The Anime Codex

The world of My Hero Academia is geographically rooted in modern-day Japan, with the majority of its events occurring within a fictionalized interpretation of the country. Rather than creating an entirely original setting, Kohei Horikoshi places the narrative within recognisable Japanese landscapes, infrastructure, and administrative regions while introducing fictional cities and districts to support the development of Hero Society. This approach allows the series to maintain a realistic geographical foundation while providing the flexibility necessary for its original world-building.

Japan as the Primary Setting

Japan serves as the principal setting throughout both the manga and anime. Although the emergence of Quirks transformed human civilization on a global scale, the central narrative remains focused on Japanese society and its hero education system. The country’s legal institutions, transportation networks, residential suburbs, commercial districts, and educational facilities closely resemble those found in contemporary Japan, reflecting Horikoshi’s intention to ground the series in a familiar cultural environment.

The prevalence of professional heroes has significantly influenced urban planning throughout the country. Large metropolitan areas incorporate specialised hero agencies, emergency evacuation routes, reinforced public infrastructure, and disaster-response systems designed to minimise civilian casualties during villain incidents. Consequently, the geography of Japan within My Hero Academia reflects both ordinary urban development and the unique demands imposed by a superpowered society.

Musutafu (無須田市)

The primary setting of the series is Musutafu, a fictional city located within Shizuoka Prefecture, a real prefecture situated along Japan’s Pacific coastline between Tokyo and Nagoya. While Musutafu does not exist outside the series, its placement within Shizuoka establishes a believable geographical context and situates many of the story’s events within central Japan.

Musutafu functions as one od the nation’s major centres of hero activity. It is home to U.A. High School, numerous professional hero agencies, commercial districts, residential neighbourhoods, and several important landmarks that appear throughout the series. Many prominent characters – including Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, Shoto Todoroki, Ochaco Uraraka, and All Might – either reside within or regularly operate from the city, making Musutafu the narrative’s primary location.

The city also contains Aldera Junior High School, where Midoriya and Bakugo studied prior to enrolling at U.A., further reinforcing Musutafu as the geographical foundation of the series’ opening chapters. 

U.A. High School

Located within Musutafu, U.A. High School is Japan’s most prestigious institution for hero education. The campus occupies an extensive area consisting of academic buildings, specialised combat training facilities, rescue simulation environments, dormitories, sports arenas, and support laboratories.

Following the League of Villains’ attack during the Forest Training Camp Arc, U.A. underwent extensive security upgrades. These improvements included the construction of a sophisticated underground evacuation system capable of transforming the campus into a fortified defensive structure, illustrating how geography and architecture have evolved in response to increasing threats posed by villains.

Other Locations

Although Musutafu remains the central setting, numerous other regions contribute to the broader geography of the series.

Kyushu, Japan’s southwestern main island, serves as the birthplace of the Pro Hero Hawks (Kiego Takami) and features prominently during the Paranormal Liberation War. Unlike Musutafu, Kyushu is an actual geographical region whose inclusion reinforces the series’ connections to real-world Japan.

The story also references and depicts locations inspired by Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, and other major urban centres, although many district have been fictionalised or renamed. These cities illustrate that Hero Society extends across the nation rather than being confined to a single metropolitan area.

Additional fictional locations – including Kamino Ward, Hosu City, Deika City, Takoba Municipal Beach Park, and Jakku General Hospital – play significant roles throughout the narrative. While some are inspired by real Japanese municipalities, each has been adapted to support the events of specific story arcs and the broader history of Hero Society.

Global Geography

Although Japan is the primary focus, My Hero Academia establishes that Quirks emerged simultaneously across the world rather than within a single nation. Following the appearance of the Luminescent Baby in Qingqing City, China, Quirk manifestations spread rapidly throughout the global population, fundamentally reshaping every continent’s political, economic, and social development.

International hero organizations, overseas governments, and foreign Pro Heroes are periodically introduced throughout the series, demonstrating that Hero Society is a worldwide phenomenon rather than one unique to Japan. This global perspective is explored further during the Star and Stripe Arc, which introduces America’s Number One Hero and highlights international cooperation against global threats.

Global Significance

The geography of My Hero Academia serves a narrative purpose beyond simply providing locations for major events. By integrating fictional cities with authentic Japanese prefectures, Horikoshi constructs a setting that feels both familiar and believable while allowing considerable creative freedom in designing hero institutions, villain hideouts, and large-scale battlefields.

This balance between realism and fiction contributes to the series’ immersive world-building, enabling readers to understand how Hero Society functions within an environment that closely resembles modern Japan while remaining distinct through the widespread existence of Quirks and professional heroes.

References

• Horikoshi, Kohei. My Hero Academia. Tokyo: Shueisha, 2014-2024.
• Horikoshi, Kohei. My Hero Academia Ultra Analysis: The Ultra Archive. Shueisha, 2019.
• My Hero Academia Official Character Book and official series maps.
• My Hero Academia Wiki (cross-referenced with manga chapters for location appearances).
• My Hero Academia manga, U.A. School Festival and Paranormal Liberation War arcs.
• Horikoshi, Kohei. My Hero Academia manga, chapters detailing the origin of Quirks and Star and Stripe Arc.