To commemorate the release of the 42nd and final volume of the popular manga "My Hero Academia" by Horikoshi Kohei, which was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha), on December 4th, a collaborative illustration between the series and Marvel Comics was released. "My Hero Academia" is heavily influenced by American comics, including Marvel Comics, and Horikoshi has expressed his gratitude by drawing a collaborative illustration of Spider-Man and the main characters of "My Hero Academia", Deku (Midoriya Izuku) and All Might.
For this collaboration, Marvel Comics artist Olivier Coypel, who is a huge fan of "My Hero Academia," was scheduled to draw new characters from "My Hero Academia," but he was unable to complete the work in time due to a sudden illness. Instead, Humberto Ramos, known as the master of "Spider-Man," and colorist Edgar Delgado quickly drew a collaborative illustration of "Black Cat" and the female characters from "My Hero Academia," like a hero who appears in times of crisis.
The final volume 42 includes the climax and final chapter of the battle between Deku and the other heroes, as well as 38 pages of original manga that depicts what happens "beyond that," and the opening page of the manga has been released. A special movie has also been released on YouTube.
Advertisements using new illustrations by Horikoshi of Deku, Bakugou Katsuki, and Todoroki Shoto were published in the morning editions of the Yomiuri Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, and Mainichi Shimbun on December 4th. Outdoor advertisements that have been running in three cities nationwide since December 2nd will also be gradually replaced with new visuals using the same illustrations, replacing the boyhood illustrations of the three characters. Cards with the same illustrations will be distributed at some bookstores.
"My Hero Academia" began serialization in "Weekly Shonen Jump" in July 2014. The final episode was published in the combined 36th and 37th issue of the magazine, released on August 5th, bringing the curtain down on the nearly 10-year serialization. Set in a world where about 80% of the population has supernatural powers and quirks, the story follows Izuku Midoriya, also known as Deku, as he strives to become the greatest hero. The comics have sold over 100 million copies worldwide.
The anime series has also gained popularity, with the first season airing from April to June 2016, the second from March to September 2017, the third from April to September 2018, the fourth from October 2019 to April 2020, the fifth from March to September 2021, the sixth from October 2022 to March 2023, and the seventh from May to October. It has also been announced that the eighth and final season, "FINAL SEASON," will be produced and aired in 2025.
The film version of the series has also been produced, with the first film, My Hero Academia: The Movie - Two Heroes, released in 2018, grossing approximately 1.72 billion yen. The second film, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, released in 2019, grossed approximately 1.76 billion yen, and the third film, My Hero Academia: World Heroes Mission, released in 2021, grossed approximately 3.43 billion yen. The fourth and latest film, My Hero Academia: Your Next, was released on August 2nd and was a hit, grossing over 3.1 billion yen.
