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Kohei Horikoshi’sMy Hero Academiamight be one of the very few stories that perfectly justify the superhero fiction genre. The uniqueness of the narrative established within the realm of school students dealing with dangerous villains while learning how to be a superhero sets it apart from every other superhero story that fans have seen.
However, that’s not the only thing that makesMy Hero Academiaunique. Another aspect of the story that helps theMy Hero Academiaplot is that it does not have the traditional superpowers that almost every story has. Horikoshi made sure that most of the powers within the series were unique and non-stereotypical, which is why they were named quirks.
The manga creator was once asked about how he came up with the idea of creating abilities that are different from the traditional superpowers. He pointed out that he got inspiration from his surroundings and decided to embed them within his story, which in turn created one of the best manga series of all time.
My Hero Academia’squirks are different from superpowers
In the world ofMy Hero Academia, quirks are abilities that are superhuman in nature and are unique to each user. They are the next stage of human evolution and are generally manifested during childhood. Almost every character within the story can get access to a unique quirk, but there are a few characters who do not develop their quirks at all.
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Thesequirks are not only uniquein terms of the individual but also as abilities. While there are some general powers that are quite common in the superhero genre, there are other quirks that have never been seen before. From One For All to Best Jeanist’s cloth manipulation, these quirks are very different from the stereotypical superpowers seen in classic American stories.
It has the essence of a manga storyline and probably contributed majorly to the success ofMy Hero Academiaas a narrative. This was one of the main reasons whyKohei Horikoshiwas able to keep a superhero story about children relevant for so long within the industry.
Kohei Horikoshi reveals his inspiration behind quirks
During the San Diego Comic-Con in 2018, Horikoshi was interviewed byAnime News Networkabout the success ofMy Hero Academiaand the uniqueness of the story from the outfits to the quirks. The mangaka was then asked about what prompted him to come up with superpowers that were unlike anything in American comics.
Horikoshi stated:
It’s momentum. I have these light bulb moments – I don’t spend hours and hours thinking about it. I just get inspired. So for example I’ll be at the convenience store, and I’ll see a roll of clear tape and I’ll think “hmm, maybe there’s a face in here somewhere”. And it’ll just happen that way.
TheMy Hero Academiamanga creator pointed out that he does not really think about making them different. He usually has these light bulb moments in his daily life where he sees something and imagines it as a character for the series.
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He also pointed out that while there werecharacters that he had already planned, most of them came to him while he was creating the story. Evidently, it all piled up into an enticing narrative that becameMy Hero Academia.
My Hero Academiais available to watch on Crunchyroll.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2959
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
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Kohei HorikoshiMy Hero Academia
