It is no secret that My Hero Academia draws inspiration from other major superhero franchises in pop culture, specifically the two largest: Marvel and DC. The series' main focus revolves around overpowered heroes who were born with remarkable strengths and abilities, so it makes sense that the author, Kohei Horikoshi, would be motivated by other superheroes.

However, a subtle manga detail has just sparked a new fan theory that perhaps one of Marvel's most popular heroes, Spider-Man, exists in the My Hero Academia world. @Cle_killa, a My Hero Academia fan on X, drew fans' attention to one manga that features a character with an uncanny resemblance to Marvel's Spider-Man.

My Hero Academia Fans Have Theorized That Spider-Man Is a Part of the Series’ World

One Subtle Silhouette in a Manga Appears to Be a Reference to the Marvel Superhero, Spider-Man

The post on X highlights one page of the My Hero Academia manga that features a group of heroes standing together, while the narrating text explains the nature of Quirks, how these superpowered skills came about, and how they are used by heroes to battle villains and keep society protected. Within the cluster of heroes in the illustration, there is one silhouette of a character who looks shockingly similar to Marvel's Spider-Man. The character wears a full-body superhero suit with eyeholes that match Spider-Man's perfectly. Although Spider-Man is not a referenced character in My Hero Academia, this sparked readers' curiosity.

In the same frame, there is an outline of a hero who appears almost identical to Superman from the DC Universe, with an extremely muscular frame and a fist outstretched, as if preparing to take off in flight. These subtle superhero references could indicate that these beloved heroes have a place in the world of My Hero Academia and fight alongside Horikoshi's original characters, but their inclusion in the manga could also just be a clever nod to some of the heroes from which the talented mangaka derived much of his inspiration for his own story.

Kohei Horikoshi Has Been Open About How Superheroes Inspired His Work

Many Characters in the Story Bear Striking Resemblance to Familiar Western Superheroes

Marvel, DC, and other Western comics were major influences on Horikoshi when writing My Hero Academia, and the creator is always eager to reference his favorite heroes in interviews. In fact, in one Comicbook.com interview, the creator is cited as stating, "Yeah, I literally have a Japanese translated version of a U.S. superhero title in my left hand, and I'm drawing with my right," which is undeniable proof of his adoration of Western superheroes and their noticeable impact on his own writing. Even if Spider-Man himself is not a confirmed part of the series, other characters in My Hero Academia resemble famous superheroes in noticeable ways.

A few Knuckleduster and Batman, and All Might and Superman, and these comparisons just scrape the surface of My Hero Academia heroes that can be compared to other superheroes in fiction. The fan theory about Spider-Man being a part of My Hero Academia's cast may never have been officially confirmed with absolute certainty, but it is easy to see why fans have their suspicions that the Marvel hero may be referenced in the story, since Kohei Horikoshi's love of superheroes is plain to see in all aspects of My Hero Academia.

Source: @Cle_killa on X, Comicbook.com