Artwork by Kohei Horikoshi to celebrate the 10th anniversary of My Hero Academia. Credits: Shueisha/Reproductio
— Thank you for every moment that moved my heart —
I never imagined that my very first blog post on note would be about a Japanese manga.
But here I am, writing about My Hero Academia.
This series gave me something incredibly deep—
and helped me realize what I truly want to do.
Before that feeling fades, I decided to start writing.
What I want to do is simple:
to share the things that move my heart,
and someday, to create something that moves others in return.
Why I decided to write a blog
Just today, I finished both the anime and manga of My Hero Academia.
On the very last page, there was a message from the author, Kohei Horikoshi:
“Words from fans are truly, deeply encouraging.”
Reading that, one thought crossed my mind:
Maybe I’ll write my first ever fan letter?
But at the same time, another thought bubbled up:
What kind of hero do I want to be—in the real world?
I’ve always had two deep loves.
One is being moved—feeling something in my heart.
Movies, music, manga, anime, games, picture books, novels…
These may seem ordinary, but they’ve always stirred my heart.
I especially love when I come across something made with soul and intention.
That’s why I enjoy reading blogs.
So many of them are filled with raw emotion and genuine stories.
The other love is the web—the world that has opened so many doors for me.
And so, instead of writing a fan letter by hand,
I’ve decided to leave my feelings here, on this blog.
Through MHA, I found myself thinking:
Even if it’s just a tiny spark,
I want to be the kind of hero who lights a little fire in someone’s heart.
Maybe that’s the kind of hero I was always hoping to become.
Even if no one reads this, that’s okay.
But maybe, just maybe, this will one day find its way to the creator himself.
That thought alone was enough for me to start.
⚠️ Spoiler alert below for My Hero Academia
Why it moved me so deeply
“A quirkless boy dreams of becoming a hero.”
At first glance, that premise sounds like any typical shonen plot.
But MHA was different.
It wasn’t just a story of growth.
Every character stood on their own, each with their own past and inner world.
Heroes, villains, even the so-called background characters—
each one was given depth.
The story took time to show why they stood where they did,
and what thoughts carried them there.
What hit me especially hard was how even the “villains” had backstories.
This wasn’t a simple “defeat the bad guys” tale.
It made me wonder: What happened in their past?
Where did their paths diverge?
The story gently invited me to imagine their pain and choices—
and did so with masterful storytelling.
No character is “disposable”
Many anime and manga feature the dramatic death of a mentor figure.
It’s beautiful in its own way—and a familiar trope.
But MHA did something else.
It chose to highlight:
The weight—and the hope—of living on.
All Might, Aizawa-sensei…
These great adults didn’t disappear.
They stayed. They carried their responsibilities.
And that, I felt, gave me hope more than anything.
Every scene has meaning—even to the very end
“One for All” and “All for One”—
two opposing ideas that mirror each other.
This elegant contrast became the backbone of the story.
Seeing that structure unfold over 10 years
filled me with awe for the author’s vision and storytelling.
And it wasn’t just about having an epic final battle.
What touched me the most was what came after.
Most stories end at the peak,
leaving “what happens next” to our imagination.
But MHA didn’t do that.
It gently answered all the lingering questions readers might have had.
It gave closure, not just to the plot,
but to the hearts of its fans.
To me, that was the ultimate act of love and respect for both the characters and the audience.
A theme that lights up real life: What makes a hero?
Heroes, by nature, are fantastical.
But the real theme hidden inside this story was, I think:
“How do you choose to live?”
It reminded me of Miyazaki’s How Do You Live?
What does it mean to be a hero, for you?
There’s no single answer—only personal truth.
That message found its way straight to my heart.
Final thoughts
I’m so glad I encountered this story.
It’s rare for something to move me this deeply.
I want to remember this feeling.
And I hope, someday, I can pass it on—
to light someone else’s heart, like this story did mine.
Thank you, heroes.
You’ll continue to burn brightly in my heart.
And thank you to this era—
one where I can express myself not just in words,
but also through art, with tools like ChatGPT and AI comics.
