My Hero Academiafans now know a surprising new detail regarding Dabi’s origins. The series creator, Kohei Horikoshi, revealed that the fan-favorite villain wasoriginally designed as a direct homage to Marvel’s Ghost Rider. Although the concept was ultimately dropped, Dabi was once envisioned with a ride that blazed with his flames, along with a “giant patron” to back him.
This initial vision would have strongly reflected Ghost Rider’s supernatural edge. A subtle nod to this still exists in the series through Dabi’s brief mention of motion sickness during the Overhaul arc, which has been stated to be a leftover from when he was meant to ride into battles.
Dabi Has Clear Influences From Ghost Rider
Dabi Was Intended To Share Major Similarities With Ghost Rider
In a post on X, @shibuyasmash shared a translated memo from theMy Hero AcademiaExhibition, where Horikoshi discussed a scrapped idea in which Dabi’s character had strong inspirational ties to Marvel’s Ghost Rider. The villain was originally meant to have his own ride and a larger-than-life presence.
“I originally intended for Dabi’s final form to be a homage to ‘Ghost Rider’ and have him riding something. I had this loose image of ‘He has a giant patron and…’ in my head, and the line about him getting motion sickness easily when they attacked the convoy carrying Overhaul was a reference, or like a leftover, of that idea. I still planned to have him ride something at this point [the end of the Overhaul arc]. But I dropped it after Endeavor flew later.”
Thatsmall detail about Dabi’smotion sickness makeswhat was once a throwaway line far more meaningful in light of this revelation.As a remnant of the original Ghost Rider-inspired concept, it now serves as a subtle nod to Dabi’s initial idea of riding into battle in a more flashy way before the concept was abandoned.
Dabi’s Final Ghost Rider Form Was Scrapped
Dabi Still Shares a Hellish Aesthetic and Destructive Flair
Althoughthe Ghost Rider conceptwas still in play near the end of the Overhaul arc, Horikoshi decided to abandon it. One main reason was that Endeavor’s airborne scene shifted the story in another direction. This made the idea of Dabi riding a mount or vehicle unnecessary within the story’s rising action sequences.
While fans never got to see Dabi with aflaming mount similar to Ghost Rideror a giant patron, traces of that idea are still present in the series. Even without wheels or chains,his character design has the same intensity as Marvel’s antihero, giving him a darker edge that stands out inMy Hero Academia.
