After enthralling readers for over a decade, Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia has finally concluded with all Class 1A students finally graduating. MHA features the story of a young boy who symbolizes every characteristic of true heroism despite being born Quirkless. From being born as a Quirkless in a Quirk-dominated society, Deku’s journey generated sympathy among a lot of viewers.
Horikoshi wanted to portray Deku as a selfless individual and leave a memorable impression on the audience, unlike most shonen anime. The mangaka intended to highlight a bitter truth with My Hero Academia‘s epilogue that many fans are finding hard to swallow. Horikoshi subtly hinted at Deku’s ultimate fate with his iconic dialogue in the first episode of MHA; however, most viewers completely missed its true meaning.
Kohei Horikoshi Subtly Foreshadowed My Hero Academia‘s Epilogue in the Very First Episode
Despite being a global sensation for over 10 long years, My Hero Academia‘s epilogue is receiving tons of criticism from the fandom. Throughout the series, Deku had to overcome several challenges, which led viewers to connect with his character on a profound level. However, MHA‘s epilogue is drawing a polarized response, with some fans who feel betrayed by Horikoshi’s narrative expressing their frustration online by accusing the mangaka of committing to a rushed ending.
Fans who stuck to the end of Deku’s journey naturally wanted to see their beloved character become most recognized in the MHA‘s universe. Moreover, some viewers felt deceived by Kohei Horikoshi‘s narrative to end Deku’s journey as a UA Teacher. Owing to Deku’s immense contribution in taking down the strongest villain, Shigaraki, fans expected Midoriya to reach the top spot in the Heroes Ranking.
Surprisingly, Horikoshi had different plans for our beloved protagonist. The mangaka subtly foreshadowed MHA‘s epilogue in the very first episode of Deku’s iconic dialogue, which most fans overlooked. In an interview, he shares:
This is the story of how I became the best hero.’ I really feel that letting him talk was a decisive move. If “strongest” is determined by a numerical value, “best” is determined by something that cannot be quantified. “I thought it would be a series that explores what “the best” is.
In the early stages, I tentatively envisioned the best hero as one who can save people with a smile, but I think that will probably change. This is not a hero manga, but a story about people aiming to become heroes.
From Deku’s iconic dialogue, many fans concluded the strongest or the No. 1 Hero. However, Horikoshi never intended to portray Izuku Midoriya similar to most shonen anime protagonists, where ambitions play much more importance than the character’s development. The mangaka wanted to showcase the harsh truth about reality, which is that not all dreams come true, and MHA‘s epilogue serves as a perfect example highlighting Horikoshi’s beliefs.
My Hero Academia‘s Special Announcement Falls Flat
Besides all the rushed ending accusations, the MHA franchise initially let down the fandom with the announcement of its special project. The special project was first announced when MHA‘s manga was near its conclusion, which resulted in high expectations for My Hero Academia fans.
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 some may argue Kohei Horikoshi had some hidden intention behind MHA‘s epilogue, the special project revelation only fueled fans’ disappointment globally.
You can watch My Hero Academia on Netflix and Hulu.
