Unveiling the Harsh Realities of the Manga Industry: My Hero Academia Creator Horikoshi's Gratitude Post
My Hero Academia creator Horikoshi's heartfelt post reveals the harsh reality of the manga industry, exposing the toll it takes on mangakas' health and well-being
Kohei Horikoshi, the author of My Hero Academia, has faced health issues that are well-known to most fans. This was evident in the recent chapters of the manga, which had fewer pages. In a recent post, Horikoshi shared his collaboration with his editor and explained the reason behind the shorter chapters. This situation has brought attention to the challenging treatment of manga authors in the industry.
The shortened chapters and the inconsistent quality of the final arc of My Hero Academia hinted at Horikoshi's recent struggles. While fans may have differing opinions on the series' conclusion, the primary concern is for the author's well-being and to ensure he is not excessively burdened by his work.
Disclaimer: This article contains minor spoilers for My Hero Academia.
My Hero Academia author Kohei Horikoshi shed some light on mangakas' struggling conditions
Kohei Horikoshi, the author of My Hero Academia, took to social media to express his heartfelt gratitude towards his fans, readers, and those who have supported him throughout the years. In his post, he also shed light on the shorter length of some recent chapters in the manga, with a few of them consisting of just seven pages.
In the post, Horikoshi openly discusses the challenges he faces as a manga author, including the pressure to produce more pages and his relationship with his editor, Imamura. By sharing this information, he provides fans with a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes struggles of creating the My Hero Academia manga. Furthermore, Horikoshi's comments also confirm a common perception that manga authors are consistently pushed to their limits by their publishing companies. According to a translation by Twitter user @RukasuMHA, Horikoshi explains the necessity of regular communication with the editorial department to determine the number of pages for each chapter, ensuring the inclusion of My Hero Academia in the magazine.
The author of My Hero Academia then proceeded to acknowledge the contributions of his editor and stated:
"I'd like to express my gratitude to Imamura-san and the entire editorial team for their unwavering dedication in ensuring that MHA is presented in its finest form. Without their relentless efforts, the continuous serialization of the series may not have been possible. Therefore, I'd like to take this moment to extend my heartfelt thanks to them. Thank you so much."
The struggles of the manga industry
That being said, although many fans are eager for the series to conclude on a positive and satisfying note, it is widely understood that this should not be achieved at the detriment of Horikoshi's well-being. Regrettably, this is a pattern that frequently occurs among authors in the industry and shows no signs of abating.
In the manga industry, it is a common occurrence for authors to be overworked, leading to health problems. One notable example of this is Kentaro Miura, the author of Berserk, who tragically passed away due to the immense strain he endured while working on the series. Similarly, Yoshihiro Togashi, the creator of Hunter X Hunter, has also faced numerous back issues that have resulted in irregular chapter releases.
Perhaps Black Clover's Yuki Tabata shares a similar story to Kohei Horikoshi. While writing and drawing for Shonen Jump, Tabata faced health issues that ultimately led him to part ways with the magazine. However, he has now found a new publishing schedule in another company that better accommodates his health conditions.
This may be the reason behind the decline in long-running series like One Piece, Bleach, and Naruto, with newer and younger manga authors opting for shorter series. This trend can be seen in authors such as Gege Akutami of Jujutsu Kaisen, Tatsuki Fujimoto of Fire Punch and Chainsaw Man, who prefer to conclude their series relatively quickly and move on to new projects.
The consensus among fans is that the health of authors like Horikoshi, or any other author for that matter, should not be compromised for the sake of creating a great manga. Moreover, fans believe that if the health of the most popular authors starts to deteriorate, it will ultimately harm the entire industry.
Editor's P/S
As a manga fan, I am deeply concerned about the working conditions of manga artists. The recent news about My Hero Academia creator Horikoshi's health issues has brought this issue to the forefront of the discussion. It is clear that the current system is not sustainable and that something needs to change.
It is important to remember that manga artists are human beings, not machines. They need time to rest and recharge in order to produce quality work. The current system, which demands that artists produce new chapters on a weekly basis, is simply not conducive to good health.
I believe that the manga industry needs to make some serious changes in order to protect the health of its artists. One possible solution would be to reduce the number of pages that artists are required to produce each week. This would give them more time to rest and work on their craft. Another solution would be to provide artists with more financial support. This would allow them to take breaks when they need to without worrying about losing their livelihoods.
I urge the manga industry to take action to protect the health of its artists. The current system is not sustainable and it is only a matter of time before more artists suffer from health problems.
