My Hero Academia's core message cements it as the best superhero anime

Modified Dec 25, 2024 17:40 GMT

My Hero Academia thrives because of its core theme (Image via Bones).

My Hero Academia, as the name of the series suggests, focuses a lot on celebrating the nature of heroism and what it takes to become one. However, one thing that cements it as the best superhero anime is the fact that author Kohei Horikoshi explains how anyone, in their own unique way, can turn into a hero, as evidenced throughout the series.

Izuku "Deku" Midoriya might be the most obvious since he is the protagonist and starts the My Hero Academia series without powers and gains them through hard work and impressing his idol, All Might. Beyond the case of Izuku, there are several plots and story arcs that prove that heroism can come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, making it a pretty unique tale in its own right.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

Explaining why My Hero Academia's core theme and message work so well as a superhero anime

The main cast at the end of the manga (Image via Shueisha).

A lot of superhero stories present the theme of anyone becoming a hero, but not many follow it through, and My Hero Academia is the exception to that rule. The most obvious example is how the protagonist, Izuku "Deku" Midoriya, had to prove himself to All Might, train his body to receive One For All, and go through even more physical pain to control this power, thus making saving people his main driving force.

However, there are other cases, such as Shoto Todoroki, who comes from an abusive family background and was forced to become a hero, learning to find meaning in this role throughout the story in his own way. There are cases of people who want to be heroes through empathy and support, such as Ochaco Uraraka, and those who want to honor the family legacy, such as Tenya Iida.

There are even individuals such as Endeavor and Katsuki Bakugo, who start the series as very flawed people and manage to find a path through redemption, becoming the heroes and human beings they are supposed to be. It also presents the notion of heroism being something for the greater good and how this can affect people, with Hawks and Lady Nagant serving as both sides of the coin.

More reasons why this works so well

All Might and Deku as seen in the anime (Image via Bones).

All Might also serves as a major symbol of the aspirational hero archetype in the series and is often celebrated because of it since he never wavers regardless of what happens to him. In a day and age where heroism is deconstructed, the legendary Number One Pro Hero remains who he is despite losing his powers, which is perhaps one of author Kohei Horikoshi's best characterizations.

The world of My Hero Academia is far from perfect and presents many complex issues that are difficult to fix at an individual level but highlight how people can make a difference through small acts. This was exemplified by the downfall of Tenko Shimura, since no one wanted to help and was ultimately groomed by All For One to turn him into Tomura Shigaraki, which is a big theme in the final war arc.

Final thoughts

My Hero Academia has become the most iconic superhero anime in the medium and has some valid reasons for its success. One of the most notorious is the constant celebration of good-hearted heroism and the great things that can come out of it.

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Edited by Somava