My Hero Academia Volume 41 cover teases the final showdown in the most cryptic way

Modified Jul 22, 2024 11:48 GMT

My Hero Academia volume 41 cover teases the final showdown in the most cryptic way — Shigaraki and Deku as seen in My Hero Academia manga (Image via Shueisha)

On Monday, July 22, 2024, My Hero Academia manga unveiled the cover for Volume 41, set to be released on Friday, August 2, 2024, in Japan. The volume cover art features Izuku Midoriya and Shigaraki Tomura. However, something seems to be off about the artwork as it may have hinted at the final showdown in a cryptic way.

As announced by Shueisha, My Hero Academia manga by Kohei Horikoshi is set to end soon. With Chapter 428 released, the series only has two more chapters left to release. However, before the manga's end, the series is set to release its 41st volume and fourth movie on the same day.

Disclaimer: This article may contain spoilers from the My Hero Academia manga.

My Hero Academia Volume 41 cover hints at the final showdown

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On Monday, July 22, 2024, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of Boku no Hero Academia unveiled the cover for My Hero Academia Volume 41. The cover art features Izuku Midoriya and Shigaraki Tomura.

While fans may think that this cover art is perfect for the series's final showdown, it may have a cryptic message behind it. The cover art shows Deku and Shigaraki holding hands and trying to push one another. But this development isn't really possible as Shigaraki's Decay Quirk would have erased Deku from existence.

Izuku Midoriya as seen in the anime (Image via BONES)

Thus, the cover art may be cryptically trying to hint at the true final showdown of the series, which was between Izuku Midoriya and All For One. At the end of the series, Shigaraki had lost his Decay Quirk and All For One had taken over his body. Thus, Deku being able to touch Shigaraki's hand could be a hint at that.

The manga volume is set to release on Friday, August 2, 2024, in Japan.

How fans reacted to the announcement

Shigaraki Tomura as seen in the anim (Image via BONES)

Most fans were looking forward to the manga volume's release as it is set to be the second to last compiled volume in the series. Thus, they were hoping to purchase it as soon as it will be released on August 2, 2024.

"I'm really looking forward to it. I will buy it as soon as it is released on August 2nd," one fan said.

"Quite misleading cover as AFO is the final boss, not Tenko," another fan said.

"Cool cover but Deku… touching that man’s crusty hands… probably isn’t the wisest decision," another added.

Meanwhile, other fans were much more concerned about the cover artwork. Given Shigaraki's Decay Quirk, they knew that Deku holding his hand made no sense. Thus, they quickly deduced that the manga cover was probably not hinting at Deku vs. Shigaraki but Deku vs. All For One.