After 10 magnificent years of entertainment, Kohei Horikoshi superhero manga series My Hero Academia is finally coming to an end. As announced last month, the long-running manga series, which first began back in 2014, is scheduled to release its final chapter on August 5, 2024 in Weekly Shonen Jump combined issue 36/37.
With the fan-favorite series coming to an end, creator Kohei Horikoshi was asked to give a message to fans and chose to tease the upcoming finale.
We’re in the final stretch of the manga serialization. There aren’t many chapters left, but I want to ensure that the readers feel it’s worth sticking with to the end. Your tough but warm support keeps me going, so please continue reading!
Viz Media, who licenses the series for English-language release in North America, sat down with Horikoshi to reflect on the history of My Hero Academia and discuss his inspirations and influence for the series. With the ending just a few weeks away, Horikoshi was asked if there were any characters or stories that he wanted to explore more, but didn't get the chance to do so. He said:
It’s not quite about not getting the chance, but I have characters and backstories that I created but didn’t include in the story. For instance, I have detailed stories for the previous inheritors of One For All. I intentionally left these out. I know it’s a little off from what the question was asking.
The writer and illustrator went on to say that he has no desire to draw these backstories. He explained:
Rather than drawing out all the well-thought-out backgrounds and episodes, I wanted to hint at those elements instead. For instance, in Terminator 2, John Connor becomes a leader in the future, and Schwarzenegger’s character is sent from that future world. But there aren’t many depictions of the future itself. Because the future isn’t depicted in detail, the viewers’ imaginations expand, and I thought that was really great. So, I wanted to create something like Terminator 2. I might have strayed a bit from the original question though…
My Hero Academia first debuted in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in July 2014. In the time since, the manga has amassed 425 chapters collected in 40 volumes. The series is set in a world where superpowers, referred to as "Quirks," have become commonplace. The story follows a young kid named Izuku Midoriya, who despite being born without a Quirk, dreams of being a hero. Recognizing Midoriya's potential, the world's greatest hero, All Might, bestows his Quirk to Midoriya and helps him enroll in the prestigious U.A. High School for superheroes in training.
The manga's popularity has bled into other forms of media, including a highly success anime series, multiple anime movies, video games, and more. The My Hero Academia anime series is currently in its seventh season and appears to be drawing to a close as well. Meanwhile, the franchise's fourth anime film, My Hero Academia: You're Next, is scheduled to debut in August in Japan, followed by its U.S. release in October.
Are you excited for the ending of My Hero Academia or sad to see it go?