It's a battle of ideals in My Hero Academia: You're Next, as Class 1-A fights their mentor's imposter. It's exciting, funny, and just what the fandom needs.
My Hero Academia You're Next Review
My Hero Academia, the manga, recently ended its Shonen Jump run with 430 chapters in the main series, 127 chapters of the spin-off Vigilantes, several side stories, video games, and three movies, with You're Next being the fourth. The anime is currently finishing up season 7 (157 episodes and 9 OVAs). For anime-onlys, don't stress out, I'm not here to spoil the manga and the film doesn't either. MHA: You're Next canonically takes place between season 6 and season 7, specifically between the intermission of the Paranormal Liberation War Arc and the Stars & Stripe arc.
Yes it is canon, just like the other MHA movies are as well. First there is Kôhei Horikoshi's direct involvement in their storylines. Second, plot points like Melissa’s existence (remember she made Deku's gauntlets), Bakugo temporarily becoming a holder of One for All (because of course he did), and Rody all end up being mentioned or shown in the manga and anime. But like any other anime film, the destruction and mayhem that is caused within it is rarely mentioned if at all ever again. By the time You're Next is over, our heroes have Shigaraki to deal with so really it is Dark Might who?
My Hero Academia: You're Next is built around a villain who decided that All Might's final words as a hero “next, it's your turn” were directed at him and took inspiration in all the wrong ways. While everyone preps for the final showdown with Shigaraki and All For One, Class 1-A and the rest of the remaining heroes spend their days catching convicts that have escaped thanks to all the prison breaks. After a slightly completive roundup of baddies, the heroes find themselves face-to-face with someone who resembles All Might. Despite his looks he is decidedly a villain, hurting bystanders and “reclaiming” a girl with quirk amplifying abilities (read: his hostage), all while grandstanding to the world. When challenged by Deku, Dark Might kidnaps all of Class 1A and various civilians in order to use them as “specimens,” inside his flying fortress. Split up, Class 1-A fights their way to Dark Might in order to save the day.
Deku being the main character means the movies are generally focused on him. But much like the show, MHA has always done a decent job of showcasing the talents of the side characters as well. Two Heroes saw a group of Class 1-A kids kicking butt, Heroes Rising had the entire class, and Wold Heroes Mission centered on the core trio. You're Next brings out all of 1-A and splits them into teams with Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki becoming the natural leaders of their respective groups. These three also get the most exciting fight scenes and hero moments but that is to be expected. All in all, this is definitely a treat for fans who love seeing them all teamed up like the less emotionally heavy days of season 1 and 2.
Interspersed within the various fights are introductions of the newcomers: good guys Anna and Guilio and villains Dark Might and Gorrini crime family. Unlike some other movie-only villains, Dark Might does not have some random connection to All For One. He's completely his own man (even if his All Might obsession veers a little too close to Stain's). His mob family henchmen have some cool quirks but they amount to nothing more than one-note bad guys. They are simply there to trip up the heroes on their way to fight the final boss. Meanwhile, Anna's arc closely resembles Eri's in that her quirk is used by the villain to further his goals with the only way to stop her is to have a neutralizing power nearby. Mr. Aizawa gets to sit this one out (sad day for stans like me). Instead we get Guilio whose cyborg body parts give him some fun long-range fighting abilities. His grumpy attitude and fighting style make for a nice foil to Deku.
Looking beyond the flashy fight choreography and Bakugo's snark, Horikoshi and co-writer Yôsuke Kuroda have taken an interesting approach to the idea of All Might being THE Symbol of Peace. Dark Might sees what All Might did and the strength he had and decides to twist it. Instead of using his power to better the world he could use it to mold it into his own likeness. It also begs the question: is it right for only one person to shoulder all that responsibility and have that kind of power over his or her world? Sure it worked for All Might but he is the exception not the rule. Can there be a future that looks like the past? Or is the League of Villains right? Things do need to change. Since the beginning of the series, Horikoshi has asked readers to think about what it means to be a hero. Unlike the current pro-heroes, Class 1-A has always been a group that favored cooperation over competition (no matter what Bakugo might scream in your face). And that mindset is what will help them not only defeat Dark Might but stand against any foes that come their way.
Studio Bones once again has made use of that theatrical budget to deliver something clean, crisp, and epic. Everything you love about seeing these kids use their quirks is dialed up Plus Ultra style for incredible fight sequences. The animation team also incorporated the visual language of the manga, making moments leap off the screen for something truly special and memorable. There is one sequence that I won't spoil, but fans will feel rewarded and absolutely thrilled as they watch a battle that is a direct recreation of the design of a previous one that will seriously have you wanting to jump up and yell Detroit Smash!
I watch both sub and dub when it comes to anime, after all subs always come out first and who wants to wait forever to see your favorite manga panels animated? Not me. For this review though I opted to watch the dub because there is just something special about Christopher Sabat's All Might. Here he not only is voicing the former number 1 hero but also the imposter. Sabat got to flex his comical bad guy voice, which sounds like a cross between a less altruistic All Might and his Major Alex Armstrong from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood with a dash of the Godfather and I'm not mad about any of it. The rest of the anime cast is also back as well and like Sabat, never disappoint.
Verdict
My Hero Academia: You're Next sees Class 1-A do what they do best, team-up to take down villains and look good while they do it. Unlike the previous films, I feel like more anime knowledge is needed to fully appreciate what the students are doing in terms of their quirk abilities. But it's not wholly unaccessible for newcomers. Although it's not my favorite of the MHA theatrical runs (Heroes Rising still holds that spot), it offers plenty of memorable battles and thought-provoking moments. It's a story about legacy, ideals, and what it really means to be a Symbol of Peace. It also represents where Aizawa's students are now in their lives–poised to takeover hero work. By putting the current pros in support roles, it drives home the point that these kids are more than capable of saving the day. And yes, a theater showing is a must. Studio Bones didn't pour their hearts into animating the mayhem to have you watching on some small screen.
My Hero Academia: You’re Next premieres in US Theaters October 11th. It is rated PG-13 for violence and bloody images with a runtime of 1 hour 50 minutes.
Leave a Reply