The 2020s Anime Finale That Made Michael B. Jordan Cry
Michael B. Jordan, the Creed and Black Panther powerhouse, says My Hero Academia’s climactic arc moved him to tears, telling W Magazine the anime’s big emotional payoff hit harder than a knockout.
File this under pleasantly unexpected: Michael B. Jordan, yes, Creed and Black Panther Michael B. Jordan, says he straight-up cried at the end of My Hero Academia. Not a tear. A real, cathartic, ugly-ish cry. And honestly? If you know the scene he is talking about, I get it.
The moment that broke him (in a good way)
In a new W Magazine chat about stuff that gets him emotional, Jordan rattled off the usual suspects like Armageddon and Sinners, then surprised everyone by shouting out the latest season of MHA. The exact trigger: Bakugo finally getting the respect he has been chasing for years from someone he idolizes. If you have followed Bakugo from loud-mouthed rival to legitimate hero, you know how big that is. Jordan called it beautiful, and he meant it.
"I had a really good cry watching the last season of the anime My Hero Academia, when Bakugo, a character from the first season, has this emotional moment where he finally gets recognized by one of his mentors and idols. It was beautiful."
He also made the larger point that anime can hit as hard as anything in live action when the character work lands. No argument here.
What happens after the finale
If you are caught up: My Hero Academia wrapped its series in December 2025. But the story did not just fade to black. During Jump Festa, a special epilogue episode called 'More' was announced. This is not filler; it adapts Chapter 431 from Kohei Horikoshi's manga — a chapter tucked into the final Volume 42 that serves as a true postscript to the main story.
'More' arrives May 2, 2026, jumps eight years past the original ending, and checks in on Deku, Bakugo, Todoroki, and the rest of Class 1-A as full-fledged pro heroes. It is officially canon — meaning it counts — and should answer all the 'where did everyone land?' questions the finale only hinted at. The special will air on TV in Japan and stream worldwide on Crunchyroll the same day.
The anniversary victory lap
Because ten years of MHA is a big deal, Toho and the anime team are going bigger than one episode. There is a concert tour — My Hero Academia in Concert — kicking off May 30, 2026, that pairs live performances of Yuki Hayashi's score with footage from the show. Expect new anniversary artwork, a commemorative logo, and teases of even more 2026 projects. In short: the anime may have ended, but the brand is very much alive.
- Series finale: December 2025
- Special episode: 'More' (Chapter 431 epilogue from Volume 42), May 2, 2026
- Setting: 8 years after the finale; adult Class 1-A as pro heroes
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll (worldwide); also airs on Japanese TV
- Anniversary event: My Hero Academia in Concert starts May 30, 2026 (music by Yuki Hayashi)
- Canon status: 'More' is officially part of the timeline
- Quick stats: 8 seasons; manga by Kohei Horikoshi; IMDb rating 8.2/10
Where to watch right now
My Hero Academia is currently streaming on Crunchyroll. If you want to understand why Michael B. Jordan lost it over Bakugo, the receipts are there.