The final chapter of My Hero Academia will be released on August 5, 2024. The series' author, Kohei Horikoshi, recently shared his thoughts on the upcoming conclusion of his superhero series, revealing that he still can't come to terms with its global appeal.
North American manga distributor Viz Media has released a new interview with Horikoshi about his work on My Hero Academia, which will conclude in August with the release of Chapter 430. The interviewer asked Horikoshi how he feels about My Hero Academia reaching 100 million copies in circulation worldwide, with the English version consistently topping bestseller lists in the United States. In response, Horikoshi said that it “doesn’t feel real.” Instead, he gave much of the credit to the overseas teams responsible for marketing and releasing My Hero Academia outside of Japan. However, the interviewer assured Horikoshi that My Hero Academia’s strong international appeal comes from the work itself, as overseas readers are not easy to please.
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My Hero Academia has been a huge hit with “critical” audiences in North America and internationally.
“International readers are pretty strict about manga,” the interviewer said. “Many people stop reading halfway through if they find it boring, so the continued sales success of My Hero Academia means that many people find it interesting.” The interviewer then suggested that North American readers are “difficult, so it’s impressive that every new volume of My Hero Academia gets high ratings upon release.” Horikoshi was flattered, replying, “Oh, if you put it that way… No, thank you. Really. It means people are acknowledging it as a quality series.”
The interview also touches on the American influences on My Hero Academia, such as Horikoshi coming up with superhero names that fit a superhero book. While Horikoshi's ideals of heroism were initially shaped by Eiichiro Oda's One Piece and Goku in Dragon Ball, they have since translated to real-life acts of heroism—even small acts of encouragement and support—from ordinary people. For readers who followed the last My Hero Academia story, this philosophical take on Horikoshi should come as no surprise.
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My Hero Academia creator cites Terminator 2 as inspiration for series
Interestingly, Horikoshi says he has no regrets about not continuing to explore any of the characters or storylines in the series. While Horikoshi admits that there are detailed backstories about the previous heirs of One For All, he intentionally omitted such backstories so that readers could fill in the blanks for themselves. He cites Terminator 2: Judgment Day as the reason why, as the 1991 blockbuster revolves around an apocalyptic future that a grown-up John Connor must lead against Skynet, but viewers rarely get a glimpse of what this terrible future looks like. Since the war isn't depicted in detail, viewers are left to imagine something much bigger and more horrifying.
If all goes according to plan, My Hero Academia will end on August 5, 2024. However, the television anime series will continue to adapt the rest of the series. My Hero Academia: You're Next, a new animated film, will premiere in Japan on August 2, 2024. The theatrical version in the United States is scheduled to premiere on October 11, 2024.
My Hero Academia
Izuku Midoriya, a Quirkless teenager who inherits the powerful Quirk “One For All” from his idol All Might, begins his journey to become a hero. As he and his classmates at UA High School face challenges from the League of Villains, led by Shigaraki, social unrest ensues, leading to revelations, betrayals, and intense battles. The story culminates in a final confrontation with the League of Villains, All For One, and a transformed Shigaraki, with Izuku and his friends attempting to protect a society on the brink of chaos.
Author Kohei Horikoshi
Artist Kohei Horikoshi
Release date July 7, 2014
Chapter 386
Book 37
Suitability My Hero Academia (2016)
Publishing company Shueisha, Viz Media
Extend
Source: Viz Media