All Might's survival is Horikoshi's best choice in the My Hero Academia ending for going against this dreaded shonen trope

My Hero Academia author Kohei Horikoshi is quite savvy when it comes to the classic tropes of battle shonen and American superhero comics, evidenced by the way he treated All Might's character throughout the manga. While many people expected the legendary hero to die at some point in the story, his author chose to keep him alive throughout the series, and this is one of Horikoshi's best decisions.

All Might's death would have been one of the most iconic moments in My Hero Academia, but Horikoshi chose to subvert that and allow the character to live on, which fits with what has been his life until that point. The Number One Pro Hero constantly put others above himself and was always willing to give his life away if it meant saving everyone, thus making his resolution feel like a massive reward.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the manga/anime and reflects the opinions of the writer.

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Explaining why All Might's survival in My Hero Academia is one of Horikoshi's best decisions

All Might's survival was a subversion of classic shonen tropes (Image via Bones).

Throughout his life, Toshinori Yagi, most commonly known as All Might, had to deal with a lot of losses, such as his parents when he was a kid and the death of his mentor, Nana Shimura, at the hands of All For One. Furthermore, his former sidekick, Sir Nighteye, another good friend of his, died in service against Overhaul in the series, constantly reinforcing this idea that the Number One Pro Hero had to give his life in the line of duty.

This is a classic trope in battle shonen where the protagonist's mentor, usually among the strongest characters, has to die for the latter to grow on his own. And while Izuku "Deku" Midoriya does grow in the story and becomes a lot more capable, All Might lives on and gets to enjoy his life with the people he has built connections with.

In that regard, author Kohei Horikoshi knew the tropes of the medium and managed to subvert a lot of expectations in a good way since All Might earned to live his life in peace. It also shows that a mentor-type character can still learn new lessons, which is not often shown a lot in fiction.

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The legacy of All Might's character

All Might and Deku as seen in the anime (Image via Bones).

All Might is one of the most iconic and celebrated My Hero Academia characters, as his role in the story is fundamental. Beyond his relationship as Deku's mentor and All For One's nemesis, his character influences a wide variety of subplots in the series, to the point that Endeavor's entire struggle in the story is connected to his desire to surpass him as the Number One Pro Hero.

Moreover, many have pointed out how he should have died in Kamino when fighting All For One, but it highlights the strengths of Horikoshi's writing that he kept him alive and allowed him to keep on growing, which is a key aspect of his character. He becomes a lot more than just a mentor and the embodiment of the strongest hero, but also his own character with goals, desires, and growth.

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Final thoughts

All Might's survival is one of Horikoshi's best creative decisions in My Hero Academia and one that pushes the envelope with the mentor trope in battle shonen. It also allows the legendary hero to enjoy the growth and good he has given the world of this series.

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