It’s the end of an era as My Hero Academia’s anime reaches its bittersweet conclusion nine years after its debut. The beloved Weekly Shonen Jump manga by Kohei Horikoshi ended its ten years of serialization last year, leading to controversies regarding the finale. However, the anime adaptation made the conclusion much more widely acceptable, as fans have nothing but praise for the incredible story. So far, Kohei Horikoshi, the creator behind the hit manga, has yet to announce his return with a new series or even a sequel to the original story. Although MHA has a few official spin-offs like My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, they’re not the same work by the author.
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After the villains’ defeat, the epilogue focused on the aftermath of the long and brutal war. Most of the heroes have either died or retired, but not before paving the path for the new generation. The journey of Deku and his classmates has only just begun, but fans won’t be able to see the entirety of their story as pro heroes. Many fans have been following the series for years, which is why the ending is sure to leave a huge sense of loss. While there can’t be any replacement for My Hero Academia, these 10 series are incredible enough to fill the void left behind.
10) Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun!
This absurdly hilarious series is based on the manga by Osamu Nishi, the author of Shonen Jump’s biggest new hit, Ichi the Witch. The story follows Iruma Suzuki, whose circumstances forced him to work hard for money due to his irresponsible parents.
Unexpectedly, he finds out that his parents have sold him to a demon named Sullivan. Worrying for his fate, Iruma never expected what awaited him was a welcoming home and a doting grandfather who wants him to attend the demon school Babyls. Struggling to accept this sudden change in life, Iruma learns about the strange powers buried deep within him.
9) Little Witch Academia
Just like My Hero Academia, this fantasy series also follows the protagonist’s struggles as she keeps working hard to become like her idol. Inspired by the charismatic witch Shiny Chariot, Atsuko Kagari, also known as Akko, has made it her goal to become a witch who can make people smile.
Despite having a non-magical background, she enrolls in the Luna Nova Magical Academy, where she meets more aspiring witches like her. Refusing to be left behind by her peers, Akko rushes at full speed toward her goal, unaware of the challenges she has yet to face.
8) Tiger & Bunny
Tiger & Bunny is a hidden gem among superhero anime, and it shares the same thematic concept as MHA, where heroes have become popular among the masses as they fight villains who threaten public safety. A certain group of individuals with special abilities regularly appear on Hero TV while they chase down the villains in hopes of becoming the next King of Heroes.
The story follows a veteran hero, Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, known as “Wild Tiger,” and his new partner Barnaby, nicknamed “Bunny.” As Tiger’s performance hasn’t been up to par lately, he is paired up with Bunny, with whom he can’t get along. However, for the sake of their careers, the duo learn to work together as they face the threats looming in the shadows of the bustling city.
7) Mashle: Magic & Muscles
Both series follow hard-working protagonists who weren’t born with any special powers. This hilarious action fantasy is set in a world where those born with magic have unique marks on their faces as proof of their power, and those without it will be disposed of. Mash Burndead, an aloof young boy with superhuman abilities and not a trace of magic, lives in seclusion with his adoptive father to avoid getting caught.
However, his peaceful life is disrupted when his secret is out, putting his and his father’s lives in danger. In order to avoid being punished by the law, Mash must attend the Magic Academy and become a Divine Visionary, a title sought after by all the mages in the kingdom.
6) Assassination Classroom
While MHA teaches the students to become pro heroes, Assassination Classroom focuses on training ordinary children as assassins. The series follows a group of misfit middle school students of Class 3-E, who are isolated from the school building because of their behavior or poor grades.
Only a handful of the authorities are aware that their homeroom teacher is a strange, yellow-colored, octopus-like creature called Koro Sensei, who destroyed a part of the moon. He threatens to do the same to Earth, and the only way to protect the planet is by killing him, but that’s a lot easier said than done because of his unparalleled powers.
5) Jujutsu Kaisen
While the themes of both series are completely different, their protagonists start out as powerless boys who suddenly acquire legendary abilities at the beginning of the story. Yuji Itadori, a high school student with exceptional physical abilities, encounters Megumi Fushiguro, a mysterious teenager on a mission to secure an object, but arrives too late to stop it from being unsealed.
As the power of the object is unleashed, Yuji finds his friends and Megumi in danger. He does the unthinkable while trying to save them and ends up with a dangerous power. As the story continues, he enrolls at Jujutsu High in Tokyo alongside Megumi to learn everything about the world of Jujutsu and his newfound abilities.
4) Haikyu!!
This beloved sports drama is an all-time comfort anime for many, as it centers around Shoyo Hinata, a short but spirited boy who wants to become like the “Little Giant,” a renowned high school volleyball player who participated in the nationals several years ago. However, Shoyo’s middle school debut turned into a nightmare when he faced off against Tobio Kageyama’s elite school and was crushed in the first round.
Pulling himself up after this setback, Shoyo later enrolls in Karasuno High School, the Little Giant’s alma mater. Surprisingly, he encounters his former opponent, Tobio, there, and now the duo must put aside their differences and work together to get to the national tournament.
3) Black Clover
In terms of settings and themes, the two series couldn’t be more different, but they do follow some of the most famous shonen tropes. Both series start out with powerless protagonists who acquire powerful abilities at the beginning of the story. Black Clover is set in a world where magic is everything, but there’s one exception to the natural order. Asta, a young boy from an orphanage in a small village who grew up without having any mana, works harder than anyone to make up for his lack of powers.
On the contrary, another boy from the same orphanage, Yuno, is considered a rare prodigy even among the high-ranking nobles. Despite having different abilities, the boys set their sights on becoming the Wizard King, a title granted to the strongest Magic Knight in the Clover Kingdom.
2) Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer is one of the best battle shonen of recent years, as it follows Tanjiro Kamado, a young boy whose entire family was slaughtered while he was away from home. The only survivor is his sister, Nezuko, who has been turned into a bloodthirsty demon. Hoping to find a cure for her, Tanjiro carries her through the snowy forest, where he encounters a mysterious Demon Slayer, Giyu Tomioka.
Noticing that the siblings are different from other victims he has encountered, he sends them to a trainer setting Tanjiro on the path to becoming a Demon Slayer. Tanjiro begins his journey to join the Demon Slayer Corps in hopes of tracking down the demon responsible and possibly find a cure for his sister.
1) My Hero Academia: Vigilantes
Based on a manga written by Hideyuki and illustrated by Court Betten, this official spin-off series takes place five years before the main events of the original series, as crimes become more rampant in the superhuman society. Even though heroes continue to work day and night to keep citizens safe, there are always alleys and hidden corners in cities where danger is lurking.
This is why vigilantes who don’t have a license to use their Quirk take the risk of being arrested to keep those villains in check. Kouichi Haimawari, a college student with an ordinary Quirk that wasn’t good enough for him to become a hero, finds his calling when he meets a mysterious vigilante named Kazuko Haneyama and finds himself embroiled in a dangerous crime syndicate.
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