is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kōhei Horikoshi. It has been serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump since July 2014, with its chapters additionally collected into 38 tankōbon volumes Set in a world where superpowers (called "Quirks") have become commonplace, the story follows Izuku Midoriya, a boy who was born without a Quirk but still dreams of becoming a superhero himself. He is scouted by the world's greatest hero, All Might, who bestows his Quirk to Midoriya after recognizing his potential, and helps to enroll him in a prestigious high school for superheroes in training.
The manga spawned a media franchise, having inspired numerous spin-off manga, such as My Hero Academia: Smash!!, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, and My Hero Academia: Team-Up Missions. The series has expanded into light novels, stage plays, and various types of merchandise and media, including numerous video games. It has also been adapted into an anime television series by Bones. The first season aired in Japan from April to June 2016, followed by a second season from April to September 2017, then a third season from April to September 2018, a fourth season from October 2019 to April 2020, a fifth season from March to September 2021, a sixth season from October 2022 to March 2023, and an upcoming seventh season. It has also received three animated films, titled My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, and My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission, and nine original video animations (OVAs). There are plans for a fourth animated film, and a live-action film by Legendary Entertainment.
My Hero Academia has become a commercial success, appearing on The New York Times bestseller list several times. By February 2023, the manga had over 85 million copies in circulation including sales of spin-offs, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time. Critical reception has also been positive with reviewers praising the manga for its art, characters, storytelling, action sequences, and the use of pop culture references to Western superhero comics; the anime series has received additional praise for its animation, music, pacing, action sequences, and voice performances in both Japanese and English. The manga and anime have both won several awards, including the Sugoi Japan Award and Harvey Award for Best Manga, and received two nominations for Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
Synopsis
Setting
My Hero Academia is set in a world where about 80% of the human population has gained superpowers called . Quirks vary widely and can be inherited. Among the Quirk-enhanced individuals, a few of them earn the title of Heroes, who cooperate with authorities in rescue operations and apprehending criminals who abuse their Quirks, commonly known as Villains. In addition, Heroes who excel on their duties gain celebrity status and are recognized as . Heroes are ranked in popularity, with higher ranking heroes receiving public appeal, although it is not uncommon for rookie heroes to gain popularity as well.
Initially the people who volunteered to do their heroic duties without permission were recognized as . Students who have acted as vigilantes are not allowed to work as heroes due to Quirk restriction laws managed by the . While the act of vigilantism is inherently illegal, the vigilantes themselves represent a gray area. The Hero Public Safety Commission originally enlisted vigilantes to do their dirty work until they became too organized for the vigilantes to properly deal with, so they abandoned the idea and instead focused on recruiting Pro Heroes. Some vigilantes wear costumes, but since they do not have access to support companies like heroes do, they are made out of regular clothes and everyday items.
There are two types of internships that offer the opportunity to become a Pro Hero. The first type is the Hero Agency Internships in which the Pro Heroes can send a request to students whom wish to work under them, such as in the aftermath of the Sports Festival. It involves a student shadowing a Pro Hero, listening to their advice, and watching them in action for a week. Since the students are unlicensed, they cannot legally work as heroes. The second type is the Hero Work-Study, where, after a student acquires a Hero License after passing the Provisional Hero License Exam, they are treated as real sidekicks, which allows them to participate in relief efforts during emergency situations. This also allows them to gain experience and can help them get noticed by other Pro Heroes who might hire them as full-time sidekicks once they graduate.