"My Hero Academia" Original Art Exhibition Preview Report

An exhibition of original artwork from Kohei Horikoshi's popular manga series "My Hero Academia," serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha), entitled "Kohei Horikoshi' My Hero Academia' Original Art Exhibition," will be held at CREATIVE MUSEUM TOKYO (Chuo-ku, Tokyo) from June 21st. The exhibition looks back on the 10-year history of the series, which began serialization in July 2014 and will conclude in August 2024, and with Horikoshi's full cooperation, will display impressive handwritten manuscripts and documents, as well as newly drawn illustrations. Horikoshi's behind-the-scenes stories and commentary will also be on display, allowing visitors to relive the trajectory of "the story of everyone becoming the greatest hero." The exhibition will run until August 31st.

The venue is divided into five areas. In "Zone 1: From 'Dream' to 'Reality,'" handwritten manuscripts of Izuku Midoriya(Deku) from his enrollment at U.A. to the "All-Out War" are on display. You can also see special commentary by Horikoshi, who writes about his feelings at the time he wrote each episode.

"Zone 2: The End of a Hero-Saturated Society" will display original drawings up until just before the "Second Battle." This area will display not only completed digital drawings, but also handwritten materials created during the creative process. There will also be a life-size "Black Deku" figure made based on a sketch that Horikoshi drew specifically for the exhibition.

In "Zone 3: Heroes vs Villains, the Final Battle," the panoramic view of the devastation from the "Second Battle" will be dynamically depicted. In "Zone 4: Connecting, Spinning Feelings," visitors can enjoy the conclusion of the Tomura Shigaraki and All For One in a powerful spatial display. The key visual for the exhibition, "Heroes vs Villains," drawn by Horikoshi, will appear as an extra-large panoramic photo spot.

The final section, "Zone 5: Records of the 'Daily Life' Boys and Girls Reclaimed," will feature a special release of the original line drawings for episode "No. 431," a new episode included in the final volume of the comics. Horikoshi will also be exhibiting illustrations he created specifically for the exhibition, titled "Special Illustrations "Snapshot." These are exquisite illustrations that were planned and created based on the idea that Deku would take photos of the characters' daily lives, which continue even after the story has concluded.

The exhibition requires designated dates and times for all days. Tickets for the first period (June 21st to July 31st) are already sold out, and tickets for the second period (August 1st to 31st) will end as soon as they are sold out. After being held at CREATIVE MUSEUM TOKYO, the exhibition is scheduled to travel to the Osaka venue in the fall of 2025.

"My Hero Academia" is a manga that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" from July 2014 to August 2024. Set in a world where about 80% of the population has supernatural abilities and quirks, the story follows Deku, also known as Izuku Midoriya, as he strives to become the greatest hero. The comics have sold over 100 million copies worldwide. The anime is also gaining popularity, with the eighth and final season of the TV anime, "FINAL SEASON," scheduled to air every Saturday at 5:30 pm on Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV from October.