My Hero Academia is a worldwide sensation. That is an absolute fact. It has encompassed much of the world, reinvigorated the superhero genre, and has brought people together. Just look at comic cons now. You can’t go to a convention without seeing various My Hero Academia characters. I even dressed up as Aizawa. The point is that these heroic stories and unique characters have become incredibly important to individuals, so a movie like World Heroes’ Mission has to be treated like your standard blockbuster movie. You can feel the excitement amongst fans and you can tell that these cinema screens are going to be flooded with eager fans of all different ages.
As a huge fan of the second movie Heroes Rising, which is still one of my favourite movies, I could hardly wait for World Heroes’ Mission. I had the absolute pleasure of watching the third movie and I can’t wait to talk about it. With no spoilers of course. Before I dive into Midoriya’s latest adventure, here is what you can expect:
In My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission, U.A. High School students Izuku Midoriya, Shoto Todoroki, and Katsuki Bakugo face the greatest crisis in My Hero Academia history, with only two hours to save the world! During their internship with the number one Pro Hero Endeavor Agency, Deku and his new friend Rody find themselves wanted nationwide for a crime they didn’t commit. Can Deku and his friends stop Humarise’s global plans of eliminating all Quirks?
This film feels very different compared to the previous two, and even the episodes themselves. What’s so interesting about World Heroes’ Mission is that we approach quirks from a very different perspective. It’s almost biblical in nature. We’re surrounded by notions of prophesies and prophets, and that’s something that My Hero Academia hasn’t touched on. It’s even heavily reflected in the overall look of the film through sets and character designs. So, rather than celebrating quirks and all of the wonder they can bring, we actually focus on an extreme group who wish to eradicate quirks. We’re so used to dealing with villains who deem themselves as superior because of their quirk, we haven’t really experienced the exact opposite.
What happens when the quirked begin to fear and despise themselves? Humans are deemed as the superior species while the quirked are shunned. They’re a sickness and a plague that must be extinguished. The villain of the film, Flect Turn, is idolised as the savior of the human race and actually radicalises quirked individuals into thinking that they’re the issue. Then at the core of the story is of course the heroes who attempt to resist that radical ideology.
Extreme terrorists who are looking to erase quirks is a pretty heavy plot point for My Hero Academia. However, this third film is full of a lot of heart. I’d even argue that it’s the most touching and thoughtful of the movies. While the heroes of the world unite to stop this anti-quirk group, Deku is on the run for multiple murders that he didn’t commit- Obviously. That’s when we meet Rody Soul.
Despite being a new character, you instantly fall in love with Rody. The relationship that Rody and Midoriya share is incredibly endearing and it sort of turns into a buddy film. They bounce off of each other’s energy and share a very authentic bond, despite being very different, that is only made believable by Justin Briner and Ryan Colt Levy’s fun and electric performance. They click instantly and their time together is a genuine highlight. Gradually, they both lower their defences and begin to learn from each other. They both help one another in different ways. Midoriya shows Rody what it means to be a hero. While Rody on the other hand, shows Midoriya what it’s like to be seen as a “bad guy”.
However, while our time is primarily focused on the two convicts on the run, the other heroes are somewhat sidelined. Having said that though, we do get a lot more of Bakugo and Todoroki. They both have their time in the spotlight as individuals which is beyond epic, but personally I loved seeing them work together and butting heads. It was really cool to see how our heroes reacted to a situation without Midoriya who is typically the problem solver. So while I missed those big heroic team ups, I loved seeing Todoroki and Bakugo isolated. Not only did it allow for some incredible fight scenes, but it also allowed us to see how these hot-headed heroes could adapt.
Of course, you can’t discuss My Hero Academia without talking about the animation. Now, I do believe that this film struggles in terms of scale compared to Heroes Rising. The epic finale of the second film is still one of the greatest animated fight scenes I’ve seen in cinemas. However, World Heroes’ Mission is still full of spectacular fights and stunning animation. The film never slows down in that regard. You’re constantly being thrown into these intricate action sequences. Most of the time it feels as though you are at the very centre of each devastating conflict. However, I just think that it’s important to highlight that the final fight against Nine is going to be very difficult to top in terms of that grand spectacle.
What I did love was how World Heroes’ Mission utilized Flect Turn’s quirk and intellectual genius. His abilities are absolutely fascinating and it’s almost as though Midoriya hits a brick wall when he comes face-to-face with Earth’s ‘savior’. They’re very playful with it and it looks fantastic and flows brilliantly. The quirks themselves are definitely a lot more ambitious in terms of power and appliance so I think a lot of people are going to love what this film has to offer.
I will say, given the film’s drastic change in scenery it was really nice to see My Hero Academia focusing more on painting beautiful landscapes and intriguing interiors that exist outside of what is considered the norm. There weren’t any hulking skyscrapers or technical lairs. Instead, we got some beautiful and vibrant landscapes that made Midoriya and Rody’s journey even more enchanting. Then on top of that we got settings that echoed that biblical notion adopted by Flect and his acolytes. The outfits, his base, and his general presence really give off this vibe of self importance, this idea that he is this proclaimed savior, and to a degree there’s also this medieval aesthetic that separates Flect from the various villains we’ve seen.
The biggest issue with World Heroes’ Mission has nothing to do with the film itself. It’s the fact that it’s another self-contained story that is completely isolated from the core narrative. No matter how big the stakes are, and we’re talking about the eradication of the entire superhero population, there are no consequences. In a way, it dampens the experience. However, if you can erase that from your mind, which is easily done, World Heroes’ Mission is equally as good as its predecessors.
My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission is a dark and epic ride full of fun, exhilerating action scenes, fluid animation that will have you gawking at the screen, and the heart and soul that makes My Hero Academia so special. If you’re a fan of the series and manga, then this is an absolute must. See it on the biggest screen you can. Book your tickets now and grab your friends. You don’t want to miss Midoriya, Bakugo and Tordoroki at their strongest. World Heroes’ Mission truly… Goes beyond.
Check out the full trailer below!
Will you be watching World Heroes Mission on the big screen? Let us know in the comments.
MY HERO ACADEMIA: WORLD HEROES’ MISSION is exclusively in cinemas from Friday 29th October. Be sure to grab your tickets now and watch as the students of U.A. face their toughest challenge yet.
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