When & Where Is My Hero Academia Set?

In a universe where nearly 80% of the population possesses superhuman abilities called “Quirks,” the concept of heroism is elevated to a professional and institutionalized level. My Hero Academia, a globally acclaimed manga and anime series created by Kōhei Horikoshi, plunges its audience into this intricate world with zeal and vibrancy. But one can’t help but wonder: When and where exactly is this My Hero Academia set?

The exact year in which My Hero Academia is set is unknown. The world depicted in the series is realistic and very similar to ours, but it is obvious, due to all the technological achievements we’ve seen, that it is a futuristic world, as all the things we’ve seen in the series simply aren’t possible with today’s technology. From what can be assumed, the show could be set sometime after 2,100. The plot takes place on Earth, mostly in Japan, with some fictional and real locations present.

The rest of this article will be dedicated to the story of My Hero Academia. Namely, to properly explain our answer, we need to tell you about the setting of this manga and the story. Some spoilers will be present, but we’ll try to keep them limited.

Where is My Hero Academia set?

Well, we know that it is set on Earth in the future and has many fictional locations, but the countries are more or less the same. Some of the locations include Deika City, Esuha City, Musutafu, Jaku City, Tokyo, Yokohama, and Fukuoka (all in Japan), as well as Qing Qing City, which is located in China. It is assumed that the other countries are more or less the same, but the author hasn’t explored these locations in the work itself.

In what year does My Hero Academia take place?

As is the case with many major manga series, the exact year it takes place is unknown. This is done to avoid any references to real-life events. It makes things easier for the author, as he can create his world without worrying about real-life references and being called inaccurate or inappropriate. This is not a rule, but authors generally do it like that.

My Hero Academia is not an exception in this case; we have no idea when it is set. From what we’ve seen in the series, we know that it takes place in our world, but the technology depicted is too futuristic to be anything more than a distant future. It is definitely not set in real-time, as this is not an alternative present.

We can assume that it is set several decades in the future, at least, because the technology seems too advanced, and we don’t think it is achievable in the next 50-ish years.

Some online theories state that it could be set as early as 2,050, but it doesn’t seem likely that our technology would be so advanced in such a short period of time. Some go as far as 2,300, but that seems like overkill to us, although it is more plausible than the first theory.

From what we could gather, the story could probably be set sometime after 2,100 (and before 2,200), as the technology is not that advanced, but it is definitely more advanced than it is now. Based on that, it is quite possible that we could achieve such a level in a century or so. But, to clarify our thoughts, we are going to tell you a bit about the plot and the world of My Hero Academia.

What is the setting of My Hero Academia?

The story is set in a world where, due to a genetic mutation, primarily evidenced by the lack of a joint in the little toe, mankind has gained the ability to develop superpowers called Quirk, which appear in children by the age of four: it is estimated that around 80% of the world’s population possesses a Quirk.

There are infinite types of Quirks, and it is extremely unlikely to find two people who possess the exact same power unless they are closely related. These particular abilities have allowed the development of a new category of people: the Heroes, who face evil-minded individuals who use Quirks for selfish and criminal purposes, commonly known as Villains. Furthermore, Heroes who choose to practice heroism in the workplace are recognized as Pro Hero.

Typically, heroes collaborate in teams called Agencies, which are made up of a Pro Hero in leadership and heroes who serve as sidekicks. A person must go through a heroism education and training program that is integrated into high school education and involves fighting and lifesaving training to become a licensed Pro Hero. The ability to work with authorized Pro Heroes is available to aspiring Heroes.

This gives students the chance to receive specialized instruction and real-world experience, both of which might help them stand out to other Pro Heroes who might want to hire them as sidekicks when they graduate. Unless there are special circumstances, utilizing your Quirk publicly without authorization is illegal unless you are a recognized Hero.

Quirks have been divided into three categories:

• the Emitter type, the most widespread, which gives the ability to produce and emit substances or alter materials within certain limits. As the name indicates, this type of Quirk requires conscious use and, at times, good concentration skills, especially for prolonged use;
• the Transformation type, which allows the user to temporarily transform his body or part of it in order to obtain a physical enhancement or additional abilities. With a few exceptions, alterations due to this type of Quirk only affect users;
• the Mutant type, which always remains passively active by amplifying or altering the functions and abilities of an organism and, precisely for this reason, induces much greater bodily mutations in the bearer than the other types, which makes bearers of this type of Quirk easily recognizable.

However, managing the control of these abilities requires training, and the resulting mutations can cause problems or discomfort to the bearers. Everything related to these powers, including the biological changes and mechanisms that allow them to function and the still unknown aspects, is summarized with the expression “Quirk factor.”

In some cases, two Quirks can merge into a new Quirk. After the initial manifestation of a Quirk, it is also possible that it undergoes an “Awakening” and evolves. This leads to the Quirk gaining new abilities that weren’t possible before. According to the widely accepted “Singularity of Quirks” theory, quirks will continue to evolve, becoming more powerful and complicated with each new generation until they become uncontrollable.