Kohei Horikoshi apologized for the short breaks that the My Hero Academia manga has taken throughout 2021.
In a new collection of messages from manga authors posted to the VIZ Media blog, Horikoshi stated, "I’m sorry for all the breaks. My schedule is a mess. I’m getting back on track." VIZ Media is the publisher of My Hero Academia in North America. On Oct. 17, Weekly Shonen Jump confirmed that the release of the next chapter would be delayed by one week and will now release on Nov. 1. Prior to that, the popular shonen manga took a one-week hiatus in September, and several other short breaks throughout the first half of the year, with Horikoshi's poor health often being cited as the reason.
The manga industry has long been criticized for its grueling deadlines that often require manga artists and their teams to work around the clock to meet publication schedules. In recent years, artists such as One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda have had to slow down their schedules for their own well-being, taking regular one-week breaks to recover. Long-lasting health issues have also resulted in a number of series going on an indefinite hiatus, as exemplified by creator Yoshihiro Togashi, who had to put their Hunter X Hunter manga on hold for several years. Concerns over manga creators' health were renewed when Berserk creator Kentarou Miura, who was only 54 at the time, suddenly passed away in May from an acute aortic dissection. Jujutsu Kaisen took a month long break this summer over concerns surrounding creator Gege Akutami's health. The manga has since resumed publication.
Despite the frequent breaks, it appears that Horikoshi's manga is quickly approaching its conclusion. Last March, Weekly Shonen Jump announced that the series had entered its "final act." Horikoshi has also stated that series, which began in 2014, has run for longer than he had anticipated and that he has already determined how the story will end.
The anime adaptation of the series recently wrapped up its fifth season this September, with the final episode being quickly followed up with the announcement that the series will continue with a sixth season, which will adapt the manga's Paranormal Liberation War arc. The arc will feature the world's best pro-heroes and heroes-in-training at U.A. High School clashing in open warfare against the villains of the Meta-Liberation Army. The third and latest movie in the series, World Heroes' Mission, will begin its theatrical run in the United States and Canada on Oct. 29.
Source: VIZ Media Blog
