My Hero Academia Shocks Fans with Shinso’s Emotional New Look Inspired by Aizawa!

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One of the standout aspects that makes “My Hero Academia” renowned is its heartfelt student-mentor relationships, with Deku and All Might serving as the prime example. However, it’s worth noting that this popular anime also features another poignant mentor relationship – between Aizawa and Hitoshi Shinso. Their bond is beautifully portrayed throughout the series, particularly in the series finale where Shinso’s adult transformation holds a subtle yet profound emotional touch. Interestingly, the creator of “My Hero Academia” has recently acknowledged this significant connection.

In the latest publication called “My Hero Academia: Ultra Age“, author Kohei Horikoshi revealed that Shinso’s longer hair in Chapter 431 is a tribute to Aizawa. He clarified that Shinso admires Aizawa, which is why he grew his hair out. Interestingly, Horikoshi mentioned that he initially planned for long-haired Shinso to appear earlier in “My Hero Academia“, specifically during the U.A. Traitor Arc. The scene Horikoshis referred to is at the end of Chapter 340, where Shinso’s hair appears longer than usual, although due to Shinso being depicted upside down, it was not immediately apparent. In the fanbook, Horikoshi explained, “To be honest, in Volume 34, I wanted to show his long hair already, but the pose I drew had him upside down, so it wasn’t clear at the time.

In the previous chapter, Shinso sported long locks of hair. Was this a styling choice made to emulate Aizawa’s influence on him? Indeed, in Volume 34, I initially intended to depict his long hair, but the position I drew placed him upside-down, making it less apparent.

— ☆オードリーAudrey☆ (@aitaikimochi) May 1, 2025

Aizawa and Shinso Are Still My Hero Academia’s Second-Best Student-Mentor Duo

In the initial appearance of Shinso in “My Hero Academia”, he drew significant attention, primarily because of his intriguing ability, Brainwashing. Despite not receiving any awards during the Sports Festival, Shinso managed to make a lasting impression on both fans and characters within the series, demonstrating his untapped potential. Aizawa, in particular, took on a mentor role for Shinso, guiding him on how to optimally utilize his quirk in combat situations, and helping him leverage it to benefit his teammates. Interestingly, the fact that Shinso’s quirk was not well-suited for battle became a shared concern between Aizawa and Shinso, as they both grappled with similar apprehensions about becoming professional heroes, echoing young Aizawa’s own worries.

It’s clear that Aizawa has significantly impacted Shinso since their encounter, and this impact is evident in several ways. For instance, Shinso’s combat skills mirror those of Aizawa, and they both use a long scarf as a weapon for capture. In Chapter 431 of My Hero Academia, we can see that Shinso has adopted many traits from Aizawa, such as the long hair style and the bags under his eyes, which make him look very much like Aizawa’s successor. It’s heartwarming to see how deeply Shinso respects Aizawa, even going so far as to emulate his appearance. While All Might is an excellent role model in My Hero Academia, Shoto Aizawa makes for a compelling alternative choice too. @aitaikimochi on X has made this observation quite eloquently.

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2025-05-12 00:42