My Hero Academia chapter 421's Avengers reference proves once again that Horikoshi is a true Marvel fan

Modified Apr 28, 2024 01:00 GMT

On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, the alleged spoilers and raw scans for My Hero Academia chapter 421 were released, bringing with them the unofficial return of author and illustrator Kohei Horikoshi’s original manga series. Although this isn’t a Shueisha-certified release for the series, the manga’s spoiler process has historically proven very accurate to the final version.

Likewise, fans were excited to see My Hero Academia chapter 421 continue its focus on the final battle between All For One and the Class 1-A students and other Pro Heroes who arrived to help Deku. While some fans took issue with how quickly Horikoshi seemed to be rushing through the final battle, some fans expressed concern that those Class 1-A students who should’ve gotten a focus would be left behind.

This largely stems from how many people showed up to the fight in My Hero Academia chapter 421 via Kurogiri’s portals. While the inclusion of several other Pro Heroes is understandable, it does unfortunately eliminate an exciting opportunity to give Deku’s classmates a chance to shine. However, fans did get something incredibly exciting in exchange, which once again shows how big of a Marvel fan Horikoshi is.

My Hero Academia chapter 421 gives Deku his own Endgame moment via all his allies’ arrival

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As mentioned above, My Hero Academia chapter 421 sees Horikoshi pay tribute to one of the most iconic moments in the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Often called an Endgame moment in honor of the title of the film it occurs in, the original MCU scene saw Captain America joined by a massive influx of forces just as all hope seemed lost.

These forces arrived via portals Dr. Strange made, which teleported them from various parts of the world. Similarly, Deku’s allies arrive via Kurogiri’s portals and also come to his rescue just as all hope seems lost and his death appears truly inevitable. However, the latest release took the reference a step further, giving it arguably the perfect reimagination.

Much like in the Endgame scene, My Hero Academia chapter 421 gives a wide, scoping shot of all of Deku’s allies preparing to go into battle alongside him despite dealing with their injuries. It’s the perfect cherry on top to this Endgame moment reference and solidifies the series as a love letter to comics in general, and the Marvel franchise specifically.

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It also emphasizes just how big of a Marvel fan Horikoshi is himself, with the author going out of his way to set up this picture-perfect Endgame reference. While the series was somewhat organically working toward this point, the framing Horikoshi uses in chapter 421’s double spread emphasizes how he went above and beyond for the reference.

Chapter 421’s conclusion also establishes Horikoshi as a comics fan, having a very Marvel Comics-esque vibe to Deku’s supposed “last stand.” While it remains to be seen if this feeling continues in the subsequent release, Horikoshi at least brought Marvel magic to his manga in its latest unofficial release.