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My Hero Academia has been known to take inspiration from Star Wars and Marvel. Discover the references in the anime!
Anime and Western pop culture seem like two species that grew up on different planets at first. However, it’s not like they never interact with each other. A lot of mangaka and anime studios have taken inspiration from their American counterparts and vice versa.
Many of the Japanese animated pillars are also fans of Western comics and media. This is especially true for My Hero Academia creator, Kohei Horikoshi. It turns out that he’s a massive fan of Star Wars and Marvel. It’s pretty evident when fans started noticing some shout-out to the legendary sci-fi franchise and the superhero genre giant.
With Marvel, the parallel between their superheroes and the Pro-Heroes and villains in My Hero Academia is pretty easy to spot. After all, the two share similarities in their settings, which are full of people with superpowers. And with Star Wars, Horikoshi slipped in obvious and subtle references. However, are you astute enough to point out each one of these references?
Star Wars References in My Hero Academia
Kohei Horikoshi’s love for Star Wars extends to his most well-known work. There are tons of Star Wars references in My Hero Academia, starting from a character’s moves and locations. Moreover, some characters seem to be taken straight from the Star Wars franchise. Fans who love both of these series would immediately sense Horikoshi’s admiration for Star Wars.
1. Mirio’s Phantom Threat
Anime-only fans might not realize it at first. However, those who have read the manga know that Mirio’s ultimate move, Phantom Threat, is actually a big reference to Star Wars. If it’s not obvious by now, it references the Star Wars movie, The Phantom Menace. In fact, the move’s name in the manga is just like the movie title, word for word. However, the anime changed the move’s name, likely due to copyright issues.
2. Star Wars’ Locations in My Hero Academia
Horikoshi didn’t just take his Star Wars love to his characters but also to the world-building of My Hero Academia. While some unassuming fans might see it as random fantasy locations, those who are also Star Wars geeks like the mangaka himself will recognize these places. For instance, Tatooin Station is an obvious nod to Tatooine, the home planet of Luke and Anakin Skywalker.
3. Admiral Ackbar Made His Way into My Hero Academia Universe?
While some references are just in the name, this one couldn’t be more obvious. If the look doesn’t give you enough of a clue, Timothy Agpar’s name is a wordplay on the Star Wars character, Admiral Ackbar. Just like his Star Wars counterpart, Timothy Agpar is a high-ranking member of the military, and both of them are portrayed as wise characters. He also shares the wit and military genius trait with Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars.
4. All for One’s Darth Vader’s Mask
If there’s something anyone can remember from Star Wars, it’s Darth Vader and his mask. The iconic villain got his mask as a part of his life support after his battle against Obi-Wan Kenobi as Anakin Skywalker. Likewise, All for One also got similar treatment after his defeat against All Might. The injury left his face disfigured and full of scar tissue. And to cover his face, Horikoshi gave All for One a mask that resembles Darth Vader’s.
My Hero Academia and Marvel
Both My Hero Academia and Marvel universes revolve around the lives of superheroes, and it’s easy to see where they line up. Not to mention, Horikoshi’s love for some Marvel series is pretty apparent in My Hero Academia.
1. Twice Mirrors Deadpool
Funny, fourth-wall-breaking, and eccentric, Twice from My Hero Academia has been pointed out as Horikoshi’s iteration of Deadpool from Marvel. Although their powers couldn’t be more different. Deadpool can regenerate any kind of wound he suffers, while Twice’s ability makes him essentially a one-man army with his clones. Nevertheless, their character designs and demeanor share some similarities if you imagine them standing side by side.
2. Armored All Might Referencing Iron Man
There’s nothing more iconic than Marvel’s Iron Man when it comes to superhero movies. The 2008 movie jump-started Marvel and the superhero genre, making them a giant in the industry. Being a fan of Marvel as he is, Horikoshi took inspiration from Tony Stark’s suit and gave it to All Might. What makes the reference even more obvious, the anime features a suiting-up scene similar to Tony Stark’s nanotech suit. During the Final War arc, All Might used this armor specifically to take down All for One.
3. Deku’s Blackwhip is a Nod to Spider-Man
One of the most iconic superhero movies in the Marvel universe is, of course, Spider-Man. The web-slinging, friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man also made his way into Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia as Deku’s Blackwhip. However, rather than being operated by a biological web gland or a web-producing gadget, Blackwhip is powered by emotions.
4. Himiko’s Quirk is Mystique from X-Men
When Toga Himiko first showed her power in My Hero Academia, her transformation quirk quickly reminded fans of Mystique from X-Men. In fact, both are used for infiltration purposes and throwing their enemies off. However, the main difference is that Toga’s quirk requires her to consume a person’s blood before transforming into them.
Conclusion
Kohei Horikoshi’s love for Star Wars and Marvel is pretty evident in My Hero Academia. Although Western cinema and the world of anime are pretty different, it’s worth celebrating that the two often take inspiration from each other. Especially when anime started getting more mainstream in the West, as it is in Asia.
Even more so, animation with a notably similar style to anime is becoming more popular among Western shows. For instance, the 2023 My Adventures with Superman has an art style that’s akin to shonen anime. Nevertheless, fans can confidently expect to see the love for cinema and storytelling between these two different animation industries.
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