My Hero Academia (Japanese: 僕のヒーローアカデミア, Hepburn: Boku no Hīrō Akademia) is a Japanese superheromanga series written and illustrated by Kōhei Horikoshi. It has been serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump since July 2014, with its chapters additionally collected into 38 tankōbon volumes as of June 2023.[update] Set in a world where superpowers (called "Quirks") have become commonplace, the story follows Izuku Midoriya, a boy who was born without a Quirk but still dreams of becoming a superhero himself. He is scouted by the world's greatest hero, All Might, who bestows his Quirk to Midoriya after recognizing his potential, and helps to enroll him in a prestigious high school for superheroes in training.
My Hero Academia has become a commercial success, appearing on The New York Times bestseller list several times. By February 2023, the manga had over 85 million copies in circulation including sales of spin-offs, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time. Critical reception has also been positive with reviewers praising the manga for its art, characters, storytelling, action sequences, and the use of pop culture references to Western superhero comics; the anime series has received additional praise for its animation, music, pacing, action sequences, and voice performances in both Japanese and English. The manga and anime have both won several awards, including the Sugoi Japan Award and Harvey Award for Best Manga, and received two nominations for Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
Synopsis
Setting
My Hero Academia is set in a world where about 80% of the human population has gained superpowers called "Quirks" (個性, Kosei). Quirks vary widely and can be inherited. Among the Quirk-enhanced individuals, a few of them earn the title of Heroes, who cooperate with authorities in rescue operations and apprehending criminals who abuse their Quirks, commonly known as Villains. In addition, Heroes who excel on their duties gain celebrity status and are recognized as "Pro Heroes" (プロヒーロー, Puro Hīrō). Heroes are ranked in popularity, with higher ranking heroes receiving public appeal, although it is not uncommon for rookie heroes to gain popularity as well.
Initially the people who volunteered to do their heroic duties without permission were recognized as "Vigilantes" (ヴィジランテ, Vijirante). Students who have acted as vigilantes are not allowed to work as heroes due to Quirk restriction laws managed by the Hero Public Safety Commission (ヒーロー公安委員会, Hīrō Kōan Iinkai). While the act of vigilantism is inherently illegal, the vigilantes themselves represent a gray area. The Hero Public Safety Commission originally enlisted vigilantes to do their dirty work until they became too organized for the vigilantes to properly deal with, so they abandoned the idea and instead focused on recruiting Pro Heroes. Some vigilantes wear costumes, but since they do not have access to support companies like heroes do, they are made out of regular clothes and everyday items.
There are two types of internships that offer the opportunity to become a Pro Hero. The first type is the Hero Agency Internships in which the Pro Heroes can send a request to students whom wish to work under them, such as in the aftermath of the Sports Festival. It involves a student shadowing a Pro Hero, listening to their advice, and watching them in action for a week. Since the students are unlicensed, they cannot legally work as heroes. The second type is the Hero Work-Study, where, after a student acquires a Hero License after passing the Provisional Hero License Exam, they are treated as real sidekicks, which allows them to participate in relief efforts during emergency situations. This also allows them to gain experience and can help them get noticed by other Pro Heroes who might hire them as full-time sidekicks once they graduate.
Izuku Midoriya is a young man who dreams of becoming a Hero despite being bullied by his childhood friend Katsuki Bakugo for lacking a Quirk. After an encounter with his idol, All Might, who is the world's greatest hero, Izuku is chosen by All Might to inherit his Quirk "One For All" (which gives him the ability to stockpile his raw power and pass it on to others) and become his successor, as All Might was severely injured by his arch-nemesis All For One (whose Quirk allows him to steal other Quirks for his use and pass them over to others at his will). Izuku begins attending the U.A. High School for heroes alongside Bakugo. Over the course of the school year, Izuku and his classmates work hard to improve themselves and encounter the League of Villains led by All For One's apprentice Tomura Shigaraki, who desires to kill All Might and destroy society through the use of monsters with multiple powers known as "Nomu". Due to the information that the League of Villains possesses about the inner workings of U.A., the faculty begin to suspect there may be a traitor at the school.
After participating in a sports festival, Izuku and his classmates Shoto Todoroki and Tenya Ida confront the villain Stain and defeat him, but his final message inspires many villains to action, many of which join the League of Villains, including the serial killer Dabi and the psychotic Himiko Toga. After the League of Villains kidnaps Bakugo, All Might and other Heroes manage to track down the League of Villains hideout, after which All For One reveals himself. Izuku and his friends manage to rescue Bakugo, and All Might faces off against All For One, which ends with All For One defeated and imprisoned, and All Might, having exhausted the last of One For All's power in himself, forced to retire. The League of Villains escapes but loses significant backing and access to the Nomu.
After passing the exam to obtain a Provisional Hero License, Izuku begins working as an intern with All Might's former sidekick, Sir Nighteye, whose Quirk gives him the power to predict the future. Sir Nighteye believes that Izuku is not worthy of inheriting One For All, and who is attempting to convince him to transfer the power to his protege. Under his direction Izuku, several of his classmates, and Nighteye's protege manage to defeat the Shie Hassaikai, a yakuza group, and their leader Overhaul and rescue a girl named Eri whose Quirk was being used to create a weapon that erases people's Quirks. However, Sir Nighteye was mortally wounded in the conflict and dies, having been convinced of Izuku's worthiness to succeed All Might. Izuku later continues his internship under the hero Endeavor, who assumed All Might's position as Japan's top hero following his retirement. Izuku later awakens a Quirk that belonged to one of All Might's predecessors, discovering that he can eventually obtain all the Quirks of the previous users of One For All as well. Meanwhile, the Heroes manage to capture a member of the League of Villains, Kurogiri. Examination reveals him to be a Nomu created from the corpse of a childhood friend of one of the teachers at UA.
Meanwhile, the League of Villains grows stronger after Shigaraki gathers more followers and defeats another villain group, the Meta Liberation Army led by Re-Destro, leading to both organizations merging into the Paranormal Liberation Front under his leadership. To counter this new threat, the Pro and Training Heroes join together in a massive operation to arrest them, but despite severe casualties and destruction, they fail to capture most of the League, including Shigaraki, who inherits All For One's Quirk and is possessed by him. Meanwhile Dabi reveals himself as Endeavor's son Toya as well as the abuse that led him to villainy, shattering the public's trust in the #1 hero. In the following days, the Paranormal Liberation Front gains momentum by releasing thousands of imprisoned Villains, including the original All For One, which alongside Dabi's revelation cause Japan to descend into chaos and anarchy. Izuku, knowing that he is Shigaraki and All For One's primary target, decides that it's too dangerous for his friends and family to have him around and flees from U.A., leaving behind some letters to the others revealing the truth of his power.
Over the next month, Izuku joins forces with the top 3 Heroes and begins relentlessly hunting for All For One's location, to the detriment of his own health. After almost being defeated by an assassin sent by All For One, he is confronted by his classmates, who convince him to return to U.A., which has been turned into a refugee camp for the students' families and other civilians who fled from the Villains. With Shigaraki's body augmentations and assimilation by All for One nearly complete, America's #1 Pro Hero, Star and Stripe, arrives to fight him by All Might's request. However, Shigaraki manages to kill her and attempts to steal her quirk, which backfires and severely damages his body before destroying itself, giving the Heroes some time to devise a plan. One of Izuku's classmates is revealed to be the traitor, having received a quirk from All For One to hide his quirkless nature at a young age, and being forced to serve All For One with threats to him and his family. The Heroes decide to use his connection to All For One to lure him out and the heroes begin their final battle against the League of Villains, managing to separate Shigaraki from his subordinates to give Izuku (who fully awakened the power of One For All and his predecessors) the chance to fight him in a duel. However, Toga manages to separate Izuku from his intended location, causing him to arrive later than intended. Bakugo is fatally wounded fighting Shigaraki, though Edgeshot plans to sacrifice himself in order to save him. Spinner also manages to free and awaken Kurogiri and use his warp Quirk to help the villains gain the upper hand. Later, the original All For One defeats the heroes assigned to fight him and he begins heading towards Shigaraki and Izuku. Dabi starts to self destruct while facing Endeavor, but the Todoroki family later arrives and uses their Frost Quirks to cool him down and prevent his death.
Production
Development
Horikoshi stated that after his previous series Barrage was canceled after just two volumes, he was sad and out of ideas.[5] In order to get more ideas, he revisited a one-shot he previously published in Akamaru Jump, titled My Hero (僕のヒーロー, Boku no Hīrō). This would end up being the basis for the series.[6] Horikoshi was also a big fan of American films and comics, like Spider-Man directed by Sam Raimi, Star Wars, and X-Men, which he used for inspiration.[7][6] Horikoshi cites Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto as being the main influence for his art, specifically stating it gave him a love for drawing hands.[8] Horikoshi has also cited Dragon Ball, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider as sources of inspiration.[7][6]
Hitoshi Koike, the editor of My Hero Academia, said that Horikoshi already has a general story in mind for the manga. However, he also noted there were many rejected story ideas, and that Horikoshi dismissed some ideas himself. Koike also stated that Horikoshi liked to use his inspirations.[6] Koike also noted My Hero Academia's first three chapters took longer to complete than many other new serialized works. Koike and Horikoshi worked on concepts about the characters' designs while finishing the storyboards; Koike felt excited about the characters' designs despite not knowing their role in the plot.[6]
Kengo Monji, the second editor of the manga, said Horikoshi had a difficult time writing chapters at first. Monji felt that mixing the flair of Japan's shōnen manga with "heroes", a concept that he felt was understandable to a wide audience. Monji also complimented Horikoshi's artwork, noting its cartoon-style.[6]
Conclusion
Horikoshi originally stated that My Hero Academia would not be as long as One Piece since he felt he did not have enough stamina; instead preferring to keep it concise in comparison to other shōnen manga series.[7] In April 2021, Horikoshi stated that the series had continued for longer than expected, but that it is still leading toward the ending that he had decided upon before the series began.[9] In December 2021, Horikoshi stated during the interview at Jump Festa '22 that "if things go smoothly, the manga will meet its goal to end in one year. If it doesn't go smoothly, I think [Izuku's voice actor] Yamashita will be reading out the exact same letter from me at next year's Jump Festa". He also teased that Katsuki Bakugo would soon get a "big scene".[10] Horikoshi wrote in the 34th volume of the manga that "I feel like I can finally see the goal in sight. It's a rather strange feeling getting to this point. In the past, I would just be drawing without a single care [for the future], but now I wonder just how many more times can I draw these characters? Change is scary as you grow older. Well, I really shouldn't dwell on that! Until next volume then!".[11] In October 2022, Horikoshi rescinded the statement he made during Jump Festa '22, opting to take longer to complete the manga's final arc than initially expected.[12]
Anime adaptation
My Hero Academia producer Wakana Okamura, who previously worked with Bones on Blood Blockade Battlefront, stated in an interview that he chose to work with Bones on adapting the series because Okamura felt they would make it a "high-quality production" with a "wide reach [both] internationally and domestically". Okamura also stated the production staff, especially the character designer Yoshihiko Umakoshi, were fans of the manga.[13] Director Kenji Nagasaki said Bones wanted to "make [the series] with a strong core and backbones".[13]Yōsuke Kuroda said he was a fan of the series prior to its anime adaptation, so he quickly accepted when offered to do the screenwriting.[14]
Themes and analysis
Horikoshi has stated that the main theme he focuses on is "what makes a hero".[15] He also stated that he likes stories with bad endings, as well as horror stories. However, he finds these difficult to draw since his mood when he draws is the same in the story. In order to combat this, he puts in more silly-looking characters like Fat Gum, in order to keep the mood up.[15]
The series explores themes such as the nature of heroism, the importance of perseverance and determination, and the power of friendship and teamwork. Horikoshi said that he was inspired by the idea of creating a world where anyone, regardless of their background or abilities, could become a hero. He wanted to show that even those without powers could still make a difference and achieve their dreams through hard work and determination.[16] That vision results in heroes in the series not being egotistical, but passionate and dedicated individuals with clear goals to work towards.[17] The series also explores on Izuku, who idolized heroes from a young age, and his enthusiasm. In a world where superheroes are not just regulated, but commercialized brands, he still sees something inspiring in their actions.[17]
My Hero Academia has been noted for its positive view of heroes. Cramer wrote that "in the modern world, we often challenge heroic ideals, and the motivations of the people who pursue them", noting how in American media the optimism of the Silver Age of Comic Books lead to post-Watchmen ambiguity. He also noted that, even in Japan, unquestioned heroism is often challenged in modern revisions of older series, such as in Yatterman and Gatchaman.[17]
My Hero Academia is written and illustrated by Kōhei Horikoshi. The series began its serialization in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump on July 7, 2014.[18] Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on November 4, 2014.[19] As of June 2, 2023,[update] thirty-eight volumes have been released.[20] The manga entered its final act in chapter 306, which was released on March 21, 2021.[21]
The series is licensed for English-language release in North America by Viz Media, who published the first volume on August 4, 2015. As the series is published in Japan, it is also released simultaneously in English digitally by Viz Media's Weekly Shonen Jump and later its website.[22][23] Shueisha began to simulpublish the series in English on the website and app Manga Plus in January 2019.[24]
A spin-off series entitled My Hero Academia: Smash!! by Hirofumi Neda started in the Shōnen Jump+ digital app on November 9, 2015, and finished on November 6, 2017.[25][26][27] Its chapters were collected in five tankōbon volumes.[28] In November 2018, during their panel at Anime NYC, Viz Media announced that they have licensed the manga.[29] The first volume was released in North America on August 6, 2019.[30] A second spin-off series, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, began being published biweekly on the Shōnen Jump+ website and app in 2017. The series began its serialization on August 20, 2016, and ended on May 28, 2022.[31][32][33] The series is licensed for the English-language release in North America by Viz Media. The first volume was released in North America on July 3, 2018.[34] A third spin-off series, My Hero Academia: Team-Up Missions by Yōkō Akiyama, began serialization in Saikyō Jump on August 2, 2019, with a prologue chapter debuting in Jump GIGA on July 25, 2019.[35] The series is also licensed for the English-language release in North America by Viz Media.[36] The first volume was released in North America on March 2, 2021.[37]
The first two of the series' films have been adapted into one-volume manga series. Both were published by Homesha.[38][39] A 15-page one-shot spin-off manga, illustrated by Yōkō Akiyama, centered on Melissa, titled Everyone Is Surely Someone's Hero (きっと誰もが誰かのヒーロー, Kitto Daremo ga Dareka no Hero), was published in the 35th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump on July 30, 2018.[40] A one-shot spin-off manga that serves as a prequel to the first film, written and illustrated by Kōhei Horikoshi, centered on All Might's past and the featured character Nana Shimura, titled No. 0 All Might: Rising (No.0 オールマイト：ライジング, Nanbā 0 Ōru Maito: Raijingu), was given to the first one million attendees on August 3, 2018. A ten-page manga was included in the My Hero Academia Two Heroes Vol. 0 Origin (僕のヒーローアカデミア２人の英雄 Vol.0 Origin, Boku no Hīrō Akademia 2-ri no Eiyū Vol. 0 Origin) book.[41] It was later published in English by Viz Media in September 2018.[42]
Deku & Bakugo: Rising (出久&爆豪:ライジング, Deku Ando Bakugo: Raijingu), a two-chapter spin-off manga illustrated by Akiyama, was published in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump on December 16 and 23, 2019. It centered on Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo during their second year in middle school.[43] A one-shot spin-off manga that serves as a prequel to the second film, written and illustrated by Horikoshi, centered on Nine, titled League of Villains: Undercover (ヴィランれんごう:アンダーカバー, Viran Rengō: Andākabā), was also given to the first million attendees on December 20, 2019. A nine-page manga was included in the My Hero Academia Heroes: Rising Vol. R (僕のヒーローアカデミア ヒーローズ：ライジング Vol.R, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Hīrōzu: Raijingu Vol. R) book.[44] The manga chapter was later published in English by Viz Media in March 2020.[45]
A 17-page special one-shot chapter written and illustrated by Akiyama, titled My Hero Academia Tokubetsu Spinoff: Endeavor's Mission (僕のヒーローアカデミア 特別スピンオフ エンデヴァーズ ミッション, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Tokubetsu Supin'ofu Endevāzu Misshon), was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump on August 2, 2021. It centered on Endeavor and his trainees Izuku, Katsuki, and Shoto during their Hero Work-Studies at the Endeavor Agency.[46] An 80-page manga booklet, titled My Hero Academia World Heroes' Mission Vol. W (僕のヒーローアカデミア ワールドヒーローズミッション Vol. W, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Wārudo Hīrōzu Misshon Vol. W), includes a nine-page one-shot manga that serves as a prequel to the third film, centered on Endeavor Agency trainees and the featured character Hawks, titled No. XXX Hawks: Soothe (No.XXX ホークス:スーズ, Nanbā XXX Hōkusu: Sūzu)[47] was given to the My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission attendees who viewed the film in Japan on August 6, 2021. The manga volume had a limited print run of one million copies.[47] In October 2021, a 76-page booklet featuring a specialty manga was also given to the attendees who saw it on the opening weekend in the United States.[48]
A second season was announced in the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine's 30th issue of 2016.[23] The second season aired from April 1 to September 30, 2017, on NTV and ytv.[53] The staff and cast from the first season reprised their roles.[54] A third season was announced in the 44th issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine of 2017.[55][56] The third season aired from April 7 to September 29, 2018.[57] A fourth season was announced in the final episode of season three, which released on September 29, 2018.[58] On December 19, 2018, the series' official website confirmed a release date of October 12, 2019, along with a key visual.[59][60]Funimation premiered the first episode of the fourth season at Anime Expo on July 6, 2019, with the English dub.[61][62] Kenji Nagasaki served as chief director of the fourth season, with Masahiro Mukai as director.[63]
A fifth season was announced at the end of the final episode of season four.[64] The fifth season aired from March 27 to September 25, 2021.[65] A sixth season was announced at the end of the fifth season's final episode.[66] On July 24, 2022, the Hero Fes event confirmed a release date of October 1, 2022, with a new visual was revealed.[67] The season ran for two consecutive cours and adapt the manga's "Paranormal Liberation War" and "Dark Hero" story arcs.[68][69] A seventh season was announced at the end of the sixth season's final episode.[70]
An original video animation (OVA) based on the anime series was shown at the Jump Festa '16 event on November 27, 2016.[71] Titled "Save! Rescue Training!", it was bundled with the limited edition of the 13th volume of the manga, which released on April 4, 2017. It was later released on DVD releases alongside Black Clover and Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma bundled with the future volumes of their respective manga, as it was announced on Jump Special Anime Festa event.[72] A second OVA, titled "Training of the Dead", bundled with a limited edition of the 14th volume of the manga, released on June 2, 2017. It focuses on a joint practice session between Izuku's class and the other hero department students at U.A. Academy.[73][74] A third OVA, "All Might: Rising", was released on February 13, 2019. It was bundled with the first film's blu-ray set, and adapted its prequel manga.[75] It was two minutes long.[76]
A two-part original net animation (ONA) titled "Make It! Do-or-Die Survival Training", were released on August 16, 2020, with the returning staff and cast from season 4.[77] Funimation streamed them simultaneously with the Japanese release.[78]
Another OVA was included with the "Plus Ultra" edition of My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission in Japan.[79] Two new OVA episodes, titled "HLB <Hero League Baseball>" and "Laugh! As If You Are in Hell", were announced on May 8 and June 3, 2022, respectively.[80] The episodes were given screenings in Japan from June 16–19, 2022. Internationally, Crunchyroll premiered the episodes at Anime Expo on July 1, 2022. A worldwide streaming release premiered on August 1, 2022.[81]
International release
In March 2016, Funimation announced they had licensed the international rights for streaming services, the home and broadcast release, and the merchandise rights.[82][83]Universal Pictures UK distributed the first season in the United Kingdom and Ireland on behalf of Funimation,[84] with Sony Pictures UK distributing the second season for Funimation,[85] and Manga Entertainment distributing subsequent seasons for Funimation.[86] In Australia and New Zealand, UniversalSony Pictures Home Entertainment distributed the first two seasons, on behalf of Funimation,[87] with Madman Anime distributing season 3 onwards, in partnership with Funimation.[88] On April 19, 2018, Funimation announced that the series would air on Adult Swim's Toonami block starting on May 5, 2018.[89] Medialink licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[90] They aired it simultaneously on Animax Asia.[91] In August 2023, Cartoon Network announced that the series will air in India on September 10, 2023.[92]
Music
The music of the series is composed by Yuki Hayashi.[50] The series uses twenty-two different songs: eleven opening themes and eleven ending themes. The opening theme is "The Day", performed by Porno Graffitti, while the ending theme is "Heroes", performed by Brian the Sun, were used for the 13 episodes in the first season.[93] For the second season, the first opening theme is "Peace Sign" (ピースサイン) performed by Kenshi Yonezu and the first ending theme is "Dakara, Hitori ja nai" (だから、ひとりじゃない, Therefore, I Am Not Alone) performed by Little Glee Monster for the first 13 episodes;[94] from episode 14 onwards, the opening theme is "Sora ni Utaeba" (空に歌えば, If I Sing to the Sky) performed by amazarashi[95] and the ending theme is "Datte Atashi no Hīrō" (だってアタシのヒーロー, Still My Hero) performed by LiSA.[96] For the first 13 episodes of the third season, the opening theme is "Odd Future" by Uverworld, while the ending theme is "Update" (アップデート) by miwa.[97] For the rest of the season, the opening theme is "Make My Story" by Lenny Code Fiction and the ending theme is "Long Hope Philia" (ロングホープ・フィリア) by Masaki Suda.[98]
For the first 14 episodes of the fourth season, the opening theme is "Polaris" (ポラリス) by Blue Encount, while the ending theme is "Kōkai no Uta" (航海の唄, The Song of the Voyage) by Sayuri.[99] For the rest of the season, the opening theme is "Starmarker" (スターマーカー) by Kana-Boon and the ending theme is "Shout Baby" by Ryokuōshoku Shakai.[100]Chrissy Costanza performs the insert songs "Each Goal" in episode 19 and "Hero too" in episode 23.[101] For the first 13 episodes of the fifth season, the opening theme is "No.1" by Dish, while the ending theme is "Ashiato" (足跡, "Footprints") by the Peggies.[102] From episode 14 onwards, the opening theme is "Merry-Go-Round" by Man with a Mission, while the ending theme is "Uso ja nai" (嘘じゃない, Not a Lie) by Soshi Sakiyama.[103] For the first 13 episodes of the sixth season, the opening theme is "Hitamuki" (ひたむき, "Single-Minded") by Super Beaver, while the ending theme is "Sketch" by Kiro Akiyama.[104] From episode 14 onwards, the opening theme is "Bokura no" (ぼくらの, "Our") by Eve, while the ending theme is "Kita Kaze" (キタカゼ, "North Wind") by Six Lounge.[105][106]
The first season's soundtrack album was released on July 13, 2016, with 35 tracks, under the Toho Animation Records label.[107] The second season's two-disc soundtrack album was released on September 6, 2017, with 23 tracks each.[108] The third season and theatrical film's two-disc soundtrack album were released on July 18, 2018, with 67 tracks overall.[109]My Hero Academia Soundtrack Selection 2016–2018 (僕のヒーローアカデミア サウンドトラックセレクション 2016–2018, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Saundotorakku Serekushon 2016–2018), which contains 32 tracks, released on August 21, 2019.[110] The fourth season's soundtrack album was released on March 25, 2020, with 18 tracks.[111] The fifth season's soundtrack album, which contains 19 tracks, was released in Japan by Toho Animation Records on September 26, 2021, and in the United States by Milan Records on CD and vinyl records on January 26, 2022.[112]Anime Limited released the soundtrack digitally which contains a two-LP set in the United Kingdom and Ireland on June 17, 2022.[113]
The My Hero Academia Soundtrack Selection 2019–2021 (僕のヒーローアカデミア サウンドトラックセレクション 2019–2021, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Saundotorakku Serekushon 2019–2021) compilation album was released on January 26, 2022. The CD album contains 27 tracks.[114] The My Hero Academia Soundtrack Selection 2021–2023 (僕のヒーローアカデミア サウンドトラックセレクション 2021–2023, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Saundotorakku Serekushon 2021–2023) two-disc compilation album was released on March 15, 2023, with 52 tracks.[115] In November 2021, a concert event titled My Hero Academia Official Live Concert was held in Manhattan.[116]
Light novels
A light novel series, titled My Hero Academia: School Briefs (僕のヒーローアカデミア 雄英白書, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Yūei Hakusho), written by Anri Yoshi, was released by Shueisha under its Jump J-Books imprint. It centers on Izuku Midoriya and his classmates of U.A. High in everyday school lives. The first volume was released on April 4, 2016.[117] As of October 4, 2021,[update] six volumes have been published.[118] In North America, it has been licensed in English by Viz Media.[119]
Light novels based on the three anime films were also released on August 3, 2018, December 20, 2019, and August 6, 2021.[120]
An anime film was announced in December 2017 and features an original story set after the manga's "Final Exam" arc.[121] Titled My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, the film had its world premiere at Anime Expo in Los Angeles on July 5, 2018,[122] before a Japanese theatrical release on August 3, 2018, with the staff and cast from the anime series reprising their roles.[123] The film has grossed over $33 million worldwide, and ended its theatrical run with $5.8 million to become the tenth-highest-grossing animated film in the United States and Canada at that time.[124]
On March 23, 2019, it was announced that a second animated film for the series was in production.[125] On July 7, 2019, the official Twitter account for My Hero Academia revealed the title as My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising; the film was released in Japan on December 20, 2019.[126] The film takes place after the manga's "Meta Liberation Army" arc. It has elements to its story that were once going to be used by Kōhei Horikoshi as a finale to the series.[127] It was released in North America on February 26, 2020.[128] The film has grossed over $29 million worldwide, and surpassed My Hero Academia: Two Heroes during its ninth weekend in the domestic gross.[129]
On November 29, 2020, it was announced that a third animated film for the series was in production.[130] The staff and cast from the previous two films reprised their roles.[131] In the first episode of the series' fifth season, the film was revealed to be titled My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission. The film was released in Japan on August 6, 2021,[132] and it began screening in the United States and Canada on October 29, 2021.[133] The film has grossed over $47 million worldwide, and became the tenth highest-grossing domestic film of 2021 in Japan.[134]
A fourth animated film was announced on August 6, 2023. The film will take place from the concurrent story arc in the sixth season of the anime series.[135]
Live-action
In October 2018, Legendary Entertainment acquired the rights to produce a live-action adaptation of the series.[136] In August 2021, it was revealed to be directed by Shinsuke Sato, with Alex Garcia and Jay Ashenfelter overseeing the adaptation, and Ryosuke Yoritomi representing the manga publisher Shueisha. Toho is set to distribute the film in Japan.[137][138] On December 12, 2022, Netflix announced that they had acquired the rights to the film with Joby Harold writing the screenplay.[139]
A video game based on the anime, My Hero Academia: Battle for All (僕のヒーローアカデミア バトル・フォー・オール, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Batoru fō Ōru), was announced in November 2015.[140] The game was developed by Dimps and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for the Nintendo 3DS, where it released in Japan on May 19, 2016.[141]
My Hero Academia has also received three video games developed by Byking and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The first, titled My Hero One's Justice (僕のヒーローアカデミア One's Justice, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Wanzu Jasutisu), was released for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows, and Xbox One on October 26, 2018.[142] The game has sold over 500,000 units worldwide by January 2019.[143] A sequel, My Hero One's Justice 2 (僕のヒーローアカデミア One's Justice 2, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Wanzu Jasutisu 2), was released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on March 12, 2020 in Japan and worldwide in the following day.[144] The third, a free-to-play battle royale action game, titled My Hero Ultra Rumble (僕のヒーローアカデミア Ultra Rumble, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Urutora Ranburu), was announced in January 2022. It is set to be released in late 2023 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows and Xbox One.[145]
Mobile games
Two mobile games have been released for iOS and Android.[146][147]My Hero Academia: The Strongest Hero was released in North America and several other mostly English-speaking countries in late May 2021[148][146] and My Hero Ultra Impact (僕のヒーローアカデミア Ultra Impact, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Urutora Inpakuto) was released in February 2022.[147]
My Hero Academia: The "Ultra" Stage, a stage play adaptation, was first announced in 2018 and ran from April 12–21 and April 26–29, 2019.[151][152] The play was directed by Tsuneyasu Motoyoshi,[151] written by Hideyuki Nishimori, and choreographed by Umebō. Shunsuke Wada composed the music. The cast includes Shin Tamura as Izuku Midoriya, Ryōta Kobayashi as Katsuki Bakugo, Yume Takuchi as Ochako Uraraka, Hiroki Ino as Tenya Iida, and Ryō Kitamura as Shoto Todoroki.[152]
A second stage play adaptation, titled My Hero Academia: The "Ultra" Stage: A True Hero, was scheduled to run from March 6–22 and March 27–April 5, 2020, with the cast and staff returning.[153] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, My Hero Academia: The "Ultra" Stage: A True Hero's original run was canceled and postponed to July 2020, where a complete version, titled My Hero Academia: The "Ultra" Stage: A True Hero Plus Stage Ver., ran instead.[154] After one staff member contracted COVID-19, the production committee announced that My Hero Academia: The "Ultra" Stage: A True Hero would instead be live-streamed; however, the play was delayed again after another staff member contracted COVID-19.[155] The stage play ran in 2021 from December 3–12 and December 24–26.[156]
A third stage play adaptation titled My Hero Academia The "Ultra" Stage: The Symbol of Peace was announced on December 26, 2021, and was scheduled to run from April 9–10, April 22–24, and April 29–May 8, 2022.[157] However, due to one of the actor's injury during a performance of the play, future performances were postponed.[158]
A fourth stage play adaptation, titled My Hero Academia: The "Ultra" Stage: The Best Hero, was announced at the Jump Festa '23 event in December 2022. It ran from April 29–May 7, May 12–14, and May 19–21, 2023.[159]
Art and guidebooks
A My Hero Academiaart book and three guidebooks have been released by Sheuisha. The art book, titled My Hero Academia: Official Character Guide Ultra Archive Art Book (僕のヒーローアカデミア 公式キャラクターガイド ウルトラアーカイブ画集, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Kōshiki Kyarakutā Gaido Urutora Ākaibu Gashū), was released on May 7, 2016.[160] The first guidebook, titled My Hero Academia: Ultra Archive - The Official Character Guide,[d] was published on May 2, 2016.[161] Accompanying the anime, the second guidebook, titled My Hero Academia: Ultimate Animation - The Official Book Guide,[e] was released on September 4, 2017.[162] The third guidebook, titled My Hero Academia: Ultra Analysis - The Official Character Guide,[f] was released on October 4, 2019.[163]
Other media
A drama CD titled My Hero Academia: Sweep! Local Area Cleaning! (僕のヒーローアカデミアハケ！ちいきせいそう！, Boku no Hīrō Akademia Hake! Chiiki Seisou!) bundled with a limited edition of the seventh volume of the manga, released before the anime. Kōhei Horikoshi provides the original story and supervised the project, and the script is written by Yōsuke Kuroda who also wrote for the anime series.[51][164] An interactive puzzle-solving event called "Heroes Dead End Program" was held on July 29 and 30, 2017.[165]
An exhibit of the series ran in Tokyo's Ikebukuro Sunshine City from September 30 to October 8, 2018.[166] An art exhibition, titled "My Hero Academia Drawing Smash", ran in Tokyo from April 23 to June 27, 2021, and in Osaka from July 16 to September 5, 2021.[167] An exhibition with a theme of Heroes vs. Villains, titled My Hero Academia Anime: All-Out War Arc Exhibition, is scheduled to run in various cities in Japan from April to November 2023.[168]
The story has been noted to take inspiration from elements in superhero comics, such as the aesthetics of its characters,[169] and due to the popularity of the series, characters of My Hero Academia were used to promote the Marvel Studios film Avengers: Infinity War.[170] Before the anime adaptation's premiere, Naruto's creator Masashi Kishimoto praised Kōhei Horikoshi's work, believing it would be a success overseas. One Piece creator, Eiichiro Oda, also praised the series.[171] The anime was popular with Japanese readers of Charapedia, who voted it the fourth best anime show of Q2 2017.[172] The cosplayers as characters were also popular especially in Japan, where a poll ranked ninth in 2017.[173] According to the retailer Zavvi, where they surveyed Instagram hashtags containing franchise names followed by the term "cosplay", My Hero Academia is the most popular franchise among cosplayers worldwide with 2,377,476 posts, ranking above franchises such as DC Comics, Marvel, Disney, Star Wars, Naruto, Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Pokémon, and Sailor Moon. The retailer stated that the result demonstrates the "recent growth of anime". They also surveyed hashtags containing character names, where three My Hero Academia characters placed in the top ten rankings: Izuku ranked fifth with 224,429 posts, Shoto came in at seventh with 177,161 posts, and Katsuki at ninth with 147,600 posts.[174]
The anime had also received high TV ratings and has consistently ranked among the top ten animated shows in Japan, since the release of its second season.[175] In the United States, My Hero Academia was the second most "in-demand" TV title in the last 60 days in 2020 according to Observer, which tracks popularity through social media, fan ratings, and piracy.[176] In 2021, the series won the "Most In-Demand Anime Series of 2020" at the third Global TV Demand Awards.[177] In April of the same year, the fifth season of My Hero Academia set the record for the most-watched premiere of any series on MyAnimeList, surpassing the other anime titles such as Attack on Titan: The Final Season, The Promised Neverland second season, and Dr. Stone: Stone Wars.[178] With the premiere of its sixth season on October 1, 2022, My Hero Academia earned a television rating of 3.9% (an improvement from the previous season's 3.2%) and ranked as the fourth-most watched anime, ahead of One Piece in the average household viewership in Japan.[179] The sixth season's fifth episode garnering over 3.01 million viewers across 2.26 million households in the television, making it one of the most-watched episodes of the series. It was also an increase of over 325,000 viewers from its season premiere which had an individual viewership rating of 2.1%, and was viewed by over 2.64 million people.[180] By December 22, 2022, My Hero Academia was ranked as the fifth "Most-Watched Anime in Japan" for December 2022.[181] The sixth season's finale was watched by over 2.01 million viewers in the television.[182]
On Tumblr's 2020 Year in Review, which highlights the largest communities, fandoms, and trends on the platform throughout the year, the series ranked first on the Top Anime & Manga Shows category. The characters also placed high in the rankings of Top Anime & Manga Characters category, with 7 of the top 10 spots occupied the list. Izuku Midoriya ranked first and Katsuki Bakugo, Dabi, Shouta Aizawa, Hawks, Shoto Todoroki and Eijiro Kirishima placed second, third, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth respectively. My Hero Academia was also ranked ninth on Tumblr's Top 20 overall in the 2020 list.[183] The series placed seventeenth on Twitter Japan's Trend Awards in 2021, based on the social network's top trending topics of the year.[184]
Manga
My Hero Academia ranked second on the "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2015" poll by Honya Club online bookstore.[185] On Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! ranking of top 20 manga for male readers, the series ranked fifth on the 2016 list.[186]My Hero Academia ranked 26th on the 2015 "Book of the Year" list by Da Vinci magazine;[187] it ranked 22nd on the 2016 list;[188] sixteenth on the 2018 list;[189] 37th on the 2019 list;[190] 41st on the 2020 list;[191] 34th on the 2021 list;[192] and 22nd on the 2022 list.[193] The manga won the Mandō Kobayashi Manga Grand Prix 2015, created by comedian and manga enthusiast Kendo Kobayashi, in which each year's winner is decided based on his personal taste.[194] The series was chosen as one of the Best Manga at the Comic-Con International Best & Worst Manga in 2018 and 2019.[195]Barnes & Noble named it on their list of "Our Favorite Manga of 2018".[196] Cold Cobra of Anime UK News picked the series for his list of "best manga of 2010s".[197] On TV Asahi's Manga Sōsenkyo 2021 poll, in which 150,000 people voted for their top 100 manga series, My Hero Academia ranked sixteenth.[198] On a 2021 survey conducted by LINE Research asking Japanese high school students what manga series they are currently into, the series ranked second among boys.[199]
Sales
My Hero Academia has been a largely commercial success since the manga's release; in 2014, the first volume reached seventh place on the weekly Oricon's manga chart with 71,575 copies sold.[200] It sold out almost immediately on its first printing.[201] Volume two reached sixth place, with 167,531 copies[202] and, by January 18, 2015, had sold 205,179 copies.[203] In April 2015, volume three reached eighth place with 254,111 copies.[204] Volume four reached sixth with 259,137 in June,[205] and volume five peaked at ninth place with 279,414 copies in August.[206] By March 2017, the manga had over 10 million copies in circulation;[207] it had over 13 million copies in circulation by February 2018;[208] over 15 million copies in circulation by May 2018;[209] over 16 million copies in circulation by August 2018;[210] over 17 million copies in circulation by September 2018;[211] over 20 million copies in circulation by December 2018.[212] over 21 million copies in circulation by February 2019;[213] over 26 million copies in circulation by December 2019;[214] over 30 million copies in circulation by January 2021;[215] over 50 million copies in circulation by April 2021, with 37 million being sold in Japan and the remaining 13 million in the rest of the world;[216] over 65 million copies in circulation by January 2022,[217] with 45 million being sold in Japan and the remaining 20 million elsewhere;[218][219] and over 85 million copies in circulation by February 2023.[g][220]
My Hero Academia was the sixth best-selling manga series in the first half of 2017, with over 2 million copies sold,[221] while volumes 12 and 13 were some of the top 50 best-selling manga volumes.[222] By the end of the year, it was the fourth best-selling manga series with over 5.8 million copies sold,[223] while volumes 12–15 were among the 50 best-selling manga volumes.[224] In 2018, the seventeenth volume of the manga had received an initial print run of 600,000 copies.[225] It was the fifth best-selling manga in the first half of 2018 with over 2.5 million copies sold,[226] while volumes 17 and 18 were the thirteenth and seventeenth best-selling manga volumes, respectively.[227] The series was ranked sixth on Rakuten's Top 20 Best Selling Digital Manga of 2018.[228] It was the second best-selling manga in 2018, behind One Piece, with over 6.7 million copies sold;[229] volumes 17–20 were among the 50 best-selling manga volumes, having sold over 3 million copies combined.[230] The 22nd volume topped the Oricon's ranking sales chart list in February 2019, with 576,148 copies sold.[231] It was the fourth best-selling manga in the first half of 2019, with over 3.1 million copies sold;[232] volumes 21–23 were among the 50 best-selling manga volumes of the year.[233] It was the sixth best-selling manga in 2019, with over 5 million copies sold.[234]
The My Hero Academia franchise sales generated an estimated revenue of ¥16 billion in Japan between 2016 and 2020.[235] Along with One-Punch Man, it had an initial print run of 660,000 copies, with its 26th volume in 2020.[236] It was the fifth best-selling manga in the first half of 2020, with 3,339,656 million copies sold.[237] The series was ranked twelfth on Rakuten's Top 20 Best Selling Digital Manga of 2020.[238] It was the eighth best-selling manga series in 2020, with over 6 million copies sold.[239] The 29th volume had an initial print run of 680,000 copies in 2021.[240] It was the fifth best-selling manga in 2021 and 2022, with over 7 million and 5.3 million copies sold, respectively;[241] volumes 33–35 were among the 30 best-selling manga volumes of 2022.[242] The series was ranked eighth on Rakuten's Top 20 Best Selling Digital Manga of 2021, and ninth in 2022.[243]
In North America, volumes of My Hero Academia appeared on The New York Times Manga Best Seller list for several weeks, with volume one, which released in August 2015, debuting at fourth place.[244] The volumes have also ranked on NPDBookScan's monthly top 20 adult graphic novels list since August 2016.[245] In Q4 2018, My Hero Academia was the best-selling manga franchise according to ICv2.[246] Several volumes of the manga have also ranked on The New York Times' Graphic Books and Manga bestseller monthly list since November 2019.[247] Volumes 1 and 26 ranked third and sixth, respectively, on Publishers Weekly's bestseller list in March 2021.[248] Volume 28 also charted on the Publishers Weekly's bestseller list in September 2021, ranking fifth.[249]
According to ICv2, My Hero Academia was the fifth best-selling manga franchise for Q4 2021 (September–December) in the United States.[250] According to NPD BookScan, seven volumes of My Hero Academia were ranked among the top 20 highest-selling manga volumes in 2021.[251] The first volume had over 1.2 million copies in circulation by 2022 and the franchise as a whole has 10 million copies in circulation in the United States.[219]
Critical reception
Nick Creamer of Anime News Network gave the first volume a B. Creamer praised the art, describing it as "absolutely professional". He labeled Horikoshi's art as "consistent and highly polished", but also stated that it was fast-paced and very sharply drawn. He praised the plot and characters, saying that despite it feeling like a typical shōnen plot, it did well enough to still feel fresh and entertaining. He also stated that the characters has a great energy and personality.[252] Isaac Akers from The Fandom Post ranked the second volume as a B+. He praised the art, saying that Horikoshi's character designs and art bolster the volume's ability to feel as if it does everything it does just because the volume likes doing it. He concluded that My Hero Academia was a difficult series to dislike, making it as the "real joy to read" by executing on the author's ideas and enough nerve and twist.[253] Sean Gaffney from A Case Suitable for Treatment referred to the art as "smooth" and complemented how it flows with the action. Gaffney also praised the story, characters, and fight scenes, stating that the story flows nicely with each of their individual personalities, while the fight scenes look smooth and non-confusing.[254]
In a review of the second volume, Leroy Douresseaux from Comic Book Bin also praised the story, specifically the way it tells comedy and drama. He also compared the series to the other superhero works like Tiger & Bunny and One-Punch Man, stating that My Hero Academia proves that "manga can do superhero comic books that are every bit as imaginative as American superhero comics".[255] Manga Bookshelf praised the first volume for its art, saying that it demonstrated Horikoshi's skill very well, though criticizing it for having too much narration at some points.[256] Reviewing volumes 1 to 19, Michelle Smith from Soliloquy in Blue called the plot "very good", but also stated that the main reason she liked the series was the characters, specifically praising most of the main cast. However, she criticized the series for not giving some of the female characters enough spotlight despite praising their varied character designs and personalities.[257]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of My Hero Academia holds an approval rating of 100% based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 8.7/10.[274] At Crunchyroll's inaugural Anime Awards in 2017, Izuku was awarded Hero of the Year while the anime series was nominated in six other categories including Anime of the Year.[275] At the 2nd Crunchyroll Anime Awards in 2018, the second season of the anime won seven out of ten nominations: Best Action, Best Animation, Best Opening ("Peace Sign"), Best Girl (Ochaco Uraraka), Best Boy (Shoto Todoroki), Best Villain (Stain), and Best Hero (Izuku Midoriya) categories; Christopher Sabat also received the Industry Icon Award for his role as All Might.[276] The official music video of the second season's opening, "Peace Sign" by Kenshi Yonezu, reached 48.6 million views on YouTube, being one of the top trending videos of 2017.[277] The series ranked fourteenth at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival in the 2017 Best 100 TV Anime category.[278] It ranked first in a "mega poll" of the readers for Best Anime of 2017 and 2018 by Anime News Network.[279] In January 2021, it was revealed that the anime series was the fourth most-watched anime series on Crunchyroll in 2020, being watched in 23 countries and territories, including North America, Central America, South America, and Europe.[280]
Sales
My Hero Academia sales have been high and the series has been successful in Japan since the release of the anime. The five volumes of the first season on Blu-ray and DVD were released in Japan, with each release appearing in Oricon's Animation Blu-ray and Animation DVD disc ranking. The first Blu-ray edition of My Hero Academia was ranked fifth in the first week of Oricon's Blu-ray Disc ranking, while the first DVD edition ranked fourth with 2,184 copies sold.[281] The second Blu-ray and DVD sets also ranked, with the Blu-ray edition coming in sixth and DVD fifth for a week.[282] The third Blu-ray edition ranked fourth with 1,700 copies sold, while the DVD release was eighth with 1,184 copies sold.[283] The fourth Blu-ray and DVD collections ranked fifth and fourth, respectively.[284] The fifth Blu-ray and DVD release sales ranked higher than the previous volumes; the Blu-ray came in at third with 1,473 copies sold and the DVD ranked second with 1,068 copies sold in a week.[285] Four volumes of the second season on Blu-ray and DVD also appeared in Oricon's Animation Blu-ray and DVD disc ranking. The first Blu-ray edition ranked seventh, while the DVD ranked fifth.[286] The third Blu-ray edition was among the top 20 in Oricon's Animation Blu-ray disc ranking, while the DVD was tenth among the 30 Animation DVD rankings.[287] The seventh Blu-ray and DVD ranked eighth,[288] while the eighth Blu-ray and DVD sets ranked fourth.[289]
The second season's opening theme, "Peace Sign" by Kenshi Yonezu, topped the Billboard charts on the Billboard Japan Hot 100;[290] it peaked at number two on the Oricon charts.[291] By the end of 2017, the "Bootleg" soundtrack album including "Peace Sign" became the top-selling anime CD album on Oricon's chart with 241,754 copies sold.[292] It was the top-selling anime CD album in the first half of 2018 with 134,777 copies sold; the other compilation album, LiSA BEST: Day, which includes the second ending theme song of the second season, "Datte Atashi no Hero" by LiSA, ranked fifth on Oricon's chart simultaneously.[293] Seven volumes of the third season on Blu-ray and DVD appeared in Oricon's Animation Blu-ray and DVD disc ranking, respectively. The first Blu-ray edition ranked ninth, while the DVD ranked third.[294] The second Blu-ray edition ranked sixth, while the DVD ranked fifth.[295] The third Blu-ray edition ranked fourth, while the DVD ranked second.[296] The fourth Blu-ray and DVD sets ranked fifth and sixth, respectively.[297] The fifth Blu-ray set ranked third with 1,194 copies sold, while the DVD ranked second.[298] The seventh Blu-ray and DVD sets ranked ninth and sixth, respectively.[299] The eighth Blu-ray and DVD sets ranked fourth and third, respectively.[300] By the end of 2018, "Bootleg" became the top-selling anime CD album for the second consecutive year while LiSA BEST: Day ranked ninth on Oricon's chart.[301]
Critical reception
Alex Osborn of IGN gave the first season a nine out of ten rating, praising its action, story, and characters, while criticizing its villains as underdeveloped. Osborn also stated that "its excellent character design only elevates the memorable cast even further". He concluded that "the first season of My Hero Academia delivers thirteen episodes of fantastic action, elevated by a heartfelt story that's wrapped around a core cast of memorable and relatable characters".[302] In his review for the second season, Osborn praised it as "truly something special", complimenting the animation, character developments, and emotions. He called it as "one of the best TV shows" he had ever watched.[303] Tom Speelman of Polygon praised the anime for its animation, action and characters. Speelman also stated that compared to other superhero teams like X-Men or Legion of Super-Heroes, My Hero Academia's biggest asset is its huge cast, with even minor characters having a "fun look" or "interesting personality" for readers to latch onto. He noted that it has similarities to the other shows and comics like Teen Titans, Runaways, or Young Justice, though he felt its closest thematic analog is the 2005 Disney film Sky High.[304] Marina Garrow from Anime Feminist praised the way the plot handles damsel-in-distress elements, especially when compared to other shōnen series, stating that the female characters are not the only characters that need saving, and when they do need saving, the situations are realistic and not overexaggerated.[305]
Chris Beveridge from The Fandom Post also praised the anime. He said that despite it being a long running series, it manages to not feel directionless and has several great moments.[306] Nick Creamer from Anime News Network also praised the adaptation. He gave praise to the music and animation in the action scenes, while criticizing the pacing and stating that the animation can be average at times.[307] In his review of the second season, he gave it praise for the improvements to both pacing and animation.[308] Sam Leach of Anime News Network highlighted the 49th episode, which is the final battle between All Might and All For One. Leach wrote: "It was unavoidable that this was going to be a beautiful episode. That bloodied-up All Might is striking in either form, and you can tell they pulled out all the stops in making the big hits as intense and crazy as possible. From a pacing perspective, I'm really pleased with how this Bakugo Rescue arc played out." He concluded: "This is My Hero Academia's proudest moment in the spotlight. Not only does it continue to be the darling of modern Shonen Jump with one of the mostly perfectly tuned anime adaptations a long-running series has ever received, this is an accomplishment of storytelling across the board."[309]
Both the original Japanese cast and the English dub received praise from critics. Osborn applauded the casting choices and overall voice work, adding that [Izuku's voice actor] Daiki Yamashita is a "perfect fit" in the Japanese dub, while praising Justin Briner's performance in English as excellent and standout.[302] Creamer rated both equally, stating that the dub cast of the major characters generally fits their roles very well, though criticizing some of the background characters' performances.[307] Andy Hanley from UK Anime Network concured, stating both casts had strong performances, however, he gave special praise to the dub cast, saying that each actor fits their role very well.[310] Speelman stated that both Japanese and English casts know exactly how to make these roles work. He noted that both Yamashita and Briner's voice as Izuku "nail the optimistic nerdiness and heroic attitude" with Briner "channeling a bit of Morty Smith for good measure". He also praised the voice performances of All Might, noting that Japanese voice actor Kenta Miyake "nails the goofy earnestness of the part", while English voice actor Christopher Sabat "was essentially Superman", Speelman felt was a "great fit".[304]
The anime series has been named as one of the best of the 2010s in several publications. Writing for Comic Book Resources, Sage Ashford ranked it fourth on his list, praising its character development. Although he criticized the series' originality, he felt it executes the classic shōnen tropes perfectly, describing it as the "most finely tuned battle shonen ever created".[311]Paste ranked My Hero Academia among the top 50 anime of all time.[312] In November 2019, Polygon named it as one of the best anime of the 2010s. Austen Goslin wrote that "[the show] feels like the evolution of shonen. While the earlier days of action shonen often relegated plot as merely a bridge between two fights, My Hero Academia elevates it to the main attraction".[313] In January 2020, IGN and Thrillist named it among the best anime series of the 2010s.[314][315]Japan Web Magazine ranked the series 25th on its list of "30 Best Anime of All Time".[316]
In early 2020, the series caused a controversy in South Korea and China for a character's name allegedly referencing Unit 731,[344] an infamous Imperial Japanese army unit known for vivisecting captured Chinese, Korean, and Russian individuals. In response, it has been removed from digital platforms in China, and the character's name was changed to no longer reference Unit 731.[345] A day prior, both Weekly Shōnen Jump manga magazine publisher Shueisha and the manga's author Kōhei Horikoshi issued an individual apology statements on Twitter.[346]
In the aftermath of the manga's removal from its services in China, the English-language news service Abacus reached out to bilibili and Tencent for its request. The former stated that the removal was "in accordance with China's policies" but declined to comment further, while the latter did not respond to Abacus' request for comment.[346] The character's name was changed again by the digital version of Weekly Shōnen Jump following the backlash. Shueisha promised that "going forward, we intend to devote our energies toward deepening our understanding of a variety of historical and cultural matters." Both the publisher and manga's creator reiterated that the reference to war crimes within the character's name was wholly unintentional.[347]
Notes
^Credited as Director for episodes 1–63 and as Chief Director (総監督) for episodes 64–.
^Credited as Chief Unit Director (チーフ演出) for episodes 39–51.[4]
『僕のヒーローアカデミア』ANIMATION展 -全面戦争編-」. My Hero Academia Anime -All-Out War Arc- Exhibition website (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
^Gaffney, Sean (August 11, 2015). "My Hero Academia, Vol. 1". A Case Suitable for Treatment. Archived from the original on June 8, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
^Smith, Michelle (June 27, 2019). "My Hero Academia, Vols. 1-19". Soliloquy in Blue. Archived from the original on February 19, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
^ニュータイプアニメアワード2021-2022結果発表、作品賞は「劇場版ソードアート・オンライン」＆「鬼滅の刃 遊郭編」 [Newtype Anime Awards 2021–2022 Results Announced: Best Picture Award Goes to Sword Art Online: The Movie & Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba]. Livedoor News (in Japanese). October 15, 2022. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
^Loveridge, Lynzee (February 10, 2020). "My Hero Academia Manga Updated With Villain's New Name". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 20, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020. The character's original given name was revealed in the magazine last week as "Maruta Shiga," reopening wounds in China and Korea that lead to the series' manga and anime being pulled from bilibili and Tencent and the possible cancellation of the mobile game My Hero Academia: Strongest Hero by Chinese studio Xin Yuan.
^Loveridge, Lynzee (February 10, 2020). "My Hero Academia Manga Updated With Villain's New Name". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2020. The character's real name was changed to Kyudai Garaki in the update. The new name maintains elements from creator Kōhei Horikoshi's original name; "Kyudai" is written with the kanji for "ball" and "big" and "Garaki" takes the last three syllables of the villain's mentor's name "Shigaraki" while also including the kanji for "tree."
.jpg)
