This week’s Why It Works column is pretty self-explanatory, as I use the convenient approach of My Hero Academia’s school festival arc to talk about why these festivals show up so often in anime, and what they offer to a narrative in a dramatic sense. To someone who’s watched far too much anime like me, school festival arcs are an inherently soothing experience, a comfort zone within the riling experiences of high school. But they serve more of a dramatic purpose than that, and, uh, that’s what this article is about. Here’s my piece!

Let’s Explore the Fundamentals of a Great School Festival Arc!