After 10 long years, My Hero Academia manga has finally ended and fans are buzzing with mixed emotions. Many believe that the ending seems quite rushed, whereas some readers argue that Kōhei Horikoshi wanted to highlight the importance of friendship through his narrative, and the final chapter serves as a perfect example.
Several fans who stuck to the end of Deku’s story wanted to see their beloved protagonist reach the top spot in the ‘Hero Ranking’. Furthermore, Izuku Midoriya proved his worth as the No. 1 Hero by defeating Shigaraki, who was claimed to be the most powerful villain in My Hero Academia‘s history.
Despite the rushed ending accusation, My Hero Academia has recently been criticized for the worst ending in any shonen anime. Although the series had its fair share of up-and-down moments, labeling it as the worst-ending anime is highly debatable.
In Spite of Backlash, My Hero Academia Shines for Its Compelling Narrative
With the release of My Hero Academia‘s final chapter, fans are remorseful about the end of their beloved series. Not to forget, the fandom was enthralled by Deku’s character development as he became humanity’s only hope of survival against villains.
However, Horikoshi received a lot of backlash for the manga’s conclusion. After alluring viewers for over a decade, fans were extremely excited to see their beloved protagonist receive the recognition he deserved. Despite being born Quirkless, Deku’s ambition and journey to become the No. 1 Hero sympathized with a lot of viewers.
Naturally, the fandom set its own expectations, which only resulted in disappointment. After witnessing Deku as a UA teacher like All Might in the final chapter, several fans felt betrayed and took their anger online.
Normally don’t do long threads but
— TheNCSmaster (@TheNCSmaster) August 2, 2024
MHA’s ending and Deku’s part in it has been so misconstrued I wanna push back on a lot of the rhetoric 🧵 pic.twitter.com/LGagYPwmLl
Regardless, criticizing My Hero Academia for the worst ending in anime history is debatable and continues to spark discussion among fans. After the eight-year-long time-skip, Deku is shown nurturing the future generation of heroes at UA. Some fans believed Class 1-A neglected Deku after he lost all access to One for All and moved on with their lives.
Deku is the same way. Even if he can’t be this amazing hero right now. He knows there’s a great impact from what he accomplished, showing all the hard work he put in did pay off pic.twitter.com/zPL9wjKhsM
— TheNCSmaster (@TheNCSmaster) August 2, 2024
Even after Deku lost his power and was for a time disconnected from the group, they wanted to make sure their friend could have his dream back, not only cause he earned it, but because they care about him
— TheNCSmaster (@TheNCSmaster) August 2, 2024
Sappy? Yeah. But screw it, sometimes we need sappy positivity in the world
However, that’s not true, as we later discover the entire Class 1-A reuniting and calling Deku to join their quest like old times. Despite all the harsh criticism, Kōhei Horikoshi might have aimed to leave a memorable impact on his audience with My Hero Academia‘s ending. Unlike most shonen anime where the protagonist achieving his dream becomes a fairy tale ending, Horikoshi wanted to highlight Deku as a true selfless individual.
From the beginning of the series, Izuku Midoriya is shown as a selfless individual who only cares about others’ safety. Deku’s intention to save everyone with a smile on his face like his idol, All Might, sets him apart from the rest and highlights his qualities of a True Hero.
I just want to say I don't think this is over. Just this story arc. There is way too much potential to continue. And to be honest I want to see him continue with the suit. Hell if Iron Man can do it. Deku deserves that shot to do it as well as an adult.
— Scion Storm (@ScionStormTV) August 3, 2024
Got the point. still, I can't ignore the disappointment for the ending. deku deserve better after being japan's savior. I thought it would gave him any privilege after what've he done, no? Wdym the rest class-a need to do fundraising to help him continuing his heroism
— 🐢 (@jeonaxia) August 3, 2024
I might come around eventually but I just didn’t feel anything when reading this ending. I was fine with deku as a teacher. It fits his character incredibly. It just didn’t feel like there was enough closure. We don’t see enough of what everyone else was doing. It felt rushed.
— Chrispe (@chrispechikn) August 2, 2024
Moreover, Midoriya’s resolve to not let go of his ambition and keep nurturing future heroes despite losing all his powers further emphasizes his selfless nature. Last but not least, we see All Might offering Midoriya a new suit of armor similar to his when All Might took down All for One.
Thanks to this reference, the fandom is hoping to see Deku once again pushing past his limits and continuing his journey to become the No.1 Hero. This leaves My Hero Academia manga’s ending with a loophole and fans anticipating a prequel in the future.
My Hero Academia’s special announcement let down the fandom
My Hero Academia has undoubtedly earned its place as one of the best new-gen anime in the community. The series’ resemblance to the superhero genre similar to Marvel and DC played a vital role in its success. After thrilling fans for over a decade, My Hero Academia planned a special project for its fandom with the manga’s conclusion.
Unfortunately, the secret project discloser only let down the fans’ high expectations from the franchise. On August 5, My Hero Academia announced its secret project to be the first worldwide popularity poll. Fans who were expecting the announcement of another prequel, or sequel, or new video game, felt betrayed by the revelation.
You can watch My Hero Academia on Netflix and Hulu.
