REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia,’ Volume 27

My Hero Academia is a fan favorite among shonen readers. It’s filled with heroes who use their quirks to fight villains but it’s also effectively a coming of age story for U.A. Class 1-A. While the bulk of the series has been focused on the students and their journey of coming into their powers the Kohei Horikoshi, the series creator, has taken the time to craft a more expansive world that looks at the villains and the adult heroes of the world as well. It’s this last part that makes My Hero Academia Volume 27, the latest volume of the series in the US, one of the most emotional of the series so far.

My Hero Academia Volume 27 is written and illustrated by Horikoshi and is localized by VIZ Media, published by its Shonen Jump imprint. The translation and adaptation are from Caleb Cook, and the volume features touch-up art and letting by John Hunt. In this volume, the kids of U.A. aren’t the focus. Instead, the confrontation between heroes and the villains of the Paranormal Liberation Front kicks off in two places. First is at Jaku Hospital where a team attempts to capture the doctor responsible for keeping All of One alive and for making Shigaraki stronger. The second team confronts the Paranormal Liberation Army directly, but instead of focusing on the all-out battle, this section of the manga zeroes in on Hawks, who is still playing a dangerous game as a double agent until he drops his act and directly takes on the villains.

One of the reasons I’ve been drawn to My Hero Academia is that in the last 100 chapters or so, the concept of hero and villain has been warped. The line between the two has shrunk and while some are truly evil like Shigaraki, others like Twice, are just looking for a place to belong after hero society cast them out. It’s the latter that has a big impact on the back half of the manga as Twice does everything he can to try and save his friends, and as a reader, you can’t help but break for him. A man who has always struggled to maintain his identity, be seen a human and ultimately found friends among the League of Villains, especially Toga.

In opposition, Hawks is the cold and calculating hero. He is logical and aware that some heroism comes at a moral price. While this complicates his character, it also points out how Horikoshi’s world works. It isn’t black and white, but somewhere in between in a sprawling grey as well. During Twice’s chapters, it’s impossible not to feel for him, to even tear up. You don’t necessarily root for the villain, so much as wonder how much he belonged with them in the first place.

But the star of this My Hero Academia Volume 27 is Mirko. The No. 5 hero, Mirko is a rabbit hero who shows unshakeable resolve as she attempts to capture the doctor responsible for the Nomu, All For One, and Shigaraki. In the process, she’s left fighting alone against a number of high-end Nomu. While we had seen glimpses of her before, this volume is where we see her strength, her determination, and exactly why she’s a hero. While diving too deeply into this element of the volume would spoil it, her chapters stand out and well worth the read. Mirko is more than just a great character design.

Finally, My Hero Academia Volume 27 is expertly illustrated. It’s packed with action moments and character close-ups that keep each page interesting. Each panel is dynamic and it’s clear how wonderfully this will lend to animation once studio BONES gets a hold of it. In addition to the fantastic art, the writing is powerful, emotive, and some of Horikoshi’s best – translated with feeling by Cook. Overall, My Hero Academia Volume 27 is breathtaking and has all the reasons why I love this series.

My Hero Academia Volume 27 is available now wherever books are sold.