Explore behind the scenes of ‘My Hero Academia‘ reveals the arduous process faced by Kohei Horikoshi, especially during the development of the Shie Hassaikai saga.
This phase of the narrative, known for its intensity and dark themes, challenged the author in unexpected ways, marking a turning point for both the plot and its creator.
The eight bullets – Image: Pxfuel/Reproduction
The complexity of one of the darkest sagas
Throughout the construction of the universe of ‘My Hero Academia’, Horikoshi was faced with a Herculean task: maintaining the originality and dynamism of the story.
The Shie Hassaikai saga, covering 41 chapters spread across five volumes (14 to 18), emerged as one of the most complicated moments for the mangaka.
Horikoshi, inspired by the expansive narratives found in ‘One Piece’, had ambitions to weave an equally deep and sprawling story.
However, it was the dark content and moral dilemmas present in the Shie Hassaikai saga that tested its creative resilience.
When developing this phase of the story, the author delved into a narrative territory full of ethical conflicts, violence and despair, elements that contrasted with the generally hopeful tone of the series.
The weight of themes and the fight against darkness
The plot involving the Shie Hassaikai organization, which seeks to develop a drug capable of nullifying individualities, introduced a hitherto unexplored level of violence and gravity.
Izuku Midoriya and his colleagues, alongside the UA Big Three, plunged into a battle not only physical but moral, facing dilemmas that tested their heroic principles to the utmost.
The character Eri, a child at the center of the Shie Hassaikai’s Machiavellian plans, has become a powerful symbol of innocence threatened by malice.
The journey to save her put the characters on a collision course with terrifyingly real forces and served as a mirror to the dilemmas faced by Horikoshi in its creation.
The intensely emotional and dark nature of this saga deeply affected the author, causing him to question his ability to continue the narrative.
This one bow challenging highlighted the importance of facing and overcoming one’s own shadows, both for the creators and their characters.
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