The curtain has finally fallen on My Hero Academia, leaving a global community of fans grappling with an emotional farewell that transcends the screen. Over the years, MHA evolved into more than a simple superhero narrative; it became a profound formative journey centered on resilience, the burden of legacy, and the courage to remain hopeful in a crumbling world. Season 8 pushes these motifs to their absolute limit as Class 1-A navigates the catastrophic aftermath of the Paranormal Liberation Front’s uprising. Izuku Midoriya and his peers find themselves facing overwhelming odds, testing their friendships and their resolve like never before.
Since its 2015 debut, the series has served as a gateway into anime for an entire generation. From its adrenaline-fueled beginnings to its bittersweet conclusion, it has defined a decade of the medium. Its finale represents the end of an era. If you found yourself moved to tears during the final episodes, you aren’t alone—the English dub cast felt that same weight, channeling years of personal connection into their final performances.
Ahead of the series wrap, Polygon spoke with the voices behind the icons: Christopher Wehkamp (Shouta Aizawa), J. Michael Tatum (Tenya Iida), Justin Cook (Eijiro Kirishima), Jason Liebrecht (Dabi), and David Matranga (Shoto Todoroki). They reflected on the monumental task of concluding this long-running saga.
“Witnessing Season 8 weave all these narrative threads into such a powerful emotional resolution for the characters has been a magical experience,” Wehkamp shared. “Being in the booth, giving voice to those moments—it’s incredibly poignant.”
The difficulty of the goodbye stems from how deeply the show integrated into the actors’ lives. For many, it wasn’t just a job; it was a decade-long chapter of their own personal histories.
“As someone who has lived with this for the better part of ten years, even the simple lines hit hard,” Tatum admitted. “Even if I’m just being Iida, every time a session ends, I’m a bit of a wreck. I’m just not ready to let go.”
Even as key members of the production, the cast found themselves captivated by the arcs of characters they didn’t voice, proving the show’s emotional reach was universal.
“What surprised me most about Season 8 was how frequently I was moved to tears by everyone else,” Cook noted. “From All Might’s stand at the start of the season to Aizawa—even Aoyama’s journey brought me to tears this time around.”
The tragic dynamic between the Todoroki brothers, Shoto and Dabi, served as one of the series’ most gut-wrenching storylines. Actors Jason Liebrecht and David Matranga felt the intensity of their characters’ confrontation across the final two seasons.
“David said something as Shoto recently that, on paper, might seem trivial. But the way he delivered that question was so raw and authentic,” Liebrecht recalled. “It completely informed my own performance. I feel immensely fortunate to work alongside such talented people.”
Matranga elaborated on a specific moment—a callback to a subtle interaction from Season 7—that returns in the finale with devastating impact.
“In Season 8, when Shoto asks for more time, it’s his way of trying to bridge that gap,” Matranga explained. “In context, it’s everything. It’s an olive branch of love, acceptance, and deep-seated remorse.”
“…and regret,” Liebrecht added, visibly moved. “Those brothers should have had the chance to speak to one another like that long ago.”
The final season of My Hero Academia is currently available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
Source: Polygon
