My Hero Academia is one of the most popular anime series in terms of animated superhero stories. Creator Kohei Horikoshi’s acclaimed anime series has a different approach to its storytelling and character development. The franchise continues to rise up with the release of its fourth movie, My Hero Academia: You’re Next. The creator’s reflection on this has offered fans a better understanding of the series’ theme.
Horikoshi’s humble nature and commitment to his work shine through his discussion of the series’ international recognition, his inspirations, and the importance of portraying flaws in heroes when the world is full of superpowered heroes and villains.
The True Nature of Heroism According to Kohei Horikoshi
Kohei Horikoshi‘s replies were very modest in an exclusive interview with ComicBook when he was asked how he felt about his series being so beloved worldwide. He sincerely admitted that when he started drawing the manga his primary goal was not appealing to the global audiences. Instead, his focus was only to enjoy his creative process.
When I started drawing this manga, I didn’t necessarily have the readers abroad in mind and my attitude was rather “as long as I’m having fun drawing, that’s all that matters.”
During the interview, he also revealed an unexpected source of aspiration for his conception of heroism. His inspiration didn’t come from his traditional Shonen tropes, rather it was from a scene in Spider-Man 2.
He paints what it means to be a hero:
“What is a hero?” A hero is a person who helps ordinary people, and ordinary people who help them in turn. I think this is the answer to the question, and there is nothing more to it than that.
His understanding of heroism helped him in shaping the vision of a hero-world society. The interpretation of this works in two ways, where both the heroes and the people contribute to heroic acts. Thus highlighting the nature of human connection and mutual support to one another.
Shaping Character Flaws through Kohei Horikoshi’s Personal Experiences
Horikoshi’s acceptance of his personal experiences that influenced MHA‘s growth was the most disclosed part of the exclusive interview. When his second serialization was canceled, he thought he would never be able to enjoy drawing manga again. He poured all his efforts into encouraging people through his series, who are heartbroken through their past actions.
The story ended up in that direction based on my experiences, but I’m sure everyone’s been through a situation they regret. It could be that my theme was relatable for many readers, but I was really developing the story based on my feelings without forcing anything, so I wasn’t deliberately choosing to depict the characters’ flaws either.
His desire to create the My Hero Academia world doesn’t come from his deliberate choices to depict character flaws, it emerges from his natural urges to motivate others. The approach to casting these complex plot lines and flawed characters has resulted in worldwide acclaim for the series.
As My Hero Academia fans eagerly wait for its fourth movie’s theatrical release, Horikoshi offered a significant angle for the series’ enduring appeal. His personal experiences and genuine love for his work have built a world where anyone can find inspiration.
My Hero Academia is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
