Yuichi Fukuda’s live-action adaptation of the manga “My Hero Academia” opened to strong box office numbers in Japan but saw a steep decline in audience retention after the first act, according to internal tracking data from distributor Toho Co., Ltd. The film, released nationwide on August 2, 2024, earned ¥1.2 billion in its opening weekend, surpassing studio projections by 18%. However, by its third weekend, daily attendance had dropped to less than 30% of opening-day levels, a decline steeper than the average for live-action manga adaptations released in Japan over the past five years.
The adaptation, directed by Fukuda and written by screenwriter Yusuke Watanabe, closely follows the manga’s early storyline, focusing on Izuku Midoriya’s enrollment at U.A. High School and his initial training under All Might. Scenes depicting the entrance exam and the first joint training exercise with Class 1-A were noted by critics for their visual fidelity to Kohei Horikoshi’s original panels, particularly in the use of practical effects and stunt choreography to replicate Quirk manifestations.
Despite this fidelity, audience feedback collected by cinema research firm Eiga Tsushin indicated growing dissatisfaction with the film’s pacing after the 60-minute mark. Viewers reported that the narrative failed to escalate tension or develop character arcs beyond the introductory phase, resulting in a perceived lack of narrative momentum leading into the final confrontation with the League of Villains. The climax, which adapts the manga’s “U.S.J. Incident” arc, was described in post-screening surveys as “underwhelming” and “rushed,” with particular criticism directed at the abbreviated portrayal of Shoto Todoroki’s backstory and the limited screen time given to Tenya Iida and Ochaco Uraraka during the battle sequence.
Toho’s internal post-release analysis, shared with select industry partners in September 2024, concluded that although the film succeeded in attracting the manga’s core fanbase, it struggled to engage casual viewers unfamiliar with the source material. The report cited the assumption of prior knowledge as a key limitation, noting that key motivational beats — such as Midoriya’s inheritance of One For All and the ideological conflict between All Might and All For One — were presented without sufficient exposition for new audiences.
In response to the declining traction, Toho did not authorize a theatrical extension beyond the standard four-week run, opting instead to schedule the film’s premiere on its streaming platform, Toho Vision, for November 1, 2024. The decision aligns with the company’s recent strategy of shifting underperforming theatrical releases to digital platforms to recoup marketing costs, a approach applied to three other live-action adaptations released in 2024.
As of October 2024, no official announcement has been made regarding a sequel or continued adaptation of later manga arcs under Fukuda’s direction. Toho’s public relations office confirmed that all live-action manga adaptation projects remain under review, with future greenlights contingent on both creative performance and audience engagement metrics from recent releases.
