For the most part, My Hero Academy the movies were solid enough to be anime spin-offs, but they weren’t anything too special. (The only exception of Heroes risedue to its extraordinary ending.) Fortunately, My Hero Academia: You’re next enough to challenge, but not quite surpass, that particular film’s great pacing and action. It’s a worthy watch.
Maybe you’ve seen it rickshawbut the general idea of this movie revolves around Dark Might. He’s basically the opposite version of All Might. Dark Might is a completely separate character and I really like how he appears. He is a twisted, seemingly wealthy man who takes All Might’s stance at the end of his battle with All for One a little too seriously.
So Dark Might claims to be the next All Might, except really evil for some strange reason. The premise is an intriguing one, and it’s interesting to explore someone who is essentially the other side of the coin from the series’ main character Deku. Luckily, it doesn’t take long to see this as the movie is fast-paced and gets off to an action-packed start.
This Wednesday My Hero Academy the movie doesn’t waste any time and gets straight to the action. Set between Seasons 6 and 7 of the anime, it immediately switches from the Class 1-A students saving civilians to fighting the next big bad and his entourage. This film has a large cast with many intriguing oddities displayed throughout the constant battle sequences.
It helps with similar animations Part 7but definitely more detailed for the silver screen. This extra layer of visual effects and boldness help make the film its best version of MHA so far. This also shows in the surprisingly colorful and vibrant areas the cast visits on Dark Might’s ship.
However, at its core this movie is about action. It feels like this is the most action packed movie to date and certainly the most bombastic. There are very few quiet moments, except for one notable point about halfway through the film. This may be uncomfortable for some people, but My Hero Academia: You’re next understand how to execute a spin-off well.
Almost every battle has some level of twist or emotional resonance that adds to the combat. This could be an incredible power or Deku’s seduction tactic. This is supported by a new cast of characters. Once again, Deku has a new companion who accompanies him for most of the film. This guy is a bit similar The mission of the world hero Rody, but much more thoughtful and morally gray. Because of this, I also like him a little more.
In addition to Deku’s new friend, there is also a young woman at the center of Dark Might’s plots. I won’t say too much about her, but her role in the story is one of the better parts. And then there’s Dark Might himself. He had many subordinates, but they were mostly forgotten. However, Dark Might is the most stylish and memorable villain of the four so far.
My only problem with Dark Might is that ironically, I don’t think the movie has enough of him. He starts the movie strong with his introduction and of course it ends well for him in the final act. However, he mostly taunts and foregrounds everything else in between. It’s a shame because he was one of the best parts of the movie with his strange personality and motivations.
What’s even stranger is that a key sequence occurs in the middle. I won’t spoil it, but if you’ve seen any famous action anime series, it will feel too familiar and almost copy-paste. And honestly, it doesn’t have the same impact or emotion as the other film version of this storytelling device.
This movie also focuses very little on the other members of Class 1-A. Certainly characters like Todoroki, Ochaco and Bakugo all appear here. But this is mainly about Deku and the new characters. I really enjoyed it though My Hero Academia: You’re next. It has arguably the best action of the four films so far, the best villain, and certainly the strongest animation. The pacing is on point, never wasting a moment of time. Although it’s not quite up to scratch Heroes riseit’s definitely my second favorite My hero movie.
My Hero Academia: You’re next will release on theater in the United States on October 11, 2024.
