Highlights
- The U.A. entrance exam in My Hero Academia is designed to test aspiring heroes' ability to use their quirks in combat and their selflessness.
- While the exam may favor those with flashy quirks, it has allowed notable heroes like Kirishima, Bakugo, Tokoyami, and Uraraka to shine.
- Some aspiring heroes with underwhelming quirks have made it through, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the exam in evaluating their potential.
Having a quirk is an advantage that most individuals in the My Hero Academia world possess. What some fail to possess is the ability to use their power for good, while others constantly try to prove to be worthy of their 'god-given' quirk by using it to make the world a better place.
It is the dream of most young kids to want to be like their favorite heroes, and these young kids in the My Hero Academia world have the opportunity to work with their favorite heroes and even be a hero themselves. Their dream is made possible in U.A. High, but first, they must pass the U.A. High entrance exam.
The U.A. Entrance Exam
The U.A. entrance exam is put in place to get the best out of the multitude. U.A. High is the number one hero high school in Japan, and getting into this highly prestigious school is not an easy task. Individuals can get in either by recommendation or by passing the entrance exam. The entrance exam is put in place to see how well these aspiring heroes can use their quirks in combat and also how selfless they can be.
With two stages to the exam, the written and the practical test, these aspiring heroes must pass both stages in order to increase their chances of getting accepted into U.A. High. The written test is to analyze their knowledge of hero-related topics, while the practical test is where they rack up points by destroying robotic villains with their quirks. This practical test is designed to monitor how powerful and useful their quirks are and their heroic acts.
Question: Is The U.A. Entrance Exam Effective?
Fans may believe that the exam is biased and cannot adequately tell how well these aspiring heroes will do in the face of a real battle. Horikoshi, My Hero Academia creator, even admitted that the entrance exam is not the best way to grade the potential of these aspiring heroes.
Although this system is quite flawed, as it might favor those with flashy quirks, it made some noteworthy aspiring heroes like Kirishima, Bakugo, Tokoyami, and even Uraraka shine as they had seemingly good control over their quirks and what it takes to become good heroes. They racked up points for killing villains and rescuing their mates who were in distress. The judges of this practical exam secretly looked out for heroic acts, a seemingly important quality that a hero should have, and Midoriya stood out in this aspect.
However, there is a bit of concern about the effectiveness of this exam as some aspiring heroes with underwhelming quirks made it through, and fans may associate Mineta as part of these heroes. Mineta's sticky balls quirk allows him to throw sticky balls at his enemies to immobilize them. Mineta may not considered to be a good fit as his quirk is basic and does not have as much effect on real villains as it did on the robotic villains. Hakagure may raise a bit of concern, too, as she may not have much to offer other than her invisibility, which can be tagged as not pro-hero worthy.
The Challenges Of The U.A. Entrance Exam
The written exam did not get as much coverage as the practical exam did. The practical exam is made up of robotic villains, and the aspiring heroes are tasked with the job of killing these robotic villains. In exchange, they get the point value the robotic villains attract. One thing that might be considered a challenge is the limited amount of robots. Fans could see Midoriya struggle to get points as the other aspiring heroes were so much faster and quicker than him.
This, however, was the point of the practical exam as it allowed these aspiring heroes to showcase speed, dedication, and, most importantly, quirk abilities. The judges also wanted to see their selflessness, their genuine reaction when they see a person in distress. This aspect was Midoriya's saving grace that made him make the cut.
Do The Best Candidates Always Get In?
Getting into U.A. high is very competitive, and the entrance exam is put in place to pick the most promising heroes out of the multitude. Passing all the stages put in place by U.A. High increases the likelihood of admission. Some really promising heroes got in, and some aspiring heroes that may not be considered as such also got in. The best candidates on paper may not get in, but what is truly important is whether or not an individual has the heart of a hero. Answering this question in the positive can lead one to conclude that, in certain respects, the U.A. entrance exam may be effective.
My Hero Academia is available to stream on Crunchyroll.