You're Not Imagining It: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Hides a My Hero Academia Connection
The world of superheroes and supervillains can be a small one. Whether you realize it or not, some of your favorite Marvel and DC characters have ties to industries you never saw coming. For instance, eagle-eyed viewers have spotted a familiar name among the cast of the new Marvel animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. It turns out Kellen Goff, the voice of Overhaul (Kai Chisaki) in My Hero Academia, also lends his voice to none other than everyone’s favorite alien symbiote, Venom.
If this sounds like perfect casting, that’s because it is. Both Overhaul and Venom share key traits: the ability to regenerate, fuse with others, craft weapons, and mutate into horrifying monsters. However, their personalities differ—Overhaul is a calculating crime boss, while Venom thrives on chaos. Goff’s dual role is a fun connection between My Hero Academia and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Overhaul: My Hero Academia's Ruthless Mastermind
Venom: One of Marvel's Great Icons
Overhaul debuted in My Hero Academia chapter 115, and anime fans got their first peek at Chisaki in episode 62. As the leader of the yakuza group called Shie Hassaikai, Overhaul became a fast villain to audiences. The madman sought to restore the criminal underworld by developing Quirk-erasing bullets from the blood and cells of a young girl named Eri. Overhaul's crazed ambitions led to a dramatic showdown with Izuku Midoriya and the Pro Heroes by the end of My Hero Academia season four. In fact, the battle stands as one of the show's most famous as it tests Deku's heroism in ways we'd never seen up until that point.
And as for Venom? The villain is one of Spider-Man’s most famous foes. The character is a sentient alien symbiote that requires a human host to survive, and they first appeared as Spider-Man’s black costume in The Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984). Later, Venom bonded with Eddie Brock in The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988) and moved forward with various hosts through modern day. Most recently, the Marvel character has gained noteriety through a film trilogy starring Tom Hardy: Venom (2018), Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), and Venom: The Last Dance (2024).
Kellen Goff: An Anime Voice Actor with Range
A Fun Crossover Between Anime and Superheroes
Of course, it is voice actor Kellen Goff who connects Venom to Overhaul. He is a well-loved voice actor known for his work on the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise as well as numerous anime English dubs including Attack on Titan, Black Clover, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Goff's ability to bring sinister characters to life makes him a perfect fit for both Overhaul and Venom as fans agree online.
The crossover between anime and Western superheroes is a welcome one, and Goff’s casting as Overhaul and Venom is a prime example. As My Hero Academia fans test out Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, they will have fun spotting familiar voices and creating new connections between the two beloved franchises. After all, a great villain always leaves a lasting impact whether we're talking anime or Spider-Man.
- Movie(s)
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission (2021)
- First Film
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
- Cast
- Daiki Yamashita, Kenta Miyake, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Ayane Sakura, Yûki Kaji, Aoi Yuki, Kaito Ishikawa, Toshiki Masuda, Marina Inoue, Yoshimasa Hosoya
- TV Show(s)
- My Hero Academia
