A couple of months ago a long-lasting manga series reached its climax and conclusion, and having finally gotten a moment to finish it myself, I decided to share some thoughts. My Hero Academia, although having had an overwhelming beginning that caught a big part of the anime community in its fervour, even being indicated as one of the successors of the Big Three, ended with not the same uproar I would have imagined. I would say there was silence, especially not the one created after finishing a masterpiece; it seemed more like there was just a Saitama style “Ok”, and that was it. No over-the-top standing ovation or hour-long applause; it just felt flat, which is a pity for a series that had (and to an extent still has) such a roaring voice and appeal in the manga and anime community. By no means do I want to say that the ending was bad, but in my personal opinion, it failed to deliver the same grandiose excitement it did in the beginning.
Before discussing the ending itself, let me at least reason on why the series was so popular and what it did really well. The manga came out back in 2014 – in that ‘historical moment’, Naruto was reaching its conclusion and soon after Bleach would have followed – it was a perfect moment for something new. A similar discourse could be made about two other works that marked the evolution of the anime industry (for various other reasons) and the direction shōnen would take: Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer (respectively began to be published in 2012 and 2016).
Now let me be very clear when I say that shōnen have certain specific unwritten rules and MHA was no exception in following them; there may be variations on the formulas, but the general narratological scheme is still a very solid one. This arrangement implies the usage of various archetypes – some people may be critical because of their repetitive nature while others might not even notice them – but at the end of the day, they are functional. And My Hero Academia showed the world just how much these archetypes can be used and how much they are able to shine if used properly; it managed to prove that in capable hands even stale and overly-used tropes can be perfectly effective. A story about good vs. evil, the underdog narrative of the overwhelmingly good-natured protagonist, training montages and tournament arcs, return of the evildoers, defying the odds, self-sacrifice of the hero: these are all tropes that were used masterfully as building blocks. It may be argued that plot armour is still an issue, but that is just typical in shōnen and very few works manage to divert from it.
Second point that is worth mentioning is the type of anime adaptation MHA had. Studio Bones is one of the big names in the industry and it shows; quality is assured when they are at work and also they excel at visually choreographing fights, making them a perfect fit for the genre (consider their previous work on Soul Eater and Mob Psycho 100). In certain moments the yutapon cubes can be noticed, but that is fairly common in the industry. Studio Bones emphasized the flashy moments in the series while also managing to slow the pace and concentrate on the sad and solemn ones.
Other honourable mentions that merit praise are the characters and the morals. The protagonists are usually smacked in the middle of the action, but there are also moments when they are given room to grow and develop their character. Some humoristic moments give the continuous action a moment of respite as to relieve part of the tension, but this however doesn’t always work (some jokes are not well timed or even undermine the seriousness of particular scene). As much as the morals go, the series underlines exactly what you would expect: defending the weak, never losing hope, nobility of self-sacrifice and the importance of working together and collaboration to name a few. They are all themes that function perfectly well in the greater context of good vs. evil and, to an extent, MHA even tried to explore more mature declinations of its world building, consider for instance its interest in otherness. It is not extensively developed, but the series does mention how the characters who because of their powers also gained a different appearance (body mutations, animal hybridity and so on) were also marginalized by society. Although this theme is treated almost superficially, at least it is still considered.
Finally let me say that there is a certain creativity in MHA in regards to problem solving; the way it creates superheroes with very peculiar or bizarre powers and how in turn they are used to resolve the situation at hand is one of its major selling points. What becomes a problem in this context is the extent of these abilities and the so called power ceiling. The question of who is the strongest becomes quintessential in the shōnen genre, especially if the author has that clear from the beginning. There is a clear distinction between Goku who has to face of an endlessly higher power ceiling with each narrative arc and Luffy where the higher-ups in the hierarchy of power are represented or mentioned from the start (Four Emperors, Marine top brass, Five Elders). In My Hero Academia, the power ceiling is only partially explored: there is a ranking of the best heroes and a villain league, but the main antagonist, having the ability to absorb all the powers he wants makes it possible for him to virtually have no limit. Limitations, in this genre, not only give an indication of the heights the main character can reach, but they make readers understand how much of a difference there is between the various characters.
After all this being said, and mentioning mostly the positives, one question remains: why did the ending fall flat? Well, I attribute it to various reasons, one being the power ceiling previously mentioned. It just feels like a Dragon Ball epilogue where the two sides give everything they have until eventually one is defeated; and there is no doubt that the good guys will win. There is not much room given to what comes afterwards, to the pain, suffering and sorrow that the fight entailed, not much room for growth or reflection either. Todoroki’s side story was more poignant and meaningful for instance. Possibly part of this silent ending could also be attributed to the fandom itself: not giving the shipping and raving fans the capacity to voice their opinion based on the character’s romantic involvement is something that I can fully understand. A fandom, although having good intentions because there are vehement about their passion, can rapidly turn toxic given the opportunity.
All things considered, was it a bad ending? Well, no, I wouldn’t say so. I would however state that it wasn’t meaningful either. The initial impact the series received was well deserved; after the final battle however, everything just moves on with a single chapter and no emphasis is put on what happens to the protagonists which accompanied us for more than 400 chapters. It is a bit of a pity in my opinion for a series that had so much potention. What I would not like to see however is a sequel driven by its popularity rather than the true intent of the author, but that is not my story to write and we will just have to see.
PS: Oh yeah, what is it with MHA’s mangaka and hands being broken, shattered or simply cut of? It seems like it’s one of the only visual ways he knows of depicting damage (without making it too deadly). Probably learned that from George Lucas’s ‘hands-on’ school of thought – just saying.