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When we think of heroes or superheroes in anime,My Hero Academiais the first thing that comes to mind. Kohei Horikoshi has crafted many great heroes who make the best use of their abilities, living up to their idea of heroism. The storytelling and art ofMy Hero Academiaare highly impactful and the popularity of the series is a great testament to its influence.
During an interview, when Horikoshi was once asked about his idea of heroes, he couldn’t come up with a succinct answer that captured his thoughts. Instead, he mentioned those who defined heroism for him. For fans of the series, it’s not news that Eiichiro Oda was a role model for the mangaka. As someone who is the master of creating great heroes, the answer he gave was extremely heartwarming.
Kohei Horikoshi’s admiration for Eiichiro Oda is extremely heartwarming
My Hero Academiais a tale of all kinds of heroes. Instead of giving us a standard definition of heroism,Kohei Horikoshiexplored what it means for different characters. The kind and impulsive ones, like Deku and Uravity, always focused on saving as many lives as they could.
Kohei Horikoshi: The One Piece Arc That Was “So freaking cool, it made me want to draw a protagonist just like Luffy”
There were heroes like Endeavor and All Might, who could make people feel at ease simply with their presence. Meanwhile, heroes like Dynamight and Red Riot let their strength and powers do the work. Even with so many different definitions, Horikoshi still found it difficult to pinpoint exactly what a hero means to him,during an interview.
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 .
During the successful run ofMy Hero Academia, Horikoshi didn’t miss a single chance to voice his admiration forEiichiro Oda. This was yet another instance where he expressed his admiration for the beloved mangaka. From sending submissions that became a part ofOne Piecevolumes to getting a shoutout from Oda himself, there have been many sweet interactions between the two mangaka.
Kohei Horikoshi’s heroes and how he has become one himself
Horikoshi defined his heroes as someone who were leagues ahead of him or as he said ‘on a different level’ than him. Goku is the number one hero for many fans, as he was the one who defined the shonen protagonist archetype. His kindness and perseverance touched many hearts. As interesting and lovable as he is, he’s quite unreachable as his focus is razor-sharp and he’s truly dedicated to becoming his best version.
While Horikoshi might not see himself sharing the same level as Goku, he has been accepted by Oda as a contemporary. Oda has always taken out time to congratulate and celebrate Horikoshi’s milestones. Similar to how Oda inspires fans and the new generation of mangaka, Horikoshi has influenced countless people with his art and storytelling. The day when a budding mangaka calls Horikoshi their inspiration isn’t far, and it’s great to see how far the mangaka have come.
One PieceandMy Hero Academiaare available to read on the MangaPlus app and website.
Laveena Joshi
Anime Writer
Articles Published :926
Laveena is an anime content writer at FandomWire. Having written more than 800 articles, she’s an expert in mainstream shonen series, ranging from the bizarre world of JoJo’s to the expansive worldbuilding of One Piece.With her formal education in Journalism and Mass Communication, she explores entertainment journalism through the lens of anime and manga, from mainstream and classic titles to niche and obscure ones.
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Eiichiro OdaKohei HorikoshiMy Hero AcademiaOne Piece
