Boku no Hero Academia: Training of the Dead

Volluble Essential

僕のヒーローアカデミア トレーニング・オブ・ザ・デッド

Anime2017Finished

Overview

Training of the Dead is a single-episode OVA that sits alongside the main My Hero Academia television run rather than replacing or summarizing it. Released in 2017 and originally bundled with the fourteenth volume of the manga, it works as a compact side story for viewers already familiar with the series and as a low-commitment sample for anyone curious about its tone.

The roughly 25-minute runtime keeps things light. A training exercise at U.A. brings the hero course students together with visitors from another school, and the zombie-themed scenario lets the cast lean into teamwork, comic panic, and quick bursts of superpowered action. It is more of a detour than a turning point, so its pleasures come from watching the ensemble bounce off each other in a pressure-cooker drill rather than from any major plot advancement.

Approachable viewers will be those who enjoy superhero school comedy with a horror-flavored twist and who do not mind entering a franchise through a side story. Because it is short and self-contained, it can be enjoyed as a curiosity, though it rewards anyone who already knows the characters' personalities and abilities.

Synopsis

This single-episode original video animation follows Class 1-A at U.A. High as they take part in a joint practice session with visiting students from Isami High. The story sits after the field training arc of the television series' second season, placing the young heroes back on school grounds for what looks like a routine day of drills and evaluation.

Izuku Midoriya and his classmates are the focus, working alongside the Isami High visitors under the supervision of their teachers. The exercise is built around a zombie-themed scenario, giving the students a playful but still demanding chance to put their Quirks and their coordination to the test as a group.

The main tension comes from the gap between the orderly training the students expect and the chaotic, survival-style game they actually get. Success depends less on any one powerful Quirk than on how well the two schools can read the situation, communicate, and cover for one another before the exercise runs its course.

Trailer

Should You Watch It?

Watch it if you enjoy

  • Watch if you already follow My Hero Academia and want a light, self-contained OVA set after the second season's field training arc.
  • Try it if you enjoy superhero school comedy mixed with a zombie-themed training exercise and ensemble teamwork.
  • Consider it as a low-commitment, 25-minute sample of the franchise's tone, though it assumes some familiarity with Class 1-A.

It may not suit you if

  • May not suit viewers seeking a major franchise turning point; this is an optional side story rather than a main-season arc.
  • Those unfamiliar with My Hero Academia may miss character dynamics and in-jokes, since the OVA assumes prior knowledge.
  • Viewers who dislike zombie-themed chaos or school training drills may find the premise less engaging.
Volluble Test Drive Watch the OVA About 25 minutes

The primary starting work is a single OVA, so watching it in full is the natural Volluble Test Drive.

Why It Connects With Audiences

Why people love it

  • The OVA lets Class 1-A and Isami High visitors bounce off each other, leaning into comic panic and coordinated Quirk use.
  • Its short runtime keeps the zombie exercise focused, offering quick bursts of superpowered action without a long commitment.
  • As a volume 14 bonus, it adds a distinct school-based side story to the anime timeline for fans who want more ensemble time.

Common criticisms

  • Some may see it as a detour: the story prioritizes the training scenario over lasting plot advancement.
  • The single-episode length can limit how much the Isami High visitors or the zombie premise are developed.
  • Because it sits outside the main TV run, its optional placement may make it feel inessential to the larger franchise.

Volluble DNA

A quick profile of the title’s dominant storytelling ingredients.

Action
75
Comedy
70
Emotion
40
Mystery
15
Romance
5
Horror
30
Philosophy
10
Anime/Manga Convention Intensity
65
Characters and Voice Actors25 characters

Izuku Midoriya

Main character
  • Japanese: Daiki Yamashita

Tsuyu Asui

Main character
  • Japanese: Aoi Yuuki

Katsuki Bakugou

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Nobuhiko Okamoto

Shouto Todoroki

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Yuuki Kaji

Ochako Uraraka

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Ayane Sakura

Tenya Iida

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kaito Ishikawa

Toshinori Yagi

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kenta Miyake

Shouta Aizawa

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Junichi Suwabe

Momo Yaoyorozu

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Marina Inoue

Eijirou Kirishima

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Toshiki Masuda

Minoru Mineta

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Ryou Hirohashi

Mina Ashido

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Eri Kitamura

Denki Kaminari

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Tasuku Hatanaka

Mashirao Ojiro

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kousuke Miyoshi

Kyouka Jirou

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kei Shindou

Fumikage Tokoyami

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Yoshimasa Hosoya

Mezou Shouji

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Masakazu Nishida

Yuuga Aoyama

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kousuke Kuwano

Romero Fujimi

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Ryouhei Kimura

Habuko Mongoose

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Maaya Uchida

Kashiko Sekigai

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Asami Yoshikawa

Dadan Tadan

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kei Minegishi

Samidare Asui

Supporting character

Satsuki Asui

Supporting character

Ganma Asui

Supporting character
Production and Staff26 credits
Animation Studiobones
Original CreatorKouhei Horikoshi
DirectorKenji Nagasaki
Character DesignYoshihiko Umakoshi
Sub Character DesignHitomi Odashima
Prop DesignTakaaki Izumo
Art DirectorYukiko Maruyama
Art DirectorShigemi Ikeda
Art DesignShigemi Ikeda
Art DesignKayoko Tomono
Art DesignShuuichi Ookubo
Art BoardYukiko Maruyama
View all 14 additional credits
Art BoardHachidai Takayama
Color DesignKazuko Kikuchi
Director of PhotographyMasataka Ikegami
CG DirectorKouki Oota
Sound DirectorMasafumi Mima
Sound EffectsShizuo Kurahashi
MusicYuuki Hayashi
ScriptYousuke Kuroda
StoryboardShinji Ishihira
Chief Animation DirectorYoshihiko Umakoshi
Animation DirectorYoshiyuki Kodaira
Animation DirectorTakashi Murai
Key AnimationSaori Suruki
EditingKumiko Sakamoto

Production Background

Boku no Hero Academia: Training of the Dead is a single-episode original video animation released in 2017, running roughly 25 minutes. Its Japanese title is 僕のヒーローアカデミア トレーニング・オブ・ザ・デッド, and the work is adapted from manga source material. Rather than arriving as a broadcast episode, it was bundled with the fourteenth volume of the manga, which shaped both its length and its status as a side story.

The episode's story is set after the field training arc of the series' second season. It follows a practice session that brings Izuku's class together with students from Isami High at Yuuei Academy, a premise that lets the installment blend school life with the action, adventure, comedy, and supernatural elements associated with the wider franchise. The 2017 start date and single-episode format keep the focus on one self-contained event.

As an OVA, Training of the Dead sits outside the main televised run, allowing a shorter standalone story to be placed after the field training arc. The 25-minute installment carries the ensemble cast, school, superhero, and superpower themes connected to the franchise while remaining a distinct, individual entry in the catalog.

Franchise Context

Boku no Hero Academia: Training of the Dead is a supplemental anime OVA within the My Hero Academia franchise, not the franchise's starting point or its primary television storyline. It belongs to the same continuity as the main anime and is positioned as a continuation set after the field training arc of the second season. The OVA was released in 2017 and is a single 25-minute episode. Its source material connection is to the manga, and the installment was bundled with the fourteenth volume of the manga, which places it alongside the printed series rather than replacing or rebooting it.

As an individual entry, Training of the Dead functions as a side story or spin-off episode attached to the broader franchise. It is distinct from the main TV seasons, movies, and manga chapters, though it assumes familiarity with the characters and setting. It is not an alternate version of the main story, nor is it a standalone work unrelated to My Hero Academia. For viewers moving through the franchise, it is best understood as an optional OVA that expands the anime timeline. The page covers only this specific OVA, while the franchise hub provides the wider context for the main series and other related installments.

Where This Fits in My Hero Academia

A spoiler-light guide to where this exact work fits within the broader My Hero Academia franchise.

  1. Step 1
    Start with the main My Hero Academia anime and watch through the second season's field training arc, because this OVA is set just after that story point.
  2. Step 2
    View Training of the Dead as an optional side story instead of a required franchise entry; it is one 25-minute OVA and is not a replacement for the main series.
  3. Step 3
    For manga release order, place it around volume 14, since the OVA was bundled with that volume as a bonus.
  4. Step 4
    After this OVA, resume the main My Hero Academia anime in release order to continue the larger story.

Franchise Path

  1. This OVA is a supplemental My Hero Academia side story, not the franchise starting point.
  2. Watch/read the main My Hero Academia anime through season 2's field training arc first, since this OVA is set just after that point.
  3. Manga placement: around volume 14, the volume it was bundled with.

After You Finish

Continue with

  • After this OVA, resume the main My Hero Academia anime in release order; this side story does not replace or advance the main plot.
  • For manga readers, continue from volume 14 onward in the main My Hero Academia release order.

Community Verdict

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Sources2 sources
  1. www.heroaca.com
  2. AniList - Boku no Hero Academia: Training of the Dead

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