When asked about the superhero anime genre, one show in particular comes to mind, and that is My Hero Academia. Some would answer Tiger & Bunny or One-Punch Man, but the fall season brings yet another superhero show called SHY that can be anime’s answer to Marvel thanks to its relatable and realistic characters, particularly Teru Momijiyama.
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SHY Anime Review: A Breath of Fresh Air in the Superhero Anime Genre
The superhero genre is dominated by Marvel and DC, with fans going head-to-head with each other every time a new cartoon, video game, or movie comes out.
There’s no end in sight to the long-running debate on which universe is better or which characters are stronger than the other. We can’t seem to agree or settle on this discussion, but it’s for the better.
My Hero Academia, on the other hand, is the leading superhero anime, with Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, Shoto Todoroki, and All Might leading the rest of the characters.
The series is still ongoing, so any superhero show that comes out eventually gets compared to it.
There’s also One Punch Man, Tiger & Bunny, and Super Crooks coming in behind, but all of these superhero anime centers on a male protagonist with different purposes, dreams, and motivations in life.
They are also grounded in one particular location, which is Japan, no matter how they try to alter the playing field.
The fall season introduces SHY, a superhero anime based on the manga of the same name by Bukimi Miki.
At last, it has a female protagonist named Teru Momijiyama who’s not annoying to watch. She isn’t like any cute waifu who, for some reason, seems to possess all the qualities of a stereotypical female anime character.
SHY’s Teru Momijiyama Is a Relatable Anime Superhero
One of the best things about Teru Momijiyama is her more human-like qualities, which viewers can easily relate to.
Yes, we can relate to My Hero Academia’s Deku, particularly his big dreams, but we can see ourselves in Teru more due to her flaws and internal struggles.
Teru is incredibly timid, and her extreme anxiety stops her from realizing her full potential as a hero.
She is literally shy, and it shows through her stage fright, social skills, and even her superhero job. It’s finally good to see a female anime hero who strives to come to terms with herself while saving the world.
Worse, heroes in SHY are treated like celebrities and influencers. Any miscalculation on the part of the heroes, especially Teru, during rescue operations can anger the public and the vast majority.
One example was when the public scrutinized Teru after she failed to save Iko Koishikawa during an incident at Himawari Land Amusement Park.
It greatly affected Teru’s confidence, which led her to almost abandon her duties and responsibilities as Japan’s hero.
SHY Anime's International Heroes Resemble Marvel Heroes
SHY also introduces a wide variety of heroes from different parts of the world, not just in Japan, similar to Marvel.
There’s Spirit (Pepesha Andreanova) from Russia, Century (Adam Rockwell) from the United States, Juggernaut (Omega Rodriguez) from Mexico, Lady Black (Pilse Dunant) from Switzerland, and Stardust (Davie Wonder John) from England, to name a few.
All of them have different backstories, some more tragic than others, which gives more depth to the anime.
In addition, all of these heroes wear old-fashioned costumes reminiscent of Marvel and DC superheroes.
Unlike My Hero Academia, SHY’s world-building and storyline are focused not only on the heroes from Japan. We get to see more of the world and how it affects the plot in the SHY anime.
The Emergence of Heroes and Their Abilities in SHY
Mutation plays a huge role in the emergence of Marvel heroes, as does exposure to unfamiliar things.
In SHY, the heroes emerge from an unknown source, but their common denominator is their heart-shift bracelets, which convert a user’s heart’s feelings into special abilities and powers.
Apparently, the stronger their heart feelings are and the more they're determined to succeed in a particular situation, the stronger they become.
It is more similar to My Hero Academia, wherein quirks appeared all of a sudden, with the first one being the glowing baby based on records.
Regardless, the heroes and their abilities function the same in SHY, Marvel, and My Hero Academia.
The heroes fight for the good side, and they aim to stop all sorts of devious threats from destroying the world.
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