One trademark of American superhero comics, the kind that manga series My Hero Academia has obviously taken some inspiration from, is that they rarely end. Sure, certain storylines wrap up and a character might even kick the bucket from time to time (only to usually be revived later on) but most operate within an eternal narrative. Even the most famous comic about an aging, possibly dying superhero, Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, ends with the elderly Batman faking his death and contemplating a troubling future. The pressure of this style puts My Hero Academia in an unenviable position: How do you tell a superhero story that ends?
In a few weeks, creator Kohei Horikoshi will be saying goodbye to his long-running series – a manga that was not only a powerhouse addition to the Weekly Shōnen Jump anthology, but one that spawned copious spin-offs and an anime phenomenon that is currently in its seventh season.
