My Hero Academia Fans Moved by Deadpool Manga’s Dabi’s Dance Reference

On Wednesday, August 6, 2024, fans of My Hero Academia were left in shock as the Deadpool manga, also known as Deadpool: Samurai, made a comeback with a reference to Dabi’s Dance. This return occurred during the debut of the Secret Steward manga, created by author Sanshiro Kasama and illustrator Hikaru Useugi, on Thursday, August 7, 2024 at 12AM in Japan.

Despite beginning as a romantic comedy centered on a trainee butler and his mistress, the manga quickly reveals its true nature as a Deadpool manga. This is highlighted with a Fourth Wall break, a characteristic of the character, and a clear reference to Dabi’s Dance from My Hero Academia.

Secret Steward Manga: The Exciting New Deadpool-Inspired Series That My Hero Academia Fans Can’t Get Enough Of

As previously stated, the manga Secret Steward by Kasama and Useugi was initially promoted as a fresh series from the duo, who had previously collaborated on the original Deadpool manga. While the first chapter’s opening section adhered to the advertised plotline described earlier, the character of Yu Omori, the butler, is abruptly struck by a truck driven by none other than the Merc with a Mouth.

Once the truck is parked, Deadpool steps out and breaks the Fourth Wall, addressing the audience directly. He announces his return to the Viz app and asks if they missed him. The story then progresses with the intense battle between Yu and Deadpool, during which Yu is exposed as a shapeshifting insect with a taste for human flesh. The last panel confirms that Deadpool: Samurai is now in its second season.

The Deadpool manga was initially a one-shot, created through a partnership between Shueisha and Marvel Comics. It was later expanded into a brief series that aired from December 2020 to June 2021. In 2022, Viz Media, in collaboration with Marvel Comics, published both volumes in English as part of their ongoing project to produce manga and comics featuring characters from the franchise.

Understandably, the focus of My Hero Academia fans is on the Dabi’s Dance reference. This moment in the series is infamous, as it shows Dabi dancing with joy as he unveils his true identity as Toya Todoroki to the world. The reason for Dabi’s delight is the torment it causes his father, Endeavor, who holds the title of Number 1 Pro Hero in Japan at the time of the reveal.

Despite this, the main focus for many My Hero Academia fans remains on the numerous implications that arise from this reference, specifically in relation to the original manga series.

“The fact that mha is canon in that universe too makes it even funnier bc the dude is actively referencing someone who committed arson LFMOAOA,” posted one netizen.

“and the fact that Deadpool and all might canonically teamed up in the deadpool manga…love him,” pointed out another.

“Toya, the icon that you are,” reveled a third.

It is evident that the readers of Kohei Horikoshi’s recently ended manga series are greatly delighted by the ongoing references to the series in Deadpool’s own manga. Based on the first chapter of this continuation, it is safe to assume that there will be many more in the near future.