With the release of the final chapter, My Hero Academia has earned its spot as one of the best new-gen anime in the community. Kōhei Horikoshi captivated his audience with his splendid narrative and the complexities of good and evil. Additionally, the mangaka is receiving tons of tribute from the fandom and popular creators for all his dedication and hard work over the years.
My Hero Academia features the story of a young high school student, Izuku Midoriya, who dreams of following in the footsteps of his idol, All Might, and becoming the greatest hero. However, being born Quirkless and always undervalued, Deku had to overcome several challenges in his journey which made several fans sympathize with his character.
Despite enthralling fans for over a decade, My Hero Academia is facing tons of backlash and accusations for a rushed ending. However, Kōhei Horikoshi might be intending to highlight a bitter truth with My Hero Academia‘s epilogue that many fans are finding hard to swallow.
Kōhei Horikoshi Uses My Hero Academia‘s Epilogue to Highlight Life’s Bitter Realities
Many fans felt betrayed after reading My Hero Academia‘s final chapter 430. Throughout the years, Deku’s journey captivated several viewers to the series. Furthermore, his ambition to become the No. 1 Hero and overcome various obstacles kept the series engaging for 10 long years. Despite Horikoshi’s years of hard work, the mangaka has faced a storm of criticism for My Hero Academia‘s epilogue.
Over 10 years, My Hero Academia‘s fandom set its own high expectations from the series. Naturally Horikoshi not meeting those expectations, let down the fandom by surprise and disappointment. However, before we start criticizing a creator for his work, it’s important to dive deeper into the complexities before labeling the end as flawed.
Kōhei Horikoshi never intended to showcase Deku as a character who prioritizes hierarchy or social status. He wanted to highlight Midoriya as a selfless individual who only cared about others’ safety over his own. This was first foreshadowed at the beginning of the series when Deku was the only one among the crowd who took action to save Bakugo despite being Quirkless.
Deku’s selfless attitude also made All Might change his mind and take him as a disciple. Unlike most shonen animes where the protagonist’s journey becomes too self-centered around their ambitions, Horikoshi aimed to leave a memorable impact on his audience with My Hero Academia‘s ending.
Therefore, portraying Deku as a teacher after losing all the essence of One for All seemed logical. Many fans were distressed to see Midoriya as a UA teacher and nurturing future generations, while the entire Class 1 A students were recognized as heroes by society.
With My Hero Academia‘s epilogue, Horikoshi highlighted the harsh truth about reality which is not all dreams come true. The mangaka never aimed to portray Deku’s development by climbing Hero’s Ranking. He wanted Midoriya to leave a strong impact on readers through his selfless attitude, which initially made him stand out from the rest.
Last but not least, Horikoshi didn’t just end Midoriya’s journey by showcasing him as a UA teacher. The mangaka leaves fans with a mystery as Deku is shown reunited with all Class 1 A students after receiving a new suit of armor by All Might. This highlights Midoriya’s dreams of helping others and being a true hero persist, even after losing One for All.
My Hero Academia‘s Special Announcement Falls Flat
Besides all the rushed ending accusations, My Hero Academia‘s epilogue did turn out to be a disappointment for one specific reason. After captivating viewers for over 10 long years, the franchise planned a special surprise for the fandom with the release of the manga’s final chapter. From the announcement of a new prequel to a video game release, fans were excited about the secret project revelation.
Sadly, the secret project was revealed to be the franchise’s first-ever worldwide character popularity poll. This revelation only turned the fandom against the franchise as they expressed their anger online. Although My Hero Academia is facing a hard time battling several criticisms, Horikoshi’s work managed to enthrall fans for over a decade, which isn’t an effortless task for any creator.
You can watch My Hero Academia on Netflix and Hulu.
