With My Hero Academia manga nearing its end and the Japanese release of the movie My Hero Academia: You’re Next on the horizon, mangaka Kohei Horikoshi reflects on some of his inspirations and the popularity of the series leading to almost 40 volumes, a best-selling box set, multiple spin-offs, and more.

Interviewer: The recent character popularity poll results have garnered attention overseas. Were the results as you expected? Were there any surprising characters?

Kohei Horikoshi: I was pleasantly surprised by Shoji’s rise in the rankings. It made me really happy. Other than that, there weren’t many surprises. I see the popularity polls as a celebration for the readers who vote, so as an author, I try not to get too emotionally involved and try to keep a distance if possible. It’s more like, “Oh, this character is indeed popular,” but I was genuinely happy about Shoji. I told my editor, Imamura-san, that Shoji has limited appearances in the story and his unique looks don’t typically qualify as ‘handsome’ … so I’m pleased. I drew him thinking he’s really cool, so I’m glad people appreciate him.

Interviewer: The names of the heroes are very cool and interesting. How did you come up with them? What was your inspiration?

Kohei Horikoshi: I don’t recall putting that much thought into it. I think I chose names based on how they sounded. I wanted the names to be catchy and memorable and to intuitively connect with the character’s appearance. However, we haven’t had many new characters recently—the last one might have been Star and Stripe. Honestly, I don’t remember much about naming them.

Interviewer: Have American comics influenced you?

Kohei Horikoshi: Yes, though it’s really just surface-level inspiration. I consciously tried to give the heroes names that feel like they belong in American comics.

Interviewer: What does being a hero mean to you?

Kohei Horikoshi: That’s a tough question. If I could articulate it clearly, I probably wouldn’t be drawing manga. So, I’d say, “Please read the manga.” Initially, heroes were those on a different level from me—like Oda-sensei (One Piece ) or fictional characters like Goku from Dragon Ball . But as I entered my 30s, I began to appreciate those people nearby who offer support, which ties into the current story of My Hero Academia. My appreciation has been growing toward the people who extend a helping hand or offer encouragement. For example, Imamura-san, my editor, has been a huge supporter. I’ve grown to see these everyday helpers like him as heroes too. So now, I think anyone can be a hero, including those who support me closely.

Interviewer: Are there any characters or stories you wanted to explore more but didn’t get the chance to?

Kohei Horikoshi: It’s not quite about not getting the chance, but I have characters and backstories that I created but didn’t include in the story. For instance, I have detailed stories for the previous inheritors of One For All. I intentionally left these out. I know it’s a little off from what the question was asking.

Interviewer: Do you want to draw those backstories at some point?

Kohei Horikoshi: No, not at all. Rather than drawing out all the well-thought-out backgrounds and episodes, I wanted to hint at those elements instead. For instance, in Terminator 2, John Connor becomes a leader in the future, and Schwarzenegger’s character is sent from that future world. But there aren’t many depictions of the future itself. Because the future isn’t depicted in detail, the viewers’ imaginations expand, and I thought that was really great. So, I wanted to create something like Terminator 2. I might have strayed a bit from the original question though…

Interviewer: So, while there are characters you thought up but didn’t draw, there’s nothing you feel you missed?

Kohei Horikoshi: Exactly.

Interviewer: Congratulations on My Hero Academia reaching 100 million copies in circulation worldwide! The English versions consistently appear on North American bestseller lists. What do you think about this global success?

Kohei Horikoshi: Honestly, it doesn’t feel real to me.

Interviewer: Why is that?

Kohei Horikoshi: I feel it’s largely due to the efforts of those selling and promoting the manga overseas. I don’t feel like I accomplished this alone. It feels like I’ve been lifted up by those who set up the distribution channels and decided to air the anime abroad. I feel like that 100 million copies was a collaborative effort, rather than something I achieved myself.

Interviewer: That’s quite humble of you.

Kohei Horikoshi: It’s not humility; it’s more like, “Is this really okay?”

Interviewer: International readers evaluate manga quite strictly. Many people stop reading it halfway through if they find it boring, so My Hero Academia’s continued sales success means that many people find it entertaining.

Kohei Horikoshi: Well, if you put it that way… No, thank you. Really. It must mean that people are acknowledging it as a quality series.

Interviewer: I feel North American readers, in particular, are hard to please, so it’s impressive that every new volume of My Hero Academia ranks highly upon release.

Kohei Horikoshi: If that’s the case, then I’m glad. It means I’ve managed to create something genuinely interesting. This makes me happy, honestly.

Interviewer: Finally, could you give a message to your overseas readers?

Kohei Horikoshi: We’re in the final stretch of the manga serialization. There aren’t many chapters left, but I want to ensure that the readers feel it’s worth sticking with to the end. Your tough but warm support keeps me going, so please continue reading!

If you’re a fan of My Hero Academia, you can start building your collection with the box set or explore the world of My Hero Academia through spin-offs, novels, and more.

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