My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising Reigns Supreme (Backed by Horikoshi in Chapter 406)
Horikoshi's deliberate efforts in the recent My Hero Academia chapters reveal his commitment to upholding the impactful conclusion of the acclaimed film, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising
The recent chapters of My Hero Academia indicate that Mangaka Kohei Horikoshi is attempting to integrate the 2019 movie, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, into the manga's canon storyline. This is evident through the inclusion of movie characters and similar fight moves. Consequently, fans are questioning whether the Heroes Rising film is the best installment in the manga series. Positioned after the Meta Liberation Army Arc, Heroes Rising is the franchise's second film that is considered canon. It features an original story where Izuku Midoriya and his Class 1-A friends embark on a mission to rescue a group of islanders on Nabu Island, endangered by a villain named Nine.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the My Hero Academia manga.
How Horikoshi has been trying to stay true to My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising ending
After the debut of My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, fans wondered about the canonicity of the movie's storyline. The events portrayed in the film seemed too fantastical to align with the manga's narrative. However, author Kohei Horikoshi remained steadfast in his stance and confirmed that the plot of Heroes Rising was indeed part of the manga's canon.
The film's ending in My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising was actually the Mangaka's original vision for the manga's ending. However, it was later changed, resulting in the creation of an entirely new storyline for the movie. Since then, various elements from the film have made their way into the manga series, particularly in the most recent chapters.
Deku with Katsuma and Mahoro in My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (Image via BONES)
Hence, it is highly likely that Kohei Horikoshi intends to portray a similar plot for the conclusion. In the film, Deku generously bestows his One For All abilities upon Bakugo, uniting against the formidable antagonist, Nine. This alliance empowers them to overpower the villainous All For One user.
In the manga, both Deku and Bakugo are currently engaged in their own individual battles - Deku against Shigaraki and Bakugo against All For One. However, it is abundantly clear to fans that this is, in essence, a collaborative tag team showdown, given AFO's objective to reach Tomura Shigaraki.
The anime image shows All For One (Image via BONES)
In the event that All For One manages to defeat Bakugo, he could potentially seize control of Shigaraki. If this were to happen, Deku and Bakugo may find themselves compelled to join forces against a solitary adversary, a youthful and formidable All For One. Additionally, if the heroes were to confront such a predicament, taking into account the canon storyline of My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, Deku might choose to once again bestow his One For All quirk upon Bakugo.
Theoretically, both heroes should be able to join forces and confront the final boss together. If Horikoshi intends for this to be the manga's ending, it would bear striking resemblance to the plotline of My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising. In essence, the film could potentially serve as the ultimate representation of the manga franchise. Considering the progression of the manga thus far, it would not be unexpected to witness Deku and Bakugo eventually sharing the One For All quirk.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about the recent developments in the My Hero Academia manga. On the one hand, I am excited to see that Horikoshi is incorporating elements from the Heroes Rising movie into the manga. This suggests that he is committed to making the movie's ending the definitive conclusion of the series. On the other hand, I am worried that this will mean that the manga will lose some of its originality. I would prefer to see Horikoshi come up with a new and unique ending for the manga, rather than simply rehashing the plot of the movie.
Overall, I think that the recent chapters of the manga have been a bit disappointing. The story has been moving at a very slow pace, and there has not been much character development. I am hoping that Horikoshi will pick up the pace in the coming chapters and give us some more exciting and satisfying content.
