My Hero Academia anime rights and licensing: who owns what
The My Hero Academia franchise is a textbook shonen rights split: Shueisha owns the manga, Bones animates it, and Crunchyroll streams it in most markets outside Japan.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: My Hero Academia is a manga by Kohei Horikoshi published by Shueisha in Weekly Shonen Jump. The anime adaptation is produced by Studio Bones and has been licensed for streaming by Crunchyroll, which absorbed the earlier Funimation catalog. Viz Media publishes the English-language manga and related print materials in North America.
Who owns the My Hero Academia property?
The My Hero Academia manga is written and illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from July 2014 to August 2024, with its chapters collected into 42 tankobon volumes. Shueisha therefore controls the underlying manga rights.
The anime adaptation is produced by Studio Bones. Bones' official works list includes every My Hero Academia television season and film, confirming the studio as the long-running animation production company.
How My Hero Academia is licensed outside Japan
Viz Media publishes the English-language manga in North America and also released English versions of the light novels and guidebooks. Crunchyroll streams the anime series after Funimation, which originally held the license, was consolidated into Crunchyroll.
Toho is the Japanese theatrical distributor for the My Hero Academia films. North American theatrical releases have been handled through partnerships with distributors such as Funimation and later Crunchyroll.
Publicly disclosed My Hero Academia rights structure.| Party | Role | Rights layer |
|---|
| Kohei Horikoshi / Shueisha | Original manga creator and publisher | Underlying manga and character rights |
| Studio Bones | Animation studio | Anime production for TV series and films |
| Crunchyroll | Streaming licensee | Streaming rights in most markets outside Japan |
| Viz Media | English manga publisher | North American manga and print rights |
| Toho | Japanese film distributor | Theatrical distribution in Japan |
What the streaming consolidation means for rights
Funimation originally licensed My Hero Academia for English-speaking audiences. After Sony merged Funimation's catalog into Crunchyroll, the series became a Crunchyroll title. The underlying license terms - territory, duration, and exclusivity - were transferred or retained under the combined service.
This consolidation does not change ownership of the anime. Crunchyroll holds the streaming license, while Shueisha and the production committee retain the franchise.
Ownership uncertainty note: The exact membership of the My Hero Academia production committee and the precise terms of Crunchyroll's streaming license are not public. Sources confirm Shueisha, Studio Bones, Viz Media, and Crunchyroll as the key names, but the full contract map remains undisclosed.
Why My Hero Academia rights are split across publishers and platforms
The standard shonen model separates manga publishing from anime production and streaming. Shueisha publishes the manga, Bones produces the anime, and Crunchyroll streams it. Each party has a defined lane, which keeps the franchise running across manga, TV, film, games, and merchandise.
Because the series ran for a decade and spawned four films, multiple license renewals and side deals have likely been signed. The result is a clean public-facing structure but a complex back-end contract stack.
How My Hero Academia compares to other Weekly Shonen Jump adaptations
My Hero Academia follows the same pattern as Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen: a Weekly Shonen Jump manga, a top-tier animation studio, and Crunchyroll as the global streaming home. The difference is mainly that Bones has stayed with the franchise for its entire run.
For licensors, the contact points are Shueisha for manga rights, Bones for animation production, and Crunchyroll for streaming outside Japan.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns the anime rights to My Hero Academia?
The anime is produced by Studio Bones, but the underlying manga rights belong to Kohei Horikoshi and Shueisha. Bones owns its animation production, not the franchise.
Who licenses My Hero Academia for streaming?
Crunchyroll currently streams the My Hero Academia anime after Funimation's catalog was merged into the service.
Who publishes the My Hero Academia manga in English?
Viz Media publishes the English-language manga, light novels, and guidebooks in North America.
Which studio animates My Hero Academia?
Studio Bones has animated every My Hero Academia television season and film.
Sources and methodology
- My Hero Academia Wikipedia entry, Wikipedia. Verifies Kohei Horikoshi as creator, Shueisha as publisher, Studio Bones as anime producer, Viz Media as English publisher, and Crunchyroll/Funimation streaming history.
- Bones studio works list, Bones. Lists every My Hero Academia TV season and film as a Bones production.