My Hero Academia’s creator, Kohei Horikoshi, like many other mangakas, receives inspiration for his manga from a number of different sources. One of the sources he uses to brainstorm ideas for My Hero Academia is incredibly personal and meaningful: his own life experiences. Using one’s own memories in a creative work is fairly common, and Horikoshi weaves events from his own life into the story so naturally that fans may not even know they are there.
In an interview with Natalie Comics, translated from Japanese to English by Tumblr user and fan, aitaikimochi, Horikoshi revealed that he receives a lot of inspiration for the series from his own childhood experiences and life, giving these moments even more deep meaning.
Two in particular that he cited in an interview are an interaction between Deku and his mom when Deku was a child and Tamaki’s experience going to a new school where he didn’t know anyone. These moments don’t just shape the characters, but also have personal significance to Horikoshi and reveal more about the writer, along with the characters themselves.
My Hero Academia’s Kohei Horikoshi Pulled From Personal Experience For Two Big Moments
These Scenes Blend Horikoshi’s Childhood Experiences Into His Character’s Lives
The first personal moment Horikoshi mentioned occurred between the main character, Izuku Midoriya, and his mother, Inko Midoriya. He stated that “he and his mom have a scene together [where Deku’s mom says, “Help me!” and Deku says “I am here!”].” This touching and lighthearted moment reveals that Deku looked up to his hero, All Might, from an early age, since he was using his famous catchphrase, “I am here!” and ties back to Horikoshi’s own personal childhood experience playing a very similar game at the park that he called “King of the Jungle” with his own mother.
The second memory Horikoshi used for story inspiration occurred with the character Tamaki Amajiki when he transferred schools. Tamaki had trouble adjusting to a brand-new and unfamiliar environment, as many people do when attending a new school. However, his friendly classmate, Mirio Togata, helped him adapt to his new school and feel welcome and comfortable. Horikoshi had a similar experience when he switched to a new middle school where he felt alone because “everyone else was already in their own groups and knew each other.” Thankfully, just like Tamaki found Mirio, he quickly found a supportive friend at his new school too.
How Kohei Horikoshi’s Personal Touches Make My Hero Academia Special
Highlighting Common Experiences of Growing up Helps Further Humanize These Heroic Characters
By adding real events that have happened to him, Horikoshi shows audiences who he is as a person and offers glimpses into his life and the childhood moments that shaped who he is. However, aside from highlighting details of Horikoshi’s life, these scenes make the characters feel even more relatable. Playing childhood games with a parent or feeling uncertain about attending a new school are very common experiences nearly anyone can relate to and understand, adding a human element to the characters in My Hero Academia and proving that even though they have superpowers, they are still similar to normal teenagers at their core.
Source: Natalie Comics, aitaikimochi on Tumblr
