Kohei Horikoshi has truly elevated the superhero manga genre with his iconic series, My Hero Academia. Since its debut, MHA has not only captured the hearts of manga readers but has also made waves in the anime community, presenting the timeless battle of ‘Good vs Evil’ for over a decade. With the 2022 launch of the Final War arc, fans have eagerly anticipated how this beloved saga would conclude. Earlier this year, Horikoshi hinted at wrapping up the series sooner than expected. Let’s dive deeper to clarify the current status of the My Hero Academia manga.
Spoilers Warning:
This article contains spoilers about MHA’s ending. Proceed with caution.
Has My Hero Academia Ended?
The journey of the My Hero Academia manga kicked off on July 7, 2014, in Weekly Shonen Jump. Over the years, it evolved into one of the best-selling mangas globally, amassing more than 100 million copies in circulation.
So, is the My Hero Academia manga complete? After a thrilling run that spanned over a decade, it officially concluded with an epilogue chapter—chapter 431—on December 4, 2024.
The epic showdown between our cherished heroes and All For One’s villain army came to a gripping end with Tomura Shigaraki’s defeat. Chapter 424 marked the conclusion of this intense arc, leading into the epilogue.
In this epilogue, Horikoshi took a thoughtful approach, featuring an eight-year time skip that teased the futures of our favorite heroes. Fans initially speculated that the manga concluded with 430 chapters. However, the added epilogue provided clarity on key relationships, including Deku and Ochaco Uraraka’s status. After a grand total of 431 chapters across 23 arcs, Horikoshi’s magnum opus reached its finale in 2024.
Is My Hero Academia Anime Over?
While the source material, the My Hero Academia manga, has concluded, the anime adaption still has some life left.
The ongoing MHA Season 8 is adapting the climactic phases of the Final War Arc, featuring high-stakes battles such as Armored All Might versus All For One and Deku against Shigaraki. With just 33 chapters left to adapt, fans are eagerly watching as events unfold.
Season 8 has been confirmed as the final season and consists of approximately ten episodes. If the adaptation pace holds steady at around 3–4 chapters per episode, we might see the anime conclude by December 13 this year.
Upon completion, the My Hero Academia anime will have offered an impressive total of 8 seasons and 170 episodes over its decade-long journey. Although this marks the end of the main series, a new spin-off will keep the spirit of MHA alive.
MHA: Vigilantes Keeps the Spirit of My Hero Academia Alive
In an exciting development, a spin-off series titled MHA: Vigilantes launched this year. If you’re curious about its connection to the main storyline, know that Kohei Horikoshi regards the Vigilantes as an authentic part of the MHA universe, despite not being its direct creator.
This spin-off finished its first season with around 13 episodes, earning accolades for its fresh take on vigilante stories and outstanding animation by Studio Bones. Fan-favorites from the main series, like All Might and Eraser Head, also make appearances.
With the core series wrapping up, MHA: Vigilantes offers a perfect avenue to continue the adventures within the MHA universe. The first season only adapted 30 chapters, while the spin-off manga boasts a total of 132 chapters, promising several more seasons ahead. This allows the MHA legacy to endure through its captivating spin-off.
Kohei Horikoshi Is Working on a New Manga
Now that MHA has concluded, Kohei Horikoshi is preparing to embark on a new manga project. This year, he shared his thoughts on the next chapter of his career:
I was “lucky” with my Hero Academia’s success, so I’m already feeling a lot of pressure to start the next one, but I plan to draw a manga with a new title as soon as possible. Next time, I wanted to divide the work and only do the illustrations, but my editor told me, “You’d better do everything,” so I’m currently working slowly on the storyboard.
It’s unclear if Horikoshi will pivot to a sequel or conceptualize a new universe altogether, reminiscent of Gege Akutami’s work on Jujutsu Kaisen. For now, the tale of My Hero Academia has reached its finale, but speculation is alive regarding his next endeavor. What do you think—should Horikoshi create a sequel to My Hero Academia? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
For more insights and updates on related topics, don’t hesitate to explore the wealth of resources available at Moyens I/O.