My Hero Academia Manga Author Draws Mirko and U.A. Students in Mirko's Hero Costume as Happy New Year Card

Kohei Horikoshi, the author of My Hero Academia manga, posted on Tuesday an illustration of the series’ characters as a happy new year wish. The anime’s official Twitter account released a new visual of Mirko dressed in Kimono on New Year’s Day.

The author’s visual post came at 2 a.m. on the third day of 2023 with a caption:
A late greeting, I wish you a happy new year! I’d like to receive your continued support this year! Mirko’s clothes turned out to be the same as the anime’s happy new year illustration. Amazing.

As it’s the year of the Usagi (rabbit/hare) in the Japanese zodiac, the illustration features the Rabbit Hero Mirko dressed in, as Horikoshi states in the caption, kimono. Above her head can be seen his comment “Mirko doesn’t like it because it’s hard to move around in it”. The creature next to her is written as “President Rabbit.” Six students from U.A. High School appear, and all of them except Katsuki Bakugo are wearing the Mirko’s hero costume, and each of them comes with the author’s comment as well. Above all of them, at the center, can be seen yet another happy new year message from the manga creator:
There is a character called Mirko inspired by Usagi (rabbit/hare) in the story, and this illustration depicts characters enjoying the cosplay of Mirko as it’s the Rabbit year. It’s not that it’d be hard for me to draw them in the Haorihakama (Men’s Kimono – Haori coat with Hakama skirt) or the Furisode (long-sleeved kimono) [Note: They are worn on special occasions]. I wish you a happy new year.

His comment for each character is as follows:

• For Izuku Midoriya (Deku): Deku ended up being used to taking a pose in front of the camera even though his balls almost come out.
• For Kyoka Jiro: She joined in, as Uraraka will also wear it, but she feels embarrassed after all.
• For Ochako Uraraka: Ochako is floating after she found the rice cake delicious.
• For Eijiro Kirishima: Kirishima with his balls outside went under the image process
• For Shoto Todoroki: Todoroki-kun does anything when asked for a favor.
• For Katsuki Bakugo (Kacchan): Kacchan didn’t listen to them [so that he is the only student dressed in Kimono]

Kohei Horikoshi draws the My Hero Academia manga, which has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since July 2014. The series released the first compiled volume in November 2014 and published the latest, 36th, volume on October 4, 2022. Animation studio Bones is animating the My Hero Academia anime series and the latest, 6th season has been airing every Saturday since October 1 in Japan. Viz Media licensed the manga and released the latest, 32nd, volume on October 4, 2022. The 33rd volume is available for pre-order and the release date is set for February 7, 2023. The official website describes the plot of the first volume as:
Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Source: Official Twitter
© Kohei Horikoshi, Sueisha