My Hero Academia is ending after more than a decade – here’s how it became an anime phenomenon

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With My Hero Academia finished, it feels like more than just the end of a series – it marks the end of a significant chapter in superhero storytelling. For over ten years, creator Kōhei Horikoshi’s manga and its anime adaptation delivered a uniquely hopeful and heartfelt take on the genre, and it’s hard to imagine another franchise having quite the same impact.

My Hero Academia isn‘t just another superhero story set in a school. It’s filled with a huge cast of heroes and villains who are both inspiring and uniquely interesting.

What truly made these heroes special wasn’t just their unique abilities, no matter how strange. It was their unwavering commitment to overcome flaws and stand up for their beliefs. Izuku Midoriya, in particular, embodied a fresh take on heroism, a stark contrast to the often brooding or sarcastic heroes commonly seen in Marvel and DC comics.

Watching the end of My Hero Academia has been emotional for everyone involved, not just the fans. I’ve noticed the English voice actors are also grappling with saying goodbye. After working on the show for 170 episodes and four movies – essentially a decade of their lives – they’re having to come to terms with finishing a project that’s really shaped their careers and become a big part of their lives.

Voice actor Ernesto Jason Liebrecht, who plays Dabi, says he’s starting to feel the sadness of finishing the series before the final episode airs. He explained that it’s been a unique experience living with the character for ten years and appreciated the creators giving him so much depth and growth to portray.

It’s rare for a show to last eight seasons, making our current position – finishing strong with excellent reviews – truly remarkable.

It wasn’t always clear the show would be a success. Luci Christian, who voices Uravity, remembers a lot of initial excitement, but the first season didn’t make much of a splash. They all figured that was just how things went, and weren’t too worried. Then, around the time the second season was released, or was about to be, the show suddenly became incredibly popular.

Christian believes My Hero Academia arrived at just the right moment. “It coincided with the growing popularity of streaming anime, making the medium much more accessible,” he explains. “And I think the show really benefited from that increased mainstream interest.”

My Hero Academia has always been captivating thanks to its stunning animation, unique superpowers, and grand storyline. Patrick Seitz, who voices Endeavor, describes these elements as the enjoyable ‘extras’ that build on the series’ strong core and widespread popularity.

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Christopher Sabat, who plays All Might, believes My Hero Academia is different from most anime in the Shōnen genre. He’s watched the show with his children and thinks what makes it stand out is how it gives everyone a chance to be involved. Unlike many Shōnen series where one character does everything while others simply watch and comment, My Hero Academia makes sure everyone has an important part to play.

Like the many characters with important jobs in My Hero Academia, the show itself attracts a lot of different opinions – especially about how it should end. After the manga finished last year, fans shared criticisms about Midoriya’s fate and the story feeling rushed, which led the author, Horikoshi, to add an extra chapter to address those concerns. Now, those changes are also being reflected in the anime adaptation.

Christian found the ending intriguing, even though it wasn’t perfectly neat. He appreciates that the story isn’t simple, with clear-cut victories for the heroes. He’s satisfied with the bittersweet conclusion and remains hopeful that the author might revisit these characters in the future and expand on their stories.

Christian isn’t alone in thinking this. “It seems like every franchise eventually makes a comeback if you wait long enough,” says Clifford Chapin, who plays Katsuki Bakugo. “I’m still hoping we’ll see something like ‘My Hero Higher Education’ to continue the story after this series ends.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about where this whole story could go, and honestly, it feels like a natural point for a couple of our biggest heroes to finally get a well-deserved break. It just seems like the right time for them to step back and let a new generation take the lead, you know?

Sabat appreciates how long All Might was able to continue being a hero. They were constantly worried each season that All Might’s role would be to simply help Izuku become more powerful, so they’re happy he lasted as long as he did. Sabat thinks All Might deserves a break and some relaxation, maybe even connecting with Midoriya online to play games and unwind.

Justin Briner, who plays Izuku Midoriya (Deku), would love to see a show focused on Deku’s everyday life. He hopes Deku is happy and enjoying the fruits of his labor, having already accomplished so much and become the hero he always dreamed of being. Briner believes Deku deserves to live confidently, knowing he’s made a real difference in the world.

The Todoroki family still has a lot of healing to do, and the characters hope to see them support each other through it, considering everything they’ve experienced.

Liebrecht says that idea really resonated with them. They’d always imagined Engie and Toya finding peace and healing, perhaps living a quiet life together in a cozy house with a garden, where they could care for each other and simply enjoy a normal, beautiful existence – a fresh start and a chance at redemption.

Currently, there aren’t any plans for further stories focusing on Shoto or his classmates from Class 1-A in animated form. However, with a live-action movie in development and a new anime spinoff called My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, future possibilities remain open.

Christopher Wehkamp (known for Eraserhead) explains that after being involved with a series for a long time, you realize it doesn’t necessarily end completely. He feels optimistic about the future of My Hero Academia, noting its popularity and importance to fans, and believes there’s always a possibility of more content. He points to the Vigilantes spin-off as a current continuation and expresses hope for further expansions of the universe down the line.

Even if the story is truly over and we’re saying farewell to Class 1-A, at least My Hero Academia got to finish the way its creators intended.

Chapin admits it’s hard to imagine the show truly being over, but he’s grateful they’re getting a proper conclusion. He points out that many shows never get to end satisfyingly, so the fact that they will is a real gift.

I truly believe My Hero Academia will always have a place in the hearts of fans, and continue to inspire new ones – it’s almost like the quirk One For All, constantly being passed on and growing stronger! It’s just a series that feels like it’ll always be around, and that’s really exciting to me.

Honestly, I have a feeling My Hero Academia is going to be one of those series people talk about for decades! I really believe it’s going to hold up incredibly well over time, and I can see new fans discovering it and loving it just as much as we do now. In fact, I think it already is the benchmark for all other superhero anime – the standard everyone else will be measured against going forward. It’s just that good!

My Hero Academia is available to watch on Crunchyroll.

Authors

David OpieFreelance Writer

David Opie is a freelance journalist who covers TV and film for various online publications like TopMob, Indiewire, and Empire. He’s a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ representation, often speaking on related panels and focusing his work on queer stories. Beyond that, he loves comics, animation, and horror—and dreams of seeing a Buffy the Vampire Slayerthemed challenge on RuPaul’s Drag Race*. Before becoming a freelancer, he worked as a Deputy TV Editor at Digital Spy and holds a degree in Psychology.

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2025-12-13 12:36