Summary
- My Hero Academia portrays a superhero society where individuals have quirks, but protagonist Midoriya doesn't have one. He strives to become a hero with the help of All Might's quirk.
- Other manga series like Thou Shalt Not Die, Ratman, and Tiger And Bunny explore similar themes of heroes and superpowers in their respective societies.
- Hunter x Hunter, Black Clover, Fire Force, and One Punch Man also feature protagonists who challenge societal norms and strive to become heroes despite not having traditional powers.
The ongoing My Hero Academia manga series portrays a superhero society where individuals have various supernatural abilities called quirks. In a society where all individuals have quirks, Izuku Midoriya is born without a quirk of his own. Despite the lack of a quirk, Midoriya strives to become a hero and will do whatever it takes in the My Hero Academia world.
Fortunately for Midoriya, the then-number-one hero All Might passed on his quirk to him, giving him a chance to compete to become number one like everyone else. For fans interested in similar themes, other manga series such as Thou Shalt Not Die and Ratman are worth exploring.
8 Shy
Following the end of the threat of World War III, several heroes were selected to represent their respective countries and ensure the safety of their citizens. In Japan, a 14-year-old named Teri Momijiyima was chosen as a hero and was given the name "Shy" due to her extreme shyness. Unfortunately, her shyness caused her to have multiple setbacks with citizens, which ultimately led to a state of depression and a temporary loss of her powers.
Despite these setbacks, Teri realized the imminent threat of various evil organizations around the world and decided to become a more confident hero who could better serve her citizens. She picked herself up and worked hard to become the hero that Japan needed.
7 Ratman
The Ratman manga series depicts a society with a widespread presence of heroes who operate under the Hero Association, and the association assigns various missions to these heroes. Shuto Katsuragi, a 15-year-old, has had the dream of becoming a hero since his childhood. However, his friends often ridicule him for being too short.
During a conversation with his friend Mirea, Shuto shares his determination to not give up on his dream of becoming a hero. However, Jackal, an evil organization, kidnaps him as a candidate for Ratman. Deceived into wearing a watch that transforms him into Ratman, Shuto works for the Jackal Society, which aims to overthrow the Hero Association. Nonetheless, Shuto perseveres in his quest to become the hero he has always aspired to be.
6 Thou Shalt Not Die
The seinen manga series Thou Shalt Not Die by Taro Yoko depicts a society in the future where superpowers are present and widespread. Because of this, The Special Abilities Private High School was created to train students and use their powers for the sake of war. The protagonists of the series, Kuroi and Mashiro, must survive through school and on the battlefield, where increasingly hostile enemies are commonplace.
Thou Shalt Not Die portrays a darker side of superhero society than My Hero Academia. The manga portrays themes of corruption among heroes and the darker side of human behavior. With the themes it portrays, the series serves as an interesting read for fans who love the My Hero Academia manga series.
5 Tiger And Bunny
In a reimagined New York, individuals known as NEXT (Noted Entities with Extraordinary Talents) began appearing. While some use their powers for the good of society, others take on more villainous roles, serving their selfish desires with their powers. With this, a superhuman society is born.
As superheroes fight crime in a futuristic city, veteran hero Wild Tiger is paired with the new superhero Barnaby Brooks (also known as Bunny). While the duo starts fighting crime together, they quickly realize that they have conflicting ideas on how a hero should act and think. Most of the series is focused on how the duo tries to solve the murder of Barnaby’s parents.
4 Hunter x Hunter
Like the quirks of the characters in My Hero Academia, the hunters portrayed in Hunter x Hunter are elite individuals capable of various feats that ordinary humans cannot fathom. Possessing the ability to control Nen, these superhumans use their abilities to track down rare beats and treasures.
While My Hero Academia portrays Midoriya, a young boy who strives to become the number one hero, saving all with a smile, Hunter x Hunter portrays Gon Freecss, a young boy who strives to find his father, Ging. As Ging is a world-renowned Hunter, Gon finds that to find his father, he needs sufficient strength to explore the world with hunters and other supernatural creatures.
3 Black Clover
In a world where all individuals are born with the ability to manipulate mana, Asta, a young boy, serves as an oddball with no magic power. Despite his inability to use mana, Asta strives to become the wizard king—the number one mage of the Clover Kingdom who protects the people. With no magic power, the young boy focuses on building his physical strength to achieve his dream.
Like My Hero Academia, Black Clover portrays an individual who does not have powers and defies the norm. Despite starting off with a disadvantage, Asta, like Midoriya, challenges his fate and finds a unique way to protect the people he loves.
2 Fire Force
250 years ago, a grave event known as the Great Cataclysm occurred. During the Great Cataclysm, nations were wiped out, and the world was set on fire due to spontaneous human combustion—a phenomenon where humans were spontaneously ignited. When humans spontaneously ignited, mindless devil-like beings called Infernals were created and destroyed all in their path.
While infernals are the result of the first generation of human combustion, humans adapted, birthing a second and third generation of humans with the ability to manipulate and control their flames. To battle the mindless infernals that threaten society, the Fire Force Companies were created. They who would serve as the heroes of humanity face many obstacles in their path to saving lives.
1 One Punch Man
On a different version of Earth where superpowers exist, individuals use their powers for their own selfish purposes and wreak havoc. Thankfully, to stop the evil villains who plague society, heroes arose to fight those who oppress the masses, birthing the concept of superheroes and supervillains. The protagonist of the One Punch Man manga is Saitama, a former salaryman who loves to perform heroic feats.
After training relentlessly for three years, Saitama is reborn, able to instantly destroy any enemy he comes across with one punch. Similar to My Hero Academia, One Punch Man has a society where superpowers exist. With the concept of superheroes and supervillains present in everyday life, both series have striking similarities that fans will love.