After 10 years of saving the world, the superheroes of My Hero Academia have hanged their capes and are supposedly moving towards the end of the series. However, they are leaving the industry as one of the biggest anime and manga franchises of all time, competing with the likes of Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, Chainsaw Man, etc.
While the anime is still going on and will probably go on for another year, the manga series is only two chapters away from the conclusion. Kohei Horikoshi has indeed crafted an intriguing story that has not only impressed the Japanese audience but has also grabbed global attention by making it to the top of multiple North American bestseller lists.
Not only that, but the series has also accomplished the impossible by reaching 100 million copies in circulation worldwide. This proves that My Hero Academia has been making waves in the West, and Horikoshi is proud of it. This is truly a big feat that not even industry giants like Detective Conan and City Hunter could achieve.
My Hero Academia Overcame A Big Challenge
Since the beginning, the biggest obstacle that manga and anime series had to go through was to earn recognition in the West. The manga industry has been trying to make its impact on the entertainment industry since the 1960s, but it didn’t get much fame until the 1990s when the anime industry rose to prominence.
It was then that both manga and anime started gaining some traction in North America. But it was still a big issue as the audience was not really versed in the artform and only chose some specific series like Dragon Ball, Beyblade, Digimon, etc. Others like Detective Conan, Fist of the North Star, and Bakuman couldn’t get a chance to make it through.
But luck was in the favor of Kohei Horikoshi and My Hero Academia, as the series instantly earned appreciation not only from North America but from all over the world. The manga began serialization in 2014, and within two years it earned so much fame that Bones Inc. decided to animate the narrative, and the rest is history.
Kohei Horikoshi’s Response To My Hero Academia Becoming A Global Name
A few days ago, Viz Media released an interview with the My Hero Academia creator talking about the conclusion of the series and the ten years that the mangaka spent on it. During the discussion, Horikoshi talked about the manga hitting the 100 million copies mark and how he felt about it.
The mangaka revealed:
Well, if you put it that way… No, thank you. Really. It must mean that people are acknowledging it as a quality series.
Horikoshi thought that much of the credit for My Hero Academia’s achievement should go to the distributors and publishers of the manga. But considering the criticism of the global audience, Horikoshi pointed out:
If that’s the case, then I’m glad. It means I’ve managed to create something genuinely interesting. This makes me happy, honestly.
Horikoshi expressed gratitude to the readers for sticking with My Hero Academia till the end. The final chapter of the series will be released on August 5th, 2024.
The impeccable journey of the manga might end soon, but the anime series still has a long way to go as it is still in the process of completing the seventh season.
You can watch My Hero Academia on Crunchyroll and read the manga on Viz Media.
