Kohei Horikoshi has taken inspiration to create some of the most intriguing My Hero Academia characters from places that might not make sense at first glance. An example of this could be his taking inspiration from Lionel Messi in creating Hawks. For someone who has always been so interested in superheroes and their world, Horikoshi took it upon himself to turn it into a manga and anime.
While many would wonder which hero or popular figure each character was based on, All Might’s is one that stands like an omnipresent fact. His connection with Superman is something that stares fans in the face even if they try to ignore it. However, the Last Son of Krypton wasn’t the only inspiration that gave rise to the strongest character.
My Hero Academia Found Inspiration in Hellboy
During an interview (via Comicbook) Kohei Horikoshi opened up about how out of all the American comic books that he found inspiring, it was Hellboy that truly caught his eye. He admitted that Mike Mignola, the artist behind the masterpiece, and his unique style of drawing hands were what first inspired his All Might.
Yeah, the way Mike Mignola draws hands was a big influence on me. Vol. 1 All Might’s art style was particularly bad about it. The influence was blatant; His fingers were square. Square, flat, angular.
It isn’t his obsession with DC and Marvel alone that helped in creating his magnum opus. My Hero Academia took parts of what made Hellboy so special, turning around All Might’s appearance from the very first volume. Moreover, it wasn’t as if Horikoshi was trying to hide his references.
He wore them like a badge of honor, paying homage to all those inspiring parts of the world that helped create his own work. However, he wasn’t much fond of how All Might’s design turned out and how he captured Hellboy’s essence.
Kohei Horikoshi is in Awe of Hellboy’s Art Style
Kohei Horikoshi may not have been able to fully add Hellboy’s design in My Hero Academia but his dedication and inspiration weren’t gone. From the backgrounds to the way Mike Mignola drew his characters was all something he found himself captivated by.
It really goes to show you how good he is. How much pop can you give an illustration with only a few lines? I think he’s on that point of being so perfect he can do things like that.
Horikoshi even went on to call Mignola perfect at what he does. The impact he had on the mangaka’s own skills was something that couldn’t be compared. He may take bits and pieces from other superheroes and artists but Hellboy became some form of a blueprint for him.
The impact could be felt throughout the manga. The drawing style and so much more took from Mignola’s own work and that made Horikoshi’s masterpiece even better.
