My Hero Academia: Horikoshi’s Mastery of Titles Sets Him Apart from Other Modern Mangaka

It is common knowledge among Shonen manga enthusiasts that My Hero Academia is considered one of the top series published in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump. The manga has recently achieved the impressive feat of selling over 100 million copies, placing it in the same league as other popular titles such as One Piece, Dragon Ball, Demon Slayer, Naruto, and Bleach.

Despite facing strong competition in terms of sales from the other mentioned manga, My Hero Academia stands out in one aspect: chapter titles. The manga’s creator, Kohei Horikoshi, is unparalleled in his ability to craft captivating and unique chapter titles, setting his series apart from others in this regard.

Please be aware that this article may contain spoilers from the My Hero Academia manga as well as the author’s personal opinions.

How is Kohei Horikoshi skilled at creating chapter titles for the manga My Hero Academia?

Deku punching AFO in Izuku Midoriya Rising (Image via Shueisha)

In the My Hero Academia manga, it is evident that the hero-themed Shonen series has distinct subsets of titles, unlike other series. These subsets include chapter titles such as ‘Origin’ and ‘Rising.’

The significance of these title subsets lies in their ability to convey to fans the impact of the chapter on the manga series. Additionally, these titles provide insight into how the events within the chapter will affect a specific character.

Katsuki Bakugo Rising in My Hero Academia anime (Image via BONES)

The manga chapter titled ‘Katsuki Bakugo Rising’ serves to showcase the series’ deuteragonist. However, this title holds even more significance. The use of ‘Rising’ hints at a major transformation for the character, as they face challenges that will test their beliefs and bravery within the chapter.

Nevertheless, Kohei Horikoshi’s expertise in chapter titles extends beyond the norm. Instead of simply placing the titles at the beginning of his manga chapters, the creator takes it a step further by deliberately placing them at the end for a greater impact.

Shoto Todoroki as seen in My Hero Academia manga (Image via Shueisha)

Although it is common for titles to be placed at the end of movies and anime, this is not typically seen in manga. However, Kohei Horikoshi is not afraid to break convention in order to make a lasting impression on fans.

When comparing manga creator Kohei Horikoshi to his competitors, it becomes evident that he surpasses them in terms of chapter titles. Yuki Tabata, the creator of Black Clover, can be considered average in this aspect. Although his manga chapters are impactful, the titles tend to be forgettable.

Satoru Gojo as seen in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga (Image via Shueisha)

Jujutsu Kaisen can be characterized by the manga creator Gege Akutami’s lack of impact through his chapter titles. This is evident from the unoriginal titles he uses. Although he initially showed creativity in titling his manga chapters, over time, he became lazy with it.

Among his chapter titles are ‘The Shibuya Incident, Part 53,’ ‘Hidden Inventory, Part 11,’ and ‘Inhuman Makyo Shinjuku Showdown, Part 13.’ Even Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece manga, has been known to struggle with chapter titles, particularly one titled ‘Portgas D. Ace Dies.’ This serves as evidence that Kohei Horikoshi, the creator of the manga series, has a talent for crafting the perfect chapter titles.