‘My Hero Academia Faces’ Backlash in Marvel Crossover Over Mirko’s Skin Color

As a long-time fan of both ‘My Hero Academia‘ and Marvel, I’ve seen my fair share of crossovers that either hit the mark or miss it by a mile. This one, unfortunately, seems to have missed the bullseye, at least when it comes to one character – Mirko.

In Japan, the last installment of ‘My Hero Academia’ made a distinctive impact due to a special collaboration between the series by Kohei Horikoshi and Marvel, featuring artistic contributions from Humberto Ramos and Edgar Delgado.

Through this partnership, figures hailing from distinct realms were united, such as the merging of Spider-Man with All Might and Deku from ‘My Hero Academia’.

Despite the positive response to the crossover idea, there was debate centered around the representation of Mirko, a character recognized for her darker complexion, regarding her depiction.

In the main ‘My Hero Academia’ storyline, Mirko is portrayed with a noticeably darker skin tone. Yet, some fans have pointed out a difference in her complexion when she appeared in the Marvel crossover artwork posted on Marvel Comics’ X page, where she was shown to have a lighter shade.

This difference caught the attention of social media users! Check it out below:

Marvel Comics, please ensure diversity in your coloring department! The recent portrayal of Mirko seems off the mark. Let’s strive for improvement together.

— TheMightyZ (@TheMightyZ2) December 4, 2024

Horikoshi put immense effort and passion into creating a Spider-Man tribute reminiscent of CLEAN, and Marvel responded with something similar. While it’s good that they took inspiration from his work, it’s disappointing that they failed to accurately represent the characters’ ethnicities, which undermines the point entirely. It’s disturbing how Marvel handled Mirko, as it seems they didn’t give due respect to her original appearance.

— AtomicA 🏳️‍⚧️ (@LastCallAtomicA) December 4, 2024

How could y’all do this to my Queen Mirko…

— Alanin_8 (@Alanin_8) December 4, 2024

Why did y’all post the one where Mirko was stripped of all her melanin lol

— Alanin_8 (@Alanin_8) December 4, 2024

marvel don’t pmo…

— Cen🕯️ (@cenznx) December 4, 2024

I was pretty pumped when my buddy Edgar shared a fresh take on Mirko on his socials, it looked just like the classic version we all know and love! It was awesome to see him celebrating the game’s release in such an iconic way.

Marvel meets My Hero Academia! Colors over art by @humberto_ramos

— Edgar Delgado (@delgaduck) December 4, 2024

This version, rather than the one causing controversy due to its lighter skin tone, was the one showcased on Marvel’s official site.

On previous occasions, Mirko’s portrayal has sparked controversy. When she first appeared in Season 5 of the anime, there were disagreements among viewers about her skin tone being noticeably lighter than how it was depicted in the manga sketches.

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2024-12-05 20:14