Kohei Horikoshi, creator of the global hit superhero manga series My Hero Academia, built one of the most enduring legacies in the history of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. Before launching the adventures of Izuku Midoriya, Horikoshi faced significant early setbacks in his manga career, including the cancellation of his previous series Omide Poko and Barrage (originally published in Japanese as Tenchi Jinuki Den and Sensei no Baraji respectively), before finding unprecedented worldwide success with My Hero Academia.
The Early Career and Magazine Cancellations
Before achieving international fame, Kohei Horikoshi struggled to maintain a serialized run in the hyper-competitive pages of Weekly Shonen Jump. According to Shueisha publication records, his first major serialization, Omide Poko, debuted in 2007 but failed to capture a wide readership, leading to a swift cancellation. He followed this with Barrage in 2012, a sci-fi action series that ran for just two volumes before being axed due to low rankings.
Facing consecutive commercial failures, Horikoshi considered leaving the manga industry entirely. According to interviews published by Viz Media, the artist felt defeated and doubted his ability to create a marketable hit. However, a one-shot manga titled My Hero (published in Shueisha’s Akamaru Jump in 2008) provided the foundational character concepts and superhero tropes that would eventually convince his editors to give him one more chance at serialization.
The Launch and Global Impact of My Hero Academia
In July 2014, Horikoshi launched My Hero Academia in Weekly Shonen Jump, introducing readers to a world where 80% of the population possesses superpowers known as “Quirks.” The series quickly became a flagship title for the magazine, rivaling contemporary blockbusters like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. Viz Media handles the English-language release in North America, while Shueisha’s Manga Plus platform distributes chapters digitally worldwide.
Industry analysts note that the series revitalized the traditional battle shonen genre by blending American comic book aesthetics with classic Japanese manga storytelling. The property expanded into a massive multimedia franchise, including a critically acclaimed anime adaptation by Studio Bones, multiple animated feature films, and numerous video game adaptations published by Bandai Namco.
Conclusion and Series Completion
Kohei Horikoshi concluded the My Hero Academia manga in August 2024 after a 10-year run comprising over 40 collected volumes. The series cemented his status among the most influential creators in modern manga history, transforming early career struggles into a historic publishing milestone for Weekly Shonen Jump.
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