Horikoshi's latest artwork breathes new life into the My Hero Academia fandom

The My Hero Academia was pretty ecstatic on Friday, August 22, 2025, when a new original fan art was dropped by the mangaka Kohei Horikoshi himself. The artwork was released on Friday at an exhibition, featuring the student of U.A. High School's Department of Support in Class 1-H, Mei Hatsume.

Along with the new artwork, Horikoshi also left a funny comment regarding Mei's habit of not taking a bath, leaving the fandom even more amused and lightening the mood. The image was initially posted on the XCancel website by Horikoshi and later reposted on several other platforms.

Horikoshi's new Mei artwork has the My Hero Academia fans rejoicing

With only 43 left for the My Hero Academia anime's final season to premiere, as indicated by Horikoshi, his recent artwork on Mei Hatsume has left the fandom both happy and laughing. While, as always, Horikoshi did an immaculate job with his art, his comedic caption with the picture on XCancel website is what overtook the fans' hearts.

"Thank you to everyone who came to the exhibition and to those who plan to come in the future! The PV of the anime is cool! Look forward to the anime starting in October! I'm off to take a bath!", as translated from Horikoshi's original post in Japanese

The "take a bath" part of the caption is a straight-up witty reference to Mei's character. Mei is always so engaged in her work that she is rarely seen, if ever, bathing in the My Hero Academia series. Even more so, Horikoshi went further to add "once every 3 days. It's summer" directly in the picture, further emphasising the comedic aspect of her character.

As the artwork was reposted on the r/BokuNoHeroAcademia subreddit, several fans responded with positivity while also commending Horikoshi for still keeping himself actively engaged with the series, even after the manga ended on August 5, 2024.

Fans' reaction to the Mei artwork by Kohei Horikoshi

The original post on XCancel by Kohei Horikoshi (Image via XCancel/Kohei Horikoshi)

As mentioned earlier, the My Hero Academia fandom was very excited by the new artwork by Kohei Horikoshi on Friday. More than the artwork itself, the fans were more ecstatic seeing Horikoshi's active involvement with the series, even after his retirement.

"Retirement arc Horikoshi is a different beast bro", said one fan

"That is the cutest Mei Hatsume art I've ever seen him draw.", added another

"Big Toriyama vibes in this drawing. Also stating “I’m off to take a bath” after drawing her in partícular is quite funny to me", claimed a third

"I'm out here rooting for the continued unemployment of a man who has entertained me for a decade", said a fourth

What are your opinions on the new Mei Hatsume artwork by Kohei Horikoshi? Let us know in the comments below. Follow us for more anime/manga news, updates, and stories.

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About the author

Ribhu Ghosh is an Anime Journalist at Sportskeeda. With a degree in Journalism from the University of Calcutta, his deep-rooted passion for anime and manga led him to pursue a career in writing about the same. Along with his 6 years of experience as an illustrator and digital artist for various overseas anime studios and companies, he also aspires to write storylines. Ribhu's creative journey has been profoundly influenced by renowned mangakas such as Sui Ishida, Masashi Kishimoto, Kohei Horikoshi, and Koyoharu Gotouge.

Ribhu's enthusiasm for storytelling and illustration is evident in his meticulous approach to reporting. He values accuracy and relevance and always prioritizes thorough research. When he's not writing, Ribhu enjoys illustrating, playing chess, and engaging in outdoor activities like badminton. His diverse interests extend to music, cooking, reading, and gaming, all of which complement his passion for the entertainment and Popular Culture division.

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Edited by Ribhu Ghosh