10 Best Non-Anime Shows Like My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia is a highly popular shonen anime that is currently in its fifth season. Detailing the adventures of Izuku ‘Deku’ Midoriya and his teenage peers, the show is set in a world where being a superhuman is quite normal. Eager to be the greatest at what he does, Deku is a budding superhero who enrolls into the UA Academy for honing his skills.

Even non-anime fans can have a great time watching My Hero Academia, given how it plays around familiar tropes of superhero drama and high-school comedy, culminating into a memorable coming-of-age story.

10 Invincible (2021 -): Available On Prime Video

Based on the Image Comics series of the same name, Invincible deals with Mark Grayson, a half-human, half-Viltrumite who wishes to step in the shoes of his father, Omni-Man. However, maintaining everyday relationships with his violent superhero pursuits take a toll on Mark, who must confront the dark secrets that his father holds.

While the show has plenty of satirical nods to Marvel and DC tropes, Invincible has its share of dramatic moments too. In fact, the strained father-son relationship that forms the core of the story can be compared to the toxic bond between My Hero Academia‘s Todoroki and his ‘Pro Hero’ father Endeavor.

9 The Umbrella Academy (2019 – ): Available On Netflix

The Umbrella Academy offers a bizarre and darkly witty take on the superhero genre. Further, the titular team is as eccentric and chaotic as My Hero Academia‘s UA Class 1-A squad. The only difference is that while the former’s group of heroes is a part of a superhero academy, the members of the Umbrella Academy include an adoptive family of misfits with superpowers.

Based on Gerard Way’s comic of the same name, The Umbrella Academy is furthered bolstered by a talented cast that stars Elliot Page, Aidan Gallagher, and Robert Sheehan, as arguably the best character, Klaus Hargreeves.

8 Powerless (2017): Available On DIRECTV

Just like My Hero Academia, this DC show takes place in a world where being a superhero is quite common. In a city filled with such powerful beings, the show seeks to imagine how the ordinary folk would lead their lives.  Powerless, as the title suggests, turns the tables and honors the everyday people who survive against daily collateral damage.

A sitcom set in a subsidiary office of Wayne Enterprises, the lead characters are involved in designing specialized products for protection against supervillains. And yet, it’s fascinating to watch what normal people are up to when the heroes are busy fighting off threats.

7 Cobra Kai (2018 – ): Available On Netflix

A direct sequel to the Karate Kid films, Cobra Kai is perhaps one of the most binge-able shows on streaming right now. What will impress My Hero Academia fans is its emphasis on guidance and teaching behind the actions of a fighter. In the anime, the ever-optimistic All-Might trains Deku, who also picks up tricks from a cynical teacher, like Eraserhead.

Similarly, in Cobra Kai, childhood enemies Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence both are at loggerheads over their methods of teaching karate in their respective dojos. With the right amount of ’80s nostalgia, family-friendly comedy, and martial arts action, Cobra Kai lives up to the legacy of its source material.

6 The Tick (2016 – 2019): Available On Prime Video

A worthy follow-up to the animated classic, the expensive Amazon Prime Video original, The Tick stars Peter Serafinowicz as the titular hero who ticks all the boxes of what’s required to be a superhero. He declares himself as the savior of his city, wears an outrageous flashy costume, and also has his share of arch enemies. The satirical nature, however, doesn’t stop the central character from having his heroic moments of glory.

The tongue-in-cheek comedy that the lead character emulates is reminiscent of All-Might in My Hero Academia. Both heroes are looked upon highly by others, but they both have their own share of goofy mannerisms and comical scenes.

5 X-Men Evolution (2000 – 2003): Available On Disney+

The shows within the X-Men Universe have often dabbled in serious storylines. In this context, X-Men Evolution relied on a more teen-centric approach, featuring most of the characters as high-schoolers. Struggling with adolescent changes as well as their mutant identities, Cyclops and the rest of the team indulge in several adventures to hone their skills.

As X-Men: Evolution significantly changes its comic characters, even non-Marvel fans would be delighted. As for fans of My Hero Academia, they would instantly connect with the high-school drama tropes, given how the anime itself largely deals with the super-powered students of the UA Hero Academy.

4 Doom Patrol (2019 – ): Available On HBO Max

Born out of a Titans episode, Doom Patrol would excite fans of comedic superhero team-up shows like The Umbrella Academy. Unlike their contemporary Teen Titans, the eponymous team inherited their powers through tragic accidents. A bunch of social outcasts, the team engages in one misadventure after the other as the show celebrates a charming weirdness instead of righteous heroism.

 Its balance of darker tones and comic relief is quite comparable with My Hero Academia. Another common element is how both series include characters with the most absurd powers rather than just relying on conventional heroes.

3 The Super Hero Squad Show (2009 – 2011): Available On Disney+

Like any other comic book publisher, Marvel has its fair share of over-the-top storylines and hilariously dramatic characters. Reinterpreting all Marvel Comics heroes and villains as childish caricatures, The Super Hero Squad Show pokes fun at all the cliches and loopholes of such characters. The self-aware humor provides some smartly written sketches that satirize the very notion of superheroes.

While My Hero Academia offers a more satirical approach towards the cliches of the superhero genre, The Super Hero Squad Show would also make for a fun watch if the audience needs a more slapstick approach towards the same tropes.

2 The Boys (2019 – ): Available On Prime Video

My Hero Academia has always shown how superhumans have certain responsibilities to uphold with their powers. The Boys can be seen as its dystopian opposite, as the superheroes in this hyperviolent satire are egoistic, bloodthirsty, and irresponsible as ever.

At the center of The Boys is Billy Butcher, a bloodthirsty vigilante who wants to end the reign of the superheroes for once and for all, while on the opposite end is Homelander emulating the worst character traits of an egoistic superhero. The clash of ideals between the two leads to a dark, funny, and introspective analysis of superhero culture as a whole.

1 Teen Titans (2003 – 2006): Available On HBO Max

The first-ever series dedicated to the young superhero team, Teen Titans is monumental for blending teenage tropes with darker themes. In fact, some of the plotlines of Teen Titans are still edgy enough to be featured on the ongoing Titans.

Apart from the obvious similarities in the genre, the young superheroes in Teen Titans and My Hero Academia are quite similar in terms of their personality. Robin and Ida serve as righteous leaders and Starfire and Ochako Uraraka are the ever-positive peacemakers, while Raven and Tsuyu Asui are both introverted strategists. The parallels carry on even with intimidating villains, like Deathstroke and All For One.

About The Author

Shaurya Thapa
(727 Articles Published)

Shaurya Thapa is an Indian freelance journalist who mostly dabbles in writings on cinema, music, and human interest features. When it comes to Screen Rant, he writes lists on a wide array of subjects ranging from international films to mainstream Netflix series and comic book trivia. He also hosts a podcast called ‘BhindiWire’, an Indian parody of IndieWire.

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