“It all feels very natural”: For My Hero Academia, Kohei Horikoshi Used a Basic One Piece Principle Eiichiro Oda Perfected for All His Characters – It Makes Total Sense

Kohei Horikoshi gets candid about how he followed Eiichiro Oda's footsteps as he followed a key trait that allowed him to perfect the MHA characters!

my hero academia, eiichiro oda

SUMMARY

  • Kohei Horikoshi's My Hero Academia is one of the best modern Shonen series!
  • Eiichiro Oda inspired Kohei Horikoshi to follow a trait that made My Hero Academia so popular.
  • Kohei Horikoshi gets candid about why he loves the Arlong Arc so much.
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Kohei Horikoshi has done a fantastic job with his My Hero Academia, which has been hailed as one of the most renowned modern Shonen series. Despite the series featuring a disappointing ending, fans were emotionally invested in the storyline. The characters featured in the manga and anime series were loved by the community.

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Kohei Horikoshi was inspired heavily from Eiichiro Oda
Deku and All Might. Credits: Studio Bones

One of the best features of the title is how character-centric the series has been. The title features a long list of characters who are immensely important to shaping the story and developing the arc.

Though some stand out more than others during the decade-long run of the manga, all of them are loved by the anime community. Horikoshi-San created them following one principle that Eiichiro Oda has mastered while working on his magnum opus for nearly three decades.

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Kohei Horikoshi Followed One Major Principle From His Idol

Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia has taken the world by storm, and it has become one of the most loved series in recent times. With a rich storyline and richer character building, the mangaka has made his viewers relate to the characters, even if they are not the main cast of the Shonen series.

My Hero Academia focused mainly on three characters
A still from My Hero Academia. Credits: Studio Bones

Greatness is assured when you idolize Eiichiro Oda, the greatest manga artist of all time; his magnum opus has become more popular than ever. Horikoshi-San has acknowledged that the legendary mangaka has inspired his work and helped him move forward with his manga.

During an exclusive interview via edomonogatari, Horikoshi-San finally got the golden opportunity to meet his idol, where he shared how an interesting trait of One Piece tremendously influenced his work.

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Luffy vs Lucci in One Piece
Luffy vs Lucci in One Piece. Credits: Toei Animation

He said,

How do I put this…? I was influenced by how the characters just say what’s on their mind. It all feels very natural.

Surprisingly, Oda-Sensei shared how “things were different” back then because speaking your mind was seen as “disgraceful.” However, Kohei Horikoshi ensured that things have changed because every manga artist from his generation “writes characters this way.”

Hearing this, Oda-Sensei felt relieved as he opened up about his obsession with a “counterculture,” explaining how he would challenge the little day-to-day aspects of life.

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Kohei Horikoshi Shares His Favorite One Piece Arc

In the same exclusive interview via edomonogatari, Horikoshi-San got candid about his favorite arc of Oda-Sensei’s magnum opus, stating that he loved the “Arlong arc” because of the “freaking cool” dialogues.

Kohei Horikoshi immensely loved the Arlong Arc
A still from the Arlong Arc in One Piece. Credits: Toei Animation

He further added that it even inspired him to draw a protagonist like Monkey D. Luffy, the Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. The manga artist said,

I love the Arlong arc. “Help…” “Okay!” The dialogue in that scene (TN: when Luffy puts his hat on Nami in Chapter 81) was so freaking cool, it made me want to draw a protagonist just like Luffy. By the way, this week’s One Piece chapter was insane! [flips through the latest issue of Jump]

Much later, in the interview, the author stated that despite wanting to create a protagonist like Monkey D. Luffy, he could not “pull it off.” Therefore, he did some introspection and came up with Izuku Midoriya, who resonated with his social anxiety and over-analyzing skills with a dash of optimism.

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Nevertheless, both characters are unique in their own way, as the fans’ love for them transcends borders around the world.

My Hero Academia and One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

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Written by Tushar Auddy

Articles Published: 1117

Tushar Auddy, Content Writer. He has been in the entertainment industry for 3 years and is always on the lookout for a captivating story. He is a student of Linguistics and is currently pursuing his Master's degree in the same field. He has a passion for literature that runs deep and loves nothing more than getting lost in a novel for hours on end. When he isn't reading, you'll find him capturing the beauty of language.