Summary
Even among many popular shonen series, the stories at times feel almost too impossible and otherworldly for me to fathom. This is not the case forMy Hero Academia,though, and author Kohei Horikoshi explained in an interview how he ensures thathis story contains realistic elementsin spite of the superhero-focused plotlines.
Many anime series are fairly upbeat and fantastical, portraying stories so far out of the norm that no average person can begin to imagine themselves in the characters' daily circumstances. This is definitely something I noticed while watching action and fantasy anime series, including many shonens. While still undeniably enjoyable, these series can be quite difficult to relate to.
However, Kohei Horikoshimentioned in an interviewshared and translated by Reddit user Nakurawari on the BokuNoHeroAcademia subreddit, that his story in particular isnot always a cheery or “glorious” one, since he refuses to shy away from the more difficult and gritty aspects of life in the way he writes it.
“It’s actually not a really glorious story at all, as All Might grows weaker every day and Izuku gets injured every now and then. Even the victories in the story for the protagonists aren’t won straightforward and simple.” - Kohei Horikoshi
Horikoshi’s words certainly ring true for me as an anime fan. The heroes in theMy Hero Academiafranchise are not perfect or infallible like some superheroes and other anime characters are, and this helps me connect with them more.
My Hero AcademiaFeels Realistic Because Characters’ Hardships Are Highlighted
Horikoshi Focuses on Including an Honest Portrayal of Imperfections in His Superhero Story
My Hero Academia’scharacters are often greatly injured andaffected physically and mentally by the battles they face, which is something Horikoshi actually highlights rather than hides. This makes the successes and triumphs the heroes achieve even more meaningful, since viewers are able to see how hard they were fought for and the struggles these heroes faced along the way. I also feel it makes them more relatable and human, since they are imperfect and susceptible to harm like anyone else, but still choose to courageously fight to protect others even knowing the risk of danger to themselves.
Horikoshi calls out All Might and Deku as two characters who display the most weakness throughout the series, but simultaneously reveal great moments of strength in the midst of this.All Might’s gradual decline into frailtyis a major plot point ofMy Hero Academia,and the main reasonhe chose Deku as a successor. He was intentional in quickly selecting a suitable replacement for the world’s greatest protector from villains, entitled the “Symbol of Peace”. All Might realized that he was reaching the end of his career and could not properly utilize his Quirk, One for All, any more like he used to. These understandable and human motivations, as well as his imperfections, help me see him as a relatable person and not just an otherworldly hero.
Both Deku and All Might Struggled To Use One for All Effectively Initially
Showcasing Their Challenges With the Quirk Makes the Series Refreshingly Relatable
One of the most impactful aspects ofMy Hero Academia,in my opinion, is how it showcases All Might and Deku’s challenges with their Quirk, One for All. All Might’s feebleness after using One for All is pictured in the series and put on display, never hidden from the audience. He is still a great hero with the same mindset, bravery, and honorable beliefs, but none of this negates the fact that his body is unfortunately declining. This is a disheartening aspect of real life too, that age often causes physical ability to decrease. Many anime heroes are almost unbelievably powerful even into old age, butMy Hero Academiatakes a different route,revealing All Might’s struggleswith exiting the prime stage of his hero career.
Despite his inability to use One for All for more than a short time without becoming overtired and weak, All Might was overall quite strong and hard-working until the time he transferred his Quirk to Deku. Deku faced his share of hardships too, becoming horrifically injured after he first used the Quirk and suffering nasty injuries. Whereas many anime heroes are gifted with innate powers that they use perfectly from birth,Izuku had to diligently train and work tirelessly to use his Quirk correctly, and even then, was still harmed over and over by the very skill meant to protect him.
How My Hero Academia Made Me Love Superhero Stories Again
The world of superheroes had become boring and one-dimensional, that is until I began reading My Hero Academia – a superhero classic for modern times.
Each Character Fights To Be a Great Hero, Succeeding Due to Their Diligent Efforts
Rather Than Being Born Flawless, the Heroes in the Series Prove the Merit of Hard Work
Featuring these shortcomings in the story may seem to be a negative, provingMy Hero Academia’ssuperheroes are infallible and imperfect beings with human troubles like everyone else. However, I believe this actuallymakes them even more inspiring.Beingable to witness the direct benefits of their perseverance and efforts to become incredible heroes made the series even more motivational to me. Deku’s origin story particularly impacted me because it is so remarkable and relatable.He was born Quirkless, yet fought for his dream to become a hero like All Might anyway, and continuously bounces back from even the hardest challenges and toughest villains.
All Might, the character regarded as the strongest hero in the series, was also born Quirkless and experiences moments of exhaustion and powerlessness when he reaches his physical limits, proving thatanyone can be an impactful hero in spite of their imperfections. Horikoshi explains how wins in the story are not “straightforward and simple,” and this is undoubtedly true. Each and every character must fight tooth and nail to be the hero they aspire to be, facing formidable threats including evil and relentless villains, interpersonal problems with various relationships in their lives, and even internal self-doubt and lack of confidence.
The One for All Quirk Is Helpful, but Ultimately, Dedication Is Most Important
All Might and Deku’s Experiences Highlight Traits I Value, Like Hard Work and Perseverance
All Might and Deku both became such admirable heroes not because of any ability gifted to them simply through birth, but because oftheir own determination and drive to never give up. Undeniably,inheriting the Quirk, One for All, was a crucial element in the equation of their success, but without hard work and a focused mindset, this gift would have amounted to nothing.
This motivational aspect of theMy Hero Academiastory makes it more relatable than other superhero stories, since nearly anyone could envision themselves in Deku or All Might’s place, excelling through hard work and personal dedication to a meaningful goal. I find this facet of the story truly meaningful and what sets it apart from many other similar shonen series. For myself, and many other fans, it is incredibly useful to apply Deku and All Might’s strong beliefs of perseverance and hard work to the real world, since these values are important factors in succeeding at any goal in life, not just otherworldly encounters with supervillains.
My Hero Academia
Cast
Anime series My Hero Academia follows Izuku Midoriya, a boy born without superpowers in a world where most have them. Despite his lack of abilities, he enrolls in a prestigious hero academy, striving to learn the true essence of heroism and fulfill his dream of becoming a hero.
