The best manga covers in My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia has a very distinctive art style that features plenty of color and vibrancy to help it stand out from its flamboyant competition, but nowhere is author Horikoshi's artistic talent more apparent than on the manga's covers. These illustrations tend to give readers a glimpse of current events and characters involved in the story before they open on the first page.

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On other occasions, however, these covers are simply Horikoshi having fun by placing the series' iconic characters in all sorts of weird and wacky scenarios. One thing's for sure though, Horikoshi knows exactly how to make a cover jump off the page with his artistic skills, and now that the story is complete, it's time to see which of My hero the covers are the most eye-catching and memorable of all.

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Volume 21

Cover showing subtle differences between Hawks and Endeavour

My Hero Academia Volume 21

While Endeavor is introduced fairly early in the story watching Todoroki in the tournament from afar, he plays a much bigger role later on where his character is built and expanded upon a bit more. One character who has always admired Endeavor is Hawks, a fellow Pro-Hero who has looked up to Endeavor since his youth, with the two appearing back-to-back on this cover.

Through this single image, fans can immediately distinguish what makes these two so different. While Endeavor burns with rage as his flames engulf his entire body, Hawks looks cold and calculating as his wings are enhanced by his mate's flames. All this leads to a real feast for the eyes, which can also relate to the characters and their personalities.

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Volume 35

The hero and the main villain of the series come into close contact

My Hero Academia Volume 35

Simple but effective volume 35 features Deku and Shigaraki who seem to reach out to each other while still being completely separated, both physically and emotionally. Since this duo were two of the main players My hero story since its inception, seeing them reunite in one of the final installments of the series was a real treat for longtime fans.

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There's also just a ton of little details to admire, including the yellow and red swirls that trail around Deku and Shigaraki, along with the shocked expressions on both of their faces and the multi-colored title. This cover feels like a love letter to the fans and an artist's vision of the protagonist and villain in one.

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Volume 33

A haunting cover that fits the darker tone of the Final Arcs

My Hero Academia Volume 33

Over time, Horikoshi's designs began to become a bit more realistic and moody, and with that came the darker tone of the series. This is reflected in the cover of volume 33, where Deku, who has become a villain at this point, is dressed in his worn and dirty vigilante costume, while Uraraka and Ida can be shown with emotional faces. The way the two are combined into Deku's costume is a clever way to emphasize how much they mean to Deku at a time when he was fully prepared to let many of his friends go.

The tiny raindrops that cover the illustration also add to the darker aesthetic, especially when paired with Deku's glowing green eye that stares blankly at the reader. It's one of the creepiest covers out there My herobut one that is so stunning to look at and a true showcase of Horikoshi's amazing character and costume designs.

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Volume 8

A vibrant and colorful tribute to classic comic book covers

My Hero Academia Volume 8

Arguably Horikoshi's biggest homage to Marvel Comics is the cover for Volume 8, which features several characters split into their own colored strips while Momo is seen in the middle. The first semester final exam covered in this volume of chapters is quite a stressful affair for many students, especially Momo, who begins to doubt her own usefulness after bonding with Todoroki.

On the other hand, Deku and Bakugo have a pretty hard time trying to work together when going up against All Might, which is very clear on this cover as they both ignore each other while All Might stands high and mighty in the background. . Being able to capture the emotions of so many characters with a single flashy cover is a testament to what a great artist Horikoshi truly is.

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Volume 24

This cover can say so much about each member of the League of Villains

My Hero Academia Volume 24

The League of Villains take center stage in this cover to begin their respective story arcs, and it's honestly remarkable how much you can glean about this ragtag group just by looking at them. Whether it's the quiet and reserved Dabi sitting in the corner, the funny Twice rubbing his head, or even just Toga coldly staring at the reader, this cover has a lot of charm that comes from the varied expressions of each of the main villains.

Another neat little thing that takes this cover to the next level is the “Villain” wording strung up to cover the original title, almost like a fourth wall where the characters play against Horikoshi's rules. Shigaraki may already be on a few covers, but seeing him and the gang in their natural habitat is still an unforgettable image that effortlessly conveys exactly who each of them are and what sets them apart.

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Volume 25

A terrifying illustration that expresses Shigaraki's sadistic personality

My Hero Academia Volume 25

Shigaraki is one of the creepiest characters in the entire series, especially when his hand mask is removed to reveal his crooked smile and facial expressions. Despite being very brash and sometimes even hot-headed, Shigaraki is still extremely powerful and takes great joy in destroying the society of heroes, as expressed by his face on this iconic cover.

While the purple shade covering the entire page certainly helps to make it unique, it's the sadistic expression on Shigaraki's face, paired with his tousled white hair and devious smile that make this cover stand out so much. Hirakoshi also decided to make it look like Shigaraki's clothes are starting to disintegrate, probably as a subtle nod to his Quirk and how it fits into his tragic backstory.

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Volume 1

An All-Timer that even fans outside of My Hero Academia can recognize

My Hero Academia Volume 1

The cover of Volume 1 has become one of the most iconic covers of the entire manga. The image of Deku walking forward while All Might grins from ear to ear in the background is an illustration that has become synonymous with the series, but it also sets the stage for what's to come. Not only does it convey the vibrant and joyous tone of the early seasons, but the introduction of several Pro-Heroes in the background also showcases Horikoshi's character designs, getting readers pumped for the adventure ahead and the characters they'll meet along the way.

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This cover would become so legendary that it would even be referenced in the final volume, which traded All Might for the older Deku. However, this cover still remains one of the best in the history of the series, to the point that it even convinced thatMy hero fans to buy it just for the image alone.

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Volume 11

Horikoshi puts his incredible character designs on full display through minimalist packaging

My Hero Academia Volume 11

This intense cover provides a rare look at All Might without his signature smile. Instead, he is seen with a terrifying expression on his face as he prepares for one of his extremely powerful attacks, clearly battered and bruised from a battle with a certain someone. This volume kicks off All Might with the All For One confrontation, which is probably one of the most exciting installments of the entire series, so this cover looks set to be as epic as it gets.

The choice to remove the background entirely also allows Horikoshi's characters to really stand out, especially the color coordination which makes All Might look even more awesome. Overall, it's a dazzling illustration that does a perfect job of highlighting just how high the stakes were for this epic showdown between two arch-enemies.

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Release date

April 3, 2016

Japanese title

Bye no Hero Academia

Creator

Kōhei Horikoshi

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