My Hero Academia’s Ending Proves It Has the Best Ending in a Shonen Series

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After nearly ten years and eight seasons, My Hero Academia concluded on December 13, 2025, bringing a significant era in anime to a close. Like many action-adventure stories, it followed a determined main character, a developing world, and a path leading to a final resolution. However, My Hero Academia‘s ending is considered particularly strong, especially when compared to the finales of other popular series like Bleach, Naruto, and Jujutsu Kaisen. The main reason for its success is the solid foundation of storytelling throughout the series.

The story of My Hero Academia centers around a decades-long battle between two powerful forces: All For One and One For All. From the very beginning, heroes work tirelessly to keep One For All out of the villain’s grasp, creating a rich and complex storyline. This is established early on when All Might chooses Izuku Midoriya as the next inheritor of his power, launching them on a quest to protect this legacy and defeat All For One. This strong foundation is a key reason why the ending of My Hero Academia feels so rewarding, especially when compared to other series that haven’t maintained a consistent narrative throughout.

My Hero Academia’s Foundations Are Stronger Than Those of Other Shonen Titles

I’ve always admired how My Hero Academia stayed true to its core ideas, even when it threw in some amazing twists, especially with the villain’s backstory. It really feels like the author knew how it would all end from the start, and built everything around that vision. It’s a big reason why I, and a lot of fans, felt Naruto‘s ending fell a bit flat. That last-minute villain felt so out of left field, and honestly, it was a real letdown that we never actually saw Naruto become Hokage in the original manga or anime. Consistency is key, and My Hero Academia really nailed it!

Unlike some other popular manga, Demon Slayer delivered a consistently well-structured ending. While Bleach‘s final arc felt rushed and added late in the story, and Jujutsu Kaisen‘s ending disappointed many fans due to its unrealized potential, My Hero Academia deserves more praise for its conclusion simply because of its longer and more complex storyline.

While One Piece has the potential to deliver an even more satisfying conclusion due to its incredible length and the author’s long-term planning, My Hero Academia currently has the best ending of any shonen series. The finale is so impactful because Izuku Midoriya truly represents the heart of what makes shonen stories great, and the ending perfectly captures that spirit better than anything we’ve seen before.

My Hero Academia’s Ending Perfectly Encapsulates What a Shonen Hero Should Embody

A core message of many action-adventure stories (often called ‘shonen’) is the importance of perseverance and inspiring those around you. The character of Deku in My Hero Academia truly represents this, and the series’ conclusion highlights it beautifully. What sets Deku apart from many other heroes is that he doesn’t pretend to be able to handle everything on his own, even when he becomes incredibly powerful. He’s honest about his weaknesses, and it’s because of these vulnerabilities that he motivates others to join his fight. This is especially clear in the final battle, where seeing Deku struggle encourages everyone else to step up and help him defeat the enemy.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the ending of My Hero Academia, and honestly, it really hit me how amazing Deku’s approach to heroism is. He doesn’t want to be the hero everyone relies on – he wants to inspire everyone to be a hero. And that, to me, makes him even greater than All Might, and honestly, a lot of other shonen heroes. A single, powerful figure is always vulnerable, and their fall would be devastating. But Deku? Even after losing his powers, he’s changed society. He’s empowered ordinary people to step up and help each other. My Hero Academia isn’t perfect, sure, but the ending really solidifies it as something special within the shonen genre. It feels like Kohei Horikoshi truly gets what makes shonen storytelling so powerful, and he delivered on that better than most series I’ve seen.

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2025-12-15 17:13