On October 11, Bones Studio dropped “My Hero Academia: You’re Next” in theaters, the fourth and final movie of the franchise. The movie was released the same weekend as the final episode of the television show’s seventh season, throwing everything at My Hero fans all at once.
The movie takes place directly after the sixth season of the show’s manga adaptation, following the young heroes from Class 1-A as they take down jailbreakers released by the villain, One For All. In addition to the destruction caused by the jailbreakers, a new opponent makes his way to Japan to take advantage of what’s left of the country.
The heroes continue on their journey as they fight to take down Dark Might, the leader of a European crime family and copycat of the hero, All Might, the previous number one hero in the world.
Several characters make this installment of the movie series even more exciting. One new character who is introduced, Giulio Gandini, is an assassin sent to kill a mysterious girl with a powerful quirk (a superpower), who has an ominous connection with the assassin. The crime family kidnaps this girl because of her ability to boost others’ quirks only by them touching her. When other people take advantage of her power, she experiences immense pain, which is what motivates the young heroes to save her from the villainous family.
From its story-building to its emotional impact, this film gives viewers a unique example of heroism that teens can relate to. Although the movie has serious moments and suspense, it still holds true to the comedic characteristics of the previous movies. The writer, Yōsuke Kuroda, always know how to get a good laugh out of the audience.
The animation in the film is outstanding. Additionally, Bones Studio has been seriously upping its animating game, recently setting the record for the most impact frames in a single cut of over fifty frames. The record was previously held by the anime show, One Piece, which had thirty-nine impact frames in two seconds. This results in a greater sense of direction with smoother and more realistic movement.
The movie is action-packed with a fight scene nearly every fifteen minutes, which is a lot given that it’s a two-hour-long movie. The heroes have two large fights with the main villain, both being executed and directed stunningly. The fights are sure to get you excited and pumped for the heroes to win the battle and save the day; however, because the characters were portrayed unrealistically strong, it resulted in an overall lack of character depth.
“My Hero Academia: You’re Next,” as any other hero movie would, has a touching ending that is sure to leave you exiting the theater with a smile on your face. This film is enjoyable for viewers who love action, but admittedly, the backstories are lacking, leaving the characters one-dimensional and less interesting. Regardless, the animation is top-notch and definitely worth a watch, especially if you’re a fan of the anime genre. Let us know if you’ve seen the movie, and as our heroes say, go Plus Ultra!
