My Hero Academia Creator Promises to Change Dr. Ujiko’s Contentious Name in New Statement

My Hero Academia fans are the kind of people who want the series to succeed. For many of these followers, they look up to the series’ creator in the same way Izuku does to All Might. Kohei Horikoshi has become a symbol of relief for millions, but a recent fumble of his left plenty of them upset. Now, the artist is speaking up about the snafu, and Horikoshi says he is committed to fixing the mistake.

For those unaware, My Hero Academia came under intense scrutiny over this weekend. The ordeal came to light when a new manga chapter released for the series, and it introduced new details about Dr. Ujiko, one of All For One’s closest confidantes. It was there fans learned the man’s full name, but it brought up bad memories for all.

It turns out the name is a reference to war acts committed by the Japanese during World War II. Dr. Ujiko Maruta offended scores of foreign readers who were impacted by Japan’s horrendous human experiments. Many felt it was insensitive for Dr. Ujiko or any character to have the name Maruta, and Horikoshi says he did not select that name with ill will in mind.

“Many have voiced their opinions about how this name has brought up recollections of past events. In choosing this name, I had no such intentions of having it be associated as such. I take everyone’s concerns very seriously, and as a result, will be changing his name,” the creator said (via Aitaikimochi).

This address has eased many fans who were upset by the doctor’s name. There is no timeline for when a new name will be selected, but readers expect to find out soon enough. After all, the manga’s current arc has plenty to do with the doctor, so he will be around for a little bit.

What do you make of this response? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime.

My Hero Academia was created by Kohei Horikoshi for Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 2014. The story follows Izuku Midoriya, who lives in a world where everyone has powers, even though he was born without them. Dreaming to become a superhero anyway, he’s eventually scouted by the world’s best hero All Might and enrolls in a school for professional heroes.