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My Hero Academia's manga has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since 2014. Mangaka Kohei Horikoshi has repeatedly stated how he wants to end the series on his own terms, and 2023 looks like his year if interviews are accurate. While many think this is a great idea, especially considering the health issues many manga creators have faced that led to their deaths owing to overwork, others are not so convinced.
To put this into perspective, many a fan of My Hero Academia understands that the series needs to end eventually. However, some have speculated that another year wouldn't hurt in order to give the series a decade-long manga run. This article will explain why ending the My Hero Academia manga in 2023 would be a mistake.
Disclaimer: This article contains My Hero Academia spoilers. The opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and include some fan discussions as well.
Examining why My Hero Academia shouldn't end in 2023
Part 1: It'll be one year shy of a decade
Series creator Kohel Horikoshi has stated in interviews with Anime News Network about his intention to not make My Hero Academia go on forever like Naruto or One Piece. Horikoshi also cited health issues like stamina being a problem, which is entirely understandable, given the state of Japan's already overworked workforce. It was also considered a triumph for the manga to last five years without its popularity waning.
That being said, it does seem a shame that such a popular manga would end just a year and several months before its 10th anniversary. Many manga that last more than 10 years, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure being one of them, are usually celebrated for hitting this milestone. Fans like to see their favorites grow with them, just like how Goku grew into a man and father, much to the joy of Dragon Ball fans and how Naruto fans finally saw Naruto become Hokage.
That said, there is a point to be made about a manga going on for well over a decade being too much for its readers, like One Piece setting world records for its length and exhausting fans in the process. There are likewise plenty of people turned off by the length of certain manga like Case Closed and, indeed, even Jojo.
Fans aren't asking for the manga to be quite as lengthy as One Piece, Dragon Ball, Bleach, or Naruto, well aware that it's far too much and can lead to creator burnout, frustrations, and even death (as in the case with Berserk's creator). That said, going one more year with the Final War arc of My Hero Academia or even an epilogue, would most certainly give time to tie up many loose ends.
Part 2: A satisfying conclusion
The final war arc of My Hero Academia began with chapter 343 on February 14, 2022, with Yuga Aoyama and Izuku Midoriya deceiving All for One into revealing himself and starting the fight against him. From there, things escalated rather quickly.
Dabi and Shoto began a hellish blazing duel, with Toga brandishing Twice's Quirk to unleash another Sad Man Parade against Hawks while Ochaco pursued her. Meanwhile, All for One was fought by Endeavor and other pro heroes, while Bakugo and the others dueled the puppetted Tomura Shigaraki. All the while, Spinner could be seen leading a massive army of heteromorphs to free Kurogiri while being intercepted.
Needless to say, this is plenty enough for a year or more's worth of stories being told simultaneously. The manga has bounced between each tale in a few chapters, some dedicated to Dabi and Shoto, others to Toga vs. Tsu and Ochao, and it's almost beautiful how chaotic it's been so far. Practically every known hero and villain throughout the series has come forth to take part in this world-shaking battle.
The biggest twists have been around Lady Nangant, Gentle Criminal, and La Brava's return to the fight, helping the Heroes and Tomura manage to take his consciousness back from All for One. There's a lot that's happened besides what has been summarized here. To truly end on a high note for many of these duels, not to mention with a semblance of an epilogue, the manga needs to continue for at least another year.
Many of the Sagas for My Hero Academia tend to err on the short side--the U.A. Beginnings Saga took two years (July 2014 - July 2016), the Rise of the Villains Saga took well over four years (July 2016 - March 2021), and the Final Act Saga started in March 2021 and is ongoing as of 2023. With any luck, this already large final act will last at least another year to properly conclude things.
Part 3: Momentum and expectations
There's been the question of maintaining My Hero Academia's momentum and whether or not fan expectations will be met. Some fans have accused the series of dragging things out too much, with the manga going on break every other week. Others have zeroed in on focusing too much on Dabi and All for One at the expense of the other villains.
So, as one can tell, the fandom is exhausting to handle when it comes to complaints about pacing and expectations regarding My Hero Academia overall. The expectation of a worthwhile conclusion, as stated above, is also prevalent. After all, most fans would rather avoid a repeat of such infamously botched endings as Soul Eater or Attack on Titan.
Everyone has their opinion about the pacing of the story, and expectations that are doubtlessly never going to be met if My Hero Academia's manga ends this year. From focusing on the other villains, whether or not One for All gets passed on and to who, and other personal details like relationship issues between Deku and Ochaco, there is still quite a lot for the story to address.
Other theories and prepositions have included the expectation that one of the main characters like Izuku will die, and not in the way Bakugo seemed to die only to be brought back to life. Some want either a major hero to die, like Eraserhead or All Might himself, while others would prefer at least one major villain death if not defeat. Whether they'll get their wish remains to be seen.
To conclude this examination of why My Hero Academia shouldn't end in 2023, a few words should be said regarding creator health. As crunch period stories have surfaced from the anime and manga workforce, many fans accept that Horikoshi should end on his terms and not sacrifice his health just to appease fans.
This is objectively true for all manga creators. If My Hero Academia has to end in 2023 explicitly due to the creator's health concerns, then it should. The only thing fans are asking is for the manga to not end abruptly and, instead, make the ending count.
