Manga creators often use the Jump Festa event as a platform to share major updates about their ongoing serials. Last year at Jump Festa 2022, Kohei Horikoshi, the author of the popular manga My Hero Academia, made headlines when he stated that he intended to conclude the manga series within a year if writing progressed as envisioned.
However, a year later at Jump Festa 2023, Horikoshi admitted he had been overly optimistic in forecasting an end date.
Though My Hero Academia has entered its climactic narrative arc, Horikoshi explained he could no longer predict exactly how many more chapters remain until the finale.
Poking fun at his own previous timetable, Horikoshi characterized his 2022 projection as extremely premature in hindsight.
While affirming My Hero Academia is nearing its narrative conclusion, Horikoshi opted not to speculate on an updated closing timeline for this latest Jump Festa appearance.
Kohei Horikoshi Promises Dogeza if MHA at Next Jump Festa
At the 2024 Jump Festa event, mangaka Kohei Horikoshi provided another update on his smash-hit series My Hero Academia.
While the manga remains in the throes of serialization, Horikoshi reinforced what he had said one year prior – that the overarching narrative is steering toward its climactic conclusion.
However, Horikoshi noted there were still numerous ideas and scenes he was eager to illustrate, even beyond the major battle unfolding in the current manga chapters.
“The battle currently being depicted is now reaching its apex,” Horikoshi wrote in his Jump Festa fan letter.”
“But there are still many additional moments I wish to draw that follow the aftermath of this clash. Rest assured, myself and the characters will continue laboring tirelessly so all of you can stay immersed in My Hero Academia until its final chapter.”
Though maintaining his stance that the manga finale is looming, Horikoshi’s comments implied an openness to extending the storyline as needed to do justice to the remaining plot points still left to unfold.
Regardless, his remarks at the 2024 Jump Festa underscored his commitment to deliver a riveting and emotionally resonant conclusion for the legions of My Hero Academia faithful.
Kohei Horikoshi’s Playful Pledge and the Prolonged Finale of My Hero Academia
After reiterating his intentions to conclude My Hero Academia in the near future, author Kohei Horikoshi lightheartedly quipped that if the manga somehow persisted all the way until Jump Festa 2025, he would organize a “Dogeza Festival” on stage next year.
For context, a Dogeza Festival refers to an event where everyone prostrates themselves in apology through the Japanese ritual of dogeza bowing.
Horikoshi seemed to make this wry, self-deprecating remark to poke fun at his own inability to accurately predict when My Hero Academia’s finale would transpire.
While the manga did enter its proclaimed “final arc” back in March 2021, well over three years later, new chapters continue to come out weekly.
By joking that an entire Dogeza Festival may need to be held if My Hero Academia improbably lasts to Jump Festa 2025, Horikoshi aimed to preemptively apologize through humor to fans hungry for closure.
However, his comments also carried a tinge of exasperation – even the author himself seems eager to eventually reach the climactic conclusion he has been envisioning for years at this point.
More About My Hero Academia
The My Hero Academia stage event at Jump Festa 2024 brought several major announcements for fans.
This included reveals of a 4th anime film now in production, as well as new details surrounding the upcoming 7th season of the My Hero Academia TV anime series.
For context, My Hero Academia is a popular shonen manga centered around a superhero society.
It has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since 2014 and collected into 39 tankobon volumes as of November 2023.
The manga spawned by creator Kohei Horikoshi has also expanded into various spin-off series, such as My Hero Academia: Smash!!, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes and My Hero Academia: Team-Up Missions.
On the animation front, My Hero Academia has already received three successful theatrical anime films over the years – My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, and My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission.
There are also plans for a live-action Hollywood adaption of the property from Legendary Entertainment down the line.
The new film and Season 7 announcements at Jump Festa serve to sustain the My Hero Academia anime hype, as Horikoshi simultaneously guides the manga toward its planned conclusion.
