Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia is considered to be one of the most commercially successful manga and anime series that has taken the world by storm. With an enchanting world full of quirks, villains, and shades of gray in between, the series has taken its fans on a rollercoaster of emotions.
Hence, it is considered among the top contenders to be on the list for being one of the best Shonen series out there. However, what makes Horikoshi’s magnum opus so unique from the two heavyweight names like One Piece and Dragon Ball is that it features several moments where the audience is bound to root for the character in the spotlight.
These subtle yet inspiring moments often featured in the series are what made it so unique and the mangaka explains why he featured a world where everyone can be a superhero.
Kohei Horikoshi on Making A World Full of Quirks
Kohei Horikoshi has often been interested in the world of superheroes and has frequently taken inspiration from different sources to create his magnum opus, My Hero Academia. The series thrives on featuring countless captivating moments that compel the viewers to root for the heroes.
My Hero Academia tends to thrive on how actively it works to showcase an inspiring journey featuring its protagonist, Izuku Midoriya, who continues to pursue the Symbol of Peace despite his lack of quirks. Though some criticize that creating a world full of superpowers or quirks makes the plot less interesting, Horikoshi-San had a good reason behind it.
In an interview of the mangaka shared by Pew (@pewpiece) on X, he explained that he had a different understanding of heroes, where they would be on a different level than us. He gave the example of Eiichiro Oda and Akira Toriyama’s protagonists featured in One Piece and Dragon Ball, respectively.
However, Horikoshi-San’s notion changed when he hit his 30s, as he began to express gratitude to people for being a support system for each other. He said,
Initially, heroes were those on a different level from me—like Oda-sensei (One Piece ) or fictional characters like Goku from Dragon Ball. But as I entered my 30s, I began to appreciate those people nearby who offer support, which ties into the current story of My Hero Academia. My appreciation has been growing toward the people who extend a helping hand or offer encouragement.
He gave the example of his editor, who has been a massive help over the years. He added,
For example, Imamura-san, my editor, has been a huge supporter. I’ve grown to see these everyday helpers like him as heroes too. So now, I think anyone can be a hero, including those who support me closely.
The mangaka’s words are heart-touching and inspiring, teaching people to be kind and supportive of the growth of their close ones.
Hence, the narrative not only becomes about a boy relentlessly pursuing his dream but also encourages its viewers to be better human beings.
Fans React To Kohei Horikoshi’s Comments on Social Media
While Eiichiro Oda and Akira Toriyama’s works are inspiring, they limit them as Monkey D. Luffy has eaten a Devil Fruit, which is quite rare in the One Piece world. Something similar happens in the Dragon Ball world as well, where Son-Goku and his friends are from a different planet.
However, what made the fans respect the mangaka is that he gave his take on what a hero means to him while respecting the two mangakas, who have inspired the next generation of manga artists. As a result, the comments received a positive response from the users on the post.
It's a nice detail that this is a line in the manga. Mangakas put their own lives into their works pic.twitter.com/82DfXYwl0h
— sivan (@aratata46) July 23, 2024
Even Horikoshi knows that Oda is on a whole other stratosphere when it comes to writing a manga.🐐 status
— StealthBlack210 (@DotesPro) July 23, 2024
What a beautiful take on what a hero is, and he showed that flawlessly across MHA
— Neto (@NetoJoga3) July 23, 2024
Awesome line. MHA isn't my thing, but this quote deserves respect.
— Pandaman (@OP__Pandaman) July 23, 2024
so real for this
— ashura ✌️ (@ashura_danshaku) July 23, 2024
No matter how small or big anybody could be a hero if they put the effort for it.
— Jerick Nemono (@JNemono) July 23, 2024
Nevertheless, all three animes have inspired their multigenerational viewers, as Oda-Sensei has emphasized the notion of freedom and the pursuit of your dream.
Whereas, Toriyama-Sensei’s stellar work has not only inspired an entire generation of mangakas but also showcased the relentless pursuit of becoming a better version of yourself.
My Hero Academia, Dragon Ball, and One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
