Despite it being over a week since the conclusion of Kohei Horikoshi’s manga series, fans of My Hero Academia are still grappling with the controversial ending. Despite hopes that the commotion within both the fandom and the larger anime community would have died down by now, it sadly remains unresolved.
The ending of My Hero Academia has drawn parallels to the series’ overall reputation for its mixed-bag status. While some find the conclusion to Horikoshi’s superhero story to have both negative and positive elements, it ultimately disappoints due to its mistreatment of protagonist Izuku “Deku”Midoriya.
My Thoughts on the Ending of My Hero Academia: Exploring Core Themes, Deku’s Growth, and Fulfilling Promises
The My Hero Academia ending undeniably highlights several strengths, with one of the most significant being its consistent theme that anyone can be a hero. This is reinforced as the manga progresses, displaying a shift in Deku’s story from solely focusing on his journey to becoming the greatest hero, to also showcasing the growth and development of his classmates as they strive to become great heroes themselves.
The manga’s final line, “This is the story of how we will continue to lend a helping hand for eternity,”effectively showcases Deku’s character development and his changing interpretation of what it means to be a hero.
This point is further reinforced by highlighting a full circle moment, solidifying the fact that Deku has been a hero since the moment he rushed to rescue Bakugo, ultimately inspiring All Might.
Throughout the course of My Hero Academia, Deku learns that true heroism lies in extending a helping hand to those in need. Initially, he believed that having a Quirk was necessary to be a hero, but by the end of the series, he understands that offering support and assistance is what truly makes one heroic.
Ultimately, it becomes evident that he has come to the understanding that his identity as a hero is not solely defined by his status as a Pro Hero. This realization leads him to alter the way he recounts his life story, demonstrating the valuable lesson he has learned.
The significance of finding heroism in mundane tasks is evident in his career choice as a teacher, further reinforcing this concept. This parallel also serves as a reflection of All Might’s own journey. Despite beginning as Quirkless individuals with a strong desire for heroism, they both struggle with the belief that they can make a difference in society. However, with the acquisition of All For One, they both rise to become the Symbol of Peace in their respective eras, successfully defeating and pushing back against evil.
In the My Hero Academia ending, it is revealed that each of them finds a successor. For Deku, his successors are his classmates who go on to become successful Pro Heroes. However, they do not simply pass on the responsibility to the next generation. Instead, they choose to become teachers, guiding and supporting their successors while also continuing to embody the qualities of a hero described above.
Every individual is rewarded for their actions with a support item, enabling them to rediscover their inner heroism and uphold their status as a Pro Hero. Though there may be some minor variances, the overarching narrative of each character remains consistent.
Despite this realization, it remains evident that both individuals are the ultimate users of One For All. All Might utilized it to almost defeat All For One, while the latter ultimately unleashed the Quirk’s full potential and completed the task.
One of the most significant moments in the My Hero Academia finale is the concluding line mentioned earlier. Along with the optimistic implications mentioned earlier, this is further emphasized by the overall spotlight on Class A.
The majority of them make significant contributions to society, and even those who are not highlighted receive recognition in the final spread. Yuga Aoyama and Hitoshi Shinso exemplify this notion, having faced and conquered their own challenges to stand alongside their peers.
My Hero Academia Ending: A Critique of Deku and Other Characters, and Incomplete Concepts as Drawbacks
Despite some positive aspects, the manga’s conclusion is unfortunately riddled with numerous issues. One prominent problem is the realization that Deku is unable to achieve either of his two main goals. The first being to possess a Quirk, which he ultimately sacrifices in a last-ditch attempt to save Tomura Shigaraki – his second goal.
Despite making a major sacrifice, Horikoshi still has Deku fail, much to the frustration of readers. While this outcome could have been acceptable if it had a strong justification, it ultimately falls short since the desired conclusion could have been achieved through either scenario.
Despite there being a possible justification for both sacrifices, the way the My Hero Academia ending handles the series’ themes with depth and complexity does not support this.
Including Shigaraki in the ending, Horikoshi makes use of a Star Wars Force Ghost-like afterlife appearance, which can be seen as a nod to his admiration for George Lucas’ film franchise. However, this addition of Shigaraki’s post-mortem appearance only adds confusion to the storyline.
The ambiguity surrounding Shigaraki’s appearance in the ending of My Hero Academia serves as a prime example of this concept. Questions arise about whether Shigaraki is a Vestige and how Deku is able to see him if One For All has been eliminated. This raises further doubts about the possibility of the Quirk returning and if Deku is experiencing hallucinations.
Despite the possibility of it being a hallucination, it doesn’t make sense to kill off Shigaraki only to bring him back for a brief appearance where he cannot develop as a character, unlike Toya Todoroki, Lady Nagant, and others who were given the opportunity to do so. If Shigaraki is not a Vestige and Deku is not hallucinating, it would be the most disappointing outcome as it would suggest that Shigaraki is merely a ghost. This further emphasizes the lack of foreshadowing for such a twist throughout the entire series thus far.
Although it may seem like a minor detail, it is important to address the hasty inclusion of references without proper consideration of its potential consequences and impact on past events. This rushed approach only highlights the major flaws in the My Hero Academia ending, posing a potential risk to Deku himself.
The ending of the series presents a particularly confusing and pointless statement from Deku regarding his inability to spend time with his friends due to their busy careers. This line ultimately serves no purpose and only adds confusion for fans, both during the spoiler process and upon the official release. In fact, it takes away from the development of other Class A students, as shown by the sole line spoken by Hawks in chapter 430.
Hawks’ statement essentially confirms that the future he had envisioned, where Pro Heroes have more free time, has indeed become a reality by the end of My Hero Academia. However, if this is true, then why are the Class A students struggling to adjust to Deku’s demanding schedule as a teacher?
Despite the Class A students being sent to handle a simple landslide in the final panel of the series, it can be inferred that they simply do not prioritize making time for the protagonist. This only serves to undermine their characterizations as a whole. Furthermore, the fact that they are Pro Heroes in a world where free time is available only adds to the confusion and lack of necessity for their involvement.
One aspect that could have been improved in the My Hero Academia ending is a deeper exploration of the roles played by deuteragonist Katsuki Bakugo and tritagonist Shoto Todoroki. It would have been beneficial to gain insight into their individual accomplishments and experiences that led to their impressive achievements as Pro Heroes in this new era.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that the final chapter of the series did not give enough attention to the two members of the central trio. Although Shoto did have a dedicated chapter that explored his family’s storyline, his limited presence and lack of mention in the series’ concluding issue is worrisome considering his standing within the group.
Similarly, Bakugo is also affected by this issue, as he only receives a third of the focus in the epilogue, which is shared with All Might and Deku. This further highlights the disappointment in how their journeys are concluded, especially since they are the deuteragonist and tritagonist of the story. However, one positive aspect is that Deku’s ending in My Hero Academia is not exactly the best either.
Despite the series’ lack of follow-through for plotlines and character statuses, the implied relationship between Deku and Ochako Uraraka is left unresolved. While it’s not necessary for the ship to be confirmed, it would have been just as simple for Horikoshi to incorporate this confirmation into the story instead of avoiding it entirely.
Despite the confirmation in the My Hero Academia ending that Deku will never reach the 100% power of One For All like All Might did, there is still the abandoned plotline of this possibility. Horikoshi can be given some leniency for the direction he chose for the series and Deku’s use of the Quirk halfway through. However, the unresolved plotline still remains and should be acknowledged.
Despite creator Horikoshi’s promise to have him appear by the end, fans were ultimately disappointed that they never got the chance to meet or see Deku’s dad, Hisashi Midoriya. While it may seem minor, this abandoned plotline was highly anticipated by fans and its lack of resolution was a letdown for many.
Regrettably, even the positives of the My Hero Academia ending have their drawbacks. The most significant drawback is Deku’s source of inspiration for becoming a teacher, which did not come from All Might or Shota Aizawa, but rather from Mawata Fuwa’s appearance and words in the epilogue.
Despite the emphasis on Aizawa being the source of this revelation, the way in which Deku came to realize it through Fuwa is poorly executed. While it may have been Horikoshi’s intention to avoid having All Might or Aizawa directly explain it to Deku, utilizing Eri would have been an effective alternative.
Despite losing the functionality of his Quirk and being professionally retired, Aizawa was still able to become her caretaker and another one of her heroes.
Despite understanding that anyone can be a hero, Deku’s actions during the eight-year time-skip in the My Hero Academia ending seem to contradict this belief. This is evident in his lack of effort to maintain his Pro Hero status after losing his Quirk.
From what fans could gather, it seemed that he did not engage in any workouts, martial arts training, or activities aimed at enhancing his reflexes and reaction times, all of which are necessary for becoming a Pro Hero.
Despite being fully deprived of his Quirk, Mirio Togata’s fight against Overhaul during their skirmish in the series serves as a significant illustration of this concept. Despite not having any support items, he was able to hold his own against one of the most formidable villains and their Quirks for several minutes, highlighting the emphasis on this theme throughout the series.
Despite being a Quirked villain, Overhaul ultimately had to resort to deceitful tactics in order to overcome Mirio, showcasing the latter’s status as a formidable opponent.
Despite not using his paralysis Quirk to keep up with them, Hero Killer Stain was still able to hold off both Tenya Iida and a 20% Full Cowling Deku simultaneously, showcasing his impressive abilities. If Stain was able to achieve this level of strength, stamina, and reflexes through training, then there is no reason why Deku couldn’t do the same.
Despite having no Quirk, Knuckleduster, a key character in the Vigilantes spinoff, consistently defeats Quirked villains with ease, further proving this point.
Review: Deku’s Suffering in the Latest Chapter of My Hero Academia
Despite some aspects of the ending showcasing Deku’s personal growth, there are also indications that Horikoshi’s handling of the conclusion for My Hero Academia was lacking and resulted in Deku being mistreated. These elements suggest that deep down, Deku still harbors doubts about his potential to truly become a hero.
His reluctance to receive the support item gift from All Might in chapter 430 serves to reinforce this notion, while also contradicting the idea of growth.
Despite being surrounded by people who prove he can be a true hero in ordinary ways, Deku continues to seek inspiration from questionable sources. This indecisiveness weakens the idea that he needed to lose both One For All and Shigaraki for the series’ finale. Ultimately, sacrificing his Quirk and dream taught Deku nothing and resulted in no tangible success or reward.
Despite the inclusion of certain plotlines in the My Hero Academia ending, it is clear that they were not thoroughly thought out or planned. This only adds to the existing issues. The mention of the protagonist not seeing his friends and the appearance of the “Shigaraki Force Ghost,”as it can be described, only highlight this fact. These elements either create more complications or hint at unresolved plotlines that were not adequately addressed.
Although there are bright spots that successfully tie together the series’ overarching message and themes with Deku’s journey, the lack of follow-through on his goals, relationship with Uraraka, and absent father ultimately results in an ending to his story that is not entirely satisfying. It is evident that Horikoshi did not have a clear and specific vision for the conclusion of his manga as a whole, and particularly for Deku’s tale.
Final Thoughts on Deku’s Story: A Review of My Hero Academia’s Ending
Throughout its 10-year serialization, Horikoshi’s manga series faced one of its biggest criticisms – that it was a mix of disorganized ideas. While there were undoubtedly some excellent concepts, there were also some not-so-great ones. The exploration of some positives was satisfactory, while the lack of exploration for others was frustrating.
Similarly, the My Hero Academia ending can be seen as a representation of the entire series. Each plot point in chapter 430 has the potential to be great, with some needing minor adjustments while others require major changes. However, despite this potential, Deku’s story ultimately concludes in a disappointing and frustrating manner, mirroring the sentiments towards Horikoshi’s popular manga and its place in the shonen genre.
- 10 things My Hero Academia ending could have done better
- My Hero Academia final chapter had good reasons for making another couple a canon, but not Deku and Uraraka
- My Hero Academia’s ending turns Deku into the actual Symbol of Peace even without OFA
- One Piece creator’s tribute to My Hero Academia ending brings out a funny detail
- Why Shigaraki’s death does ruin My Hero Academia’s ending, explained
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