'My Hero Academia' Reveals Potential New 'Spider-Man' Easter Egg

A split in anime fandom is often found when westerners want to compare everything in the genre to something more familiar -- as though the manga or anime creators cannot be using an original thought, just taking traditional tropes and applying it elsewhere.

The battle may have have one of its fiercest fields when it comes to drawing connections between My Hero Academia and the Marvel Universe, and the latest example is particularly compelling, as Deku had his mask damaged in an all-to-recognizable nod to Spider-Man.

Honestly, next to one another, there is a compelling case to be made.

Looks, however, may be where the two part ways as their stories and motivations do not overlap.

Peter Parker was accidentally bitten by a spider which ultimately helps to transform into The Amazing Spider-Man. His physical transformations were near immediate and he had a limited time frame where he self-taught to becoming a hero. Ostensibly, Parker is motivated by the memory of Uncle Ben's death and the now immortalized lecture that "with great power comes great responsibility," as a prod to get Parker to become something he otherwise would have turned from.

Deku, conversely, longs to be the hero after idolizing All Might. He has a deep sense of what is right and wrong and actively pursues this cause even when he didn't have powers to fall back on. His transformation, at least physically, comes over time and training to obtain One For All.

Where the dismissive coincidence sort of falls away is that this wouldn't be the first tip of the hat that Boku No Hero Academia creator Kohei Horikoshi has given to the Marvel world. We recently posted some MHA cover art that also honored Spider-Man, who Horikoshi has already admitted was his primary inspiration for creating the manga.

Another of My Hero Academia's characters appears to be largely based off an X-Men character, as Tsuyu Asui bears a striking resemblance to Toad. The obvious connection is that they share frog-like powers, both characters have large mouths, can stick to walls, and even use their tongues are weapons. All of that is to ignore the obvious costume similarities -- since both heroes don goggles when they head out into battle.

Perhaps Horikoshi found the only way to show Deku emote was with the tattered mask, perhaps it was a nod to Spider-Man? If you have a take on the matter go ahead and leave it in the comments section.

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