My Hero Academia isn't the first story of its kind. The idea of superhero fiction goes back to the late 1930s or so, and during the Golden Age of comics, readers were introduced to Batman, Superman, and more. The world of manga soon caught up, and by now, many superhero manga and anime franchises are among the most popular titles of all, even the parody ones (like One-Punch Man).
Currently, My Hero Academia is arguably the biggest title in superhero anime right now, and it features not only the "magical high school" trope with the UA academy, but also a fantastic gallery of pro heroes who keep the streets safe. All Might is the mightiest of all, but don't forget about Endeavor, Best Jeanist, Ingenium, Hawks, and Mt. Lady, either. The fans love these heroes, and more than a few cosplayed as them. Let's check it out.
Update September 16th, 2020 by Louis Kemner: With four seasons completed and a movie to its name, not to mention a manga series that's reaching its climax, the My Hero Academia franchise has never been in better shape. The anime's fans were thrilled to watch Endeavor and Hawks become the new stars of the pro hero world, and other pros like Sir Nighteye, Mirko, and Ryukyu have graced the screen, too. Now, it is time to check out five more cool cosplays of the pro heroes.
15 Fantastic Four
Why not start off with a group shot? In this picture from kaori_triz, all of the teachers at the prestigious UA school are pro heroes, and they are working hard to pass on everything they know to trainee heroes at that school. They have a big responsibility to bear.
Here, we get some fine cosplays of skinny All Might, Midnight, Mt. Lady (not a teacher, but a friend), and Eraserhead, and all of them are totally in character. All Might is worn out but still has a tough attitude, and Mt. Lady looks a bit preoccupied. She's probably daydreaming about dinner.
14 Good Friends
Both Eraserhead and Present Mic are teachers at UA, and in the old days, they were both students, too (and Present Mic gave Eraserhead his hero name, too). They have totally different personalities, but at least they get along respectfully.
And in this charming cosplay shot, they get along really well! We like this friendly scene, complete with a sunny background and some on-theme clothing. Aizawa has a cool coat on, and Present Mic's dazzling yellow matches his wild hair 100%.
13 All Together, Now
We scored big with this third entry. Over a dozen pro hero cosplays are all together at once, and we'll bet that this was taken right before or during a fun convention. It might be faster to name the pro heroes who aren't included in this shot.
They've got it all, from a gender-bender Gan Torino to Nana Shimura to Bubble Girl and Selkie, and naturally, popular choices like All Might and Eraserhead are included as well. Even Stain and Tomura Shigraki together wouldn't challenge this squad.
12 Burning Bright
This fourth entry includes another hero we would know at a glance: the fiery Endeavor. For a long time, he was stuck in 2nd place in the pro hero world, overshadowed by the and one only All Might. Now he is #1 at last.
We couldn't ask for more from an Endeavor cosplay, from his picture-perfect uniform and his tough-guy stance to those amazing glowing fire props. And this shot was taken in the evening, so his glowing fire effects stand out even more!
11 Denim And Gum
You never know what theme a pro hero will use for their costume. To the left is a cosplayer who faithfully brought Best Jeanist to life, who is one of the top pro heroes of all. He can create steely denim threads to trap any opponent with ease.
And to the left is Fat Gum, a tough guy who is always snacking... and for good reason. His bulky body can absorb hits, and he will dish out bone-crushing attacks and become slim and tough in the process. But for today, he'd rather pose for the camera! Even Best Jeanist is being a good sport about it.
10 Bird's-Eye View
We haven't seen much of this pro hero yet in the My Hero Academia anime, but he's appeared in some of the recent manga chapters. Who is he? Hawks is one of the top pro heroes, among the ranks of Best Jeanist and Endeavor, and he's a casual but professional hero indeed.
This cosplayer took great pains to recreate the winged hero's red wings, and we say that their effort totally paid off. The wings even fade to black at the edges, which is a great touch, and the clothes look authentic and comfortable, too.
9 Ectoplasm: Clone Hero
Any fight against the pro hero (and UA teacher) Ectoplasm isn't going to be a one-on-one duel for long! This pro hero can create duplicates of himself, and soon fill an entire room with them. He has his limits, but good luck beating all those duplicates.
So, this cosplayer brought us three Ectoplasms on a rooftop in some gloomy lighting, and it's the perfect mood for a spooky hero like Ectoplasm. That fog effect is a great touch, too, adding a sense of mystery to the scene.
8 Still Good Friends
These guys are so hilarious together, we just had to include them again. This time around, both Present Mic and Eraserhead are in their hero costumes, as we see them at UA, and these cosplay outfits are some of the finest we've seen. They look high-quality and authentic down to the last thread!
These cosplayers also chose some great poses for this shot, including Eraserhead's sullen crouch and Present Mic's enthusiastic hollering. He's probably crying out "Don't fear, the heroes are here!" And Eraserhead probably wishes he had brought earplugs.
7 Ocean Hero
We haven't yet included this pro hero, have we? Meet Gang Orca, one of the strongest pro heroes, and one of the biggest, too. His quirk is based on sound, and he can stun his enemies with sonic attacks. Remember that in the hero license exam arc?
This cosplayer, meanwhile, did a fine job not only choosing a great venue for the shot, but also a high-quality white suit and a finely made whale-shaped helmet to make this orca hero come to life. The shores are in safe hands.
6 Night And Day
Let's continue the list with another Present Mic cosplay, and he's got another odd friend with him: Sir Nighteye. Once again, Present Mic has an odd habit of finding the most serious and uptight friends, but they seem to like him pretty well, too.
Present Mic has let his hair down (did he run out of gel?), and he's even got an Eraserhead plushie as a token of his childhood friendship! Sir Nighteye is probably just humoring the eccentric Present Mic, though he's a good enough sport to pose for the camera.
5 Soar High
Hawks was a rising star in Season 4 of My Hero Academia, and this young but talented hero has some intriguing on-screen chemistry with the new #1 hero, Endeavor. He easily showed off what he's capable of, saving many lives with his floating red feathers.
In this astonishing cosplay shot, Hawks really is taking flight on those red wings, and the cosplayer really seems to be floating in the air. The towering buildings in the background help reinforce the sense of height, too.
4 Retiring In Style
All Might has hung up his cape at last, but the world will always love him as the tireless Symbol of Peace, and mega-fans like Izuku and Sir Nighteye still believe in his vision. The man himself, meanwhile, is touring the world in style.
In this cool cosplay shot, All Might is in his skinny form, and he is wearing a blue and white lettering jacket while climbing into a cool 1970s-style car, a throwback to the good old days of American comics. It's time to hit the road and tour the U.S.A. with a low profile.
3 Dragon Lady
Season 4 introduced Ryukyu, a hero who ranks in the top 10 of all pro heroes. She fought alongside Ochaco, Tsuyu, and Nejire Hado for a time, and the four of them helped raid Overhaul's base and took on all comers.
Ryukyu is looking good here, a regal and powerful hero with a confident but kind face. She has removed those metal hairpins and is holding them as though to say "I'm off duty right now." But when it's time to fight, she'll be there.
2 Light And Dark
Midnight returns for another cosplay shot, and this time, she is having fun with a friend. She and Fat Gum have rather different methods since Midnight relies on her quirk while Fat Gum is more of a melee-oriented hero.
Still, the two of them would make a good team, and Midnight is in a great mood as she smiles and holds her friend in her arms. Fat Gum is delighted to have Midnight with him.
1 On The Job
Here are two more heroes who help round out the hero industry. Hawks and Endeavor can't do everything alone; they need other top-tier pros like Kamui Wood and Edgeshot to keep the streets safe.
Kamui Woods is looking intense here, with highly detailed and anime-accurate props for the tree-like limbs and his wooden, helmet-like head. Edgeshot, to the right, has all the details down for his vivid red, white and blue costume, and of course, his rigid and distinct hair is right on point, too. They're both ready for action.