As the long-running and beloved manga My Hero Academia continues the wind down to its conclusion, fandom has had a fair amount of discussion and debate about how it should end, and more importantly whether its ending will be hopeful or dark. While the story’s complex layers make it challenging for fans to find a clear resolution to the debate, creator Kohei Horikoshi may have already given us the answer many years ago.
In 2018, Horikoshi sat down with the Japanese manga news site Comic Natalie to discuss the publication of My Hero Academia Volume 19, the movie My Hero Academia – Two Heroes, and other details about his hit manga series. In the interview, which was translated and reposted by anime lover Audrey Lansam to the website AitaiKimochi, Horikoshi also discusses his creative process, and how that affects the story.
At one point, while discussing his work in the Shie Hassaikai Arc (Internship Arc), which was then the series’ darkest storyline, Hirokoshi confesses to having an interest in “dark plots”. Indeed, Horikoshi reveals that he “really likes” dark stories and “sad endings”. However, he also admits that he finds these difficult to write himself.
Horikoshi’s Love Of Dark Subjects Is Everywhere In My Hero Academia
Horikoshi “doesn’t mind horror and gore” stories too, which was corroborated years later in a 2022 comment he published in Weekly Shonen Jump #19 saying he had “a desire to draw a horror manga”. What this all means for My Hero Academia‘s conclusion is that the ending will be dark if Horikoshi lets his passion for dark subjects and stories get the best of him. Fans should anticipate an ending of equal despair to that of Tokyo Ghoul or Neon Genesis Evangelion. Horiskoshi provided a glimpse of the depths of darkness he can go to with the finale in an image he posted to the 2023 Weekly Shonen Jump #36/37 and reposted to the X, formerly Twitter, account of @DabisPoleDance.
If that isn’t enough proof, there’s Horikoshi’s history of scaffolding dark sub-plots into the larger narrative. Indeed, while the series is known for its superhero themes and dazzling battle action, it contains more grim storylines than most other mainstream manga. For example, Himiko Toga’s story of destructive mental illness is met with bullying and complete societal indifference. There’s also the domestic violence of the Todoroki family and its painful impact on the children, or the child abuse that Eri suffered. These are just a few bleak subjects Horikoshi sprinkles throughout the story.
My Hero Academia‘s Ending Could Be Dismal And Cold
Naturally, Horikoshi could decide to go a different, more positive, and uplifting route. In fact, hope and willpower are perhaps the main themes in My Hero Academia, so there is a chance the finale will focus on that. There is also the matter of fans’ reactions to consider. In the same 2018 interview, Horikoshi confessed to being influenced by what fans think of the series and its characters. However, based on his interest in dark endings, his desire to write horror, and his history of including dark subjects and storylines into the plot, there is enough evidence to tease a very dark ending for My Hero Academia – and no one should be surprised when that happens.
My Hero Academia is available from Viz Media and MANGA Plus.
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My Hero Academia
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the “One-For-All” quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
