My Hero Academia is marking the end of its decade-long run with a global character popularity poll. Over the past ten years, Kohei Horikoshi’s superhero series has garnered a vast international fanbase, and Shueisha’s latest initiative offers fans a chance to vote for their favorite characters one final time.
Shueisha has announced a worldwide online poll titled “World’s Best Hero.” Voting for the first round will take place on a dedicated website from August 5, 2024, to September 30, 2024, until 11:59 p.m. JST.
In the first round, fans will help narrow down a list of nearly 278 characters to the top three. In the second round, voters will choose their favorite among these top three. The character with the most votes will be named “The MHA” and will be honored with a special illustration by Kohei Horikoshi, which will be used as the design for a commemorative statue.
My Hero Academia Launches Its Largest Popularity Poll to Date
My Hero Academia is hosting its biggest character popularity poll yet, open to fans globally. The poll includes a diverse roster of 278 characters, encompassing pro-heroes, villains, former One For All users, students from Class 1-A and Class 1-B, other U.A. students and teachers, students from other schools like Shiketsu High, and even minor characters such as Eri and Tenko’s pet dog, Mon.
The voting process is divided into two stages. During the first stage, known as the “Main Stage,” fans can vote once daily. The results of this stage will be revealed on December 2, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. JST via a live stream on Shonen Jump’s YouTube channel. The top three characters from this stage will move on to the second stage of voting.
In the second stage, called the “Plus Ultra Stage,” fans can vote up to 12 times per hour, for a total of 24 hours, from December 2, 2024, 7:00 p.m. JST to December 3, 2024, 7:59 p.m. JST, for their favorite character among the top three. The final results and the overall winner will be announced on December 3, 2024, at 9:30 p.m. JST, again via Shonen Jump’s YouTube channel.
My Hero Academia’s Global Poll Highlights Its International Fanbase
It’s unusual for manga series to involve their international audiences so extensively. Most popularity polls are typically conducted within Japan, often excluding global fans. This initiative by My Hero Academia reflects its recognition and appreciation of its international fanbase, marking a significant shift in how manga series engage with their global communities.
The series has garnered widespread affection from readers around the world over the past decade, and this initiative underscores its mainstream appeal. Hopefully, Kohei Horikoshi will continue to share more of his stories with fans globally in the future.
