villains consolidate power into the Paranormal Liberation Front, a massive organization that will challenge hero society. This arc lays the groundwork for the impending war, with the timeline pointing inexorably toward open conflict.

The Turning Point

The Endeavor Agency Arc – Internship Growth

The first year concludes, and winter internships begin. Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki spend time under Endeavor’s supervision, leading to significant character growth for Todoroki in confronting his family trauma. This arc also reveals Dabi’s true identity and sets up the Todoroki family drama that will explode later.

The Paranormal Liberation War Arc – Society Collapses

The relative peace shatters when the Paranormal Liberation Front launches a country-wide assault. This multi-day battle engulfs major cities, kills Midnight and Twice, and disintegrates the heroes’ united front. Shigaraki is transformed into the ultimate vessel for All For One, while countless heroes fall. This is the moment the timeline leaps from school-era storytelling into a society-on-the-brink scenario. Public trust collapses, and Japan descends into chaos, forcing second-year students into full-time combatants.

The Final Phase

The Dark Hero Arc – Solo Journey

A timeskip of a few weeks follows the war. Midoriya, burdened by the danger he attracts, deserts U.A. to hunt villains alone. This arc shows a battered, exhausted Midoriya operating outside the law, pursued by classmates who refuse to abandon him. It fills in crucial lore about the past users of One For All and finalizes Midoriya’s understanding of the Quirk’s true potential. The timeline here is short but intense, culminating in his rescue and the reformation of the heroic alliance.

The Final War Arc – The Culmination

The chronological endpoint of the series thus far is a globe-spanning confrontation where every hero and villain faces their ultimate test. Battles are split across multiple locations, with Midoriya facing Shigaraki/All For One in a sky-high duel that determines the fate of all Quirks. On the timeline, this arc takes place a few months after the previous war, in the early part of what would be Midoriya’s second year at U.A.—though school has long ceased to matter. It resolves every lingering thread: Todoroki’s confrontation with Dabi, Ochaco’s appeal to Toga, and Bakugo’s defiant stand against ultimate evil.

Understanding the Chronological Progression

One of the most rewarding aspects of My Hero Academia is how each arc builds logically on the previous one, using the school calendar as a natural backbone: entrance exams in spring, internships after the Sports Festival, summer training camp, fall license exam, winter internships, and war in the following year. The anime adaptation remains largely faithful to the manga timeline, though some arcs are extended with filler or movies that fit organically into the gaps. For instance, the movie My Hero Academia: Two Heroes takes place after the Final Exams Arc, while Heroes: Rising occurs during the Shie Hassaikai timeframe. Recognizing the timeline not only enhances enjoyment but also reveals how elegantly Horikoshi escalates stakes—from class tests to the collapse of hero society, each step is earned. The arcs collectively explore the question of what it means to be a true hero, from Stain’s radical judgment to Midoriya’s ultimate self-sacrifice, making the series a deeply resonant journey through a world where anyone can be a hero as long as they have the heart to stand up when it counts.

For further study, the My Hero Academia Wiki offers a detailed chart of events, and the Anime News Network provides episode guides that map arcs across both manga and anime.