My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising Review
PG-13: Violence and languageRuntime: 1 Hour and 43 MinutesProduction Companies: BonesDistributor: Toho, Funimation FilmsDirector: Kenji NagasakiWriters: Yōsuke KurodaVoice Cast: Justin Briner, Clifford Chapin, David Matranga, Luci Christian, J. Michael Tatum, Johnny Yong Bosch, Lydia Mackay, Maxey Whitehead, Dani Chambers, Christopher Wehkamp, Christopher R. Sabat, Trina Nishimura Kyle Phillips Brina Palencia Monica Rial, Justin Cook, Colleen ClinkenbeardRelease Date: February 26, 2020
Class 1-A visits Nabu Island where they finally get to do some real hero work. What’s supposed to be a peaceful trip turns dangerous after the appearance of a villain with an unimaginable, yet eerily familiar Quirk. As Deku and his friends fight to protect the island, they are forced to prove themselves as the next generation of heroes.
Back in the summer of 2018, I was put on to the worldwide phenomenon that was My Hero Academia, based on the manga of the same name. It immediately became one of my favorite anime series… hell, television series in general currently airing today. It’s one of those shows I watch religiously. Seriously, part of my Saturday routine is watching the latest episode of My Hero Academia. Over the course of its nearly three-year run, MHA has grown to be the most popular anime series in America and for good reason. Nothing tops the feeling of going to a theater full of fans wearing their MHA merch to see Two Heroes in Brooklyn on a Tuesday night and screaming during the badass climax where All Might and Deku fight side by side. Now, we got the second theatrical My Hero Academia feature film, Heroes Rising!
As much fun as it was to watch Two Heroes in a theater, one of my major criticisms was its inability to justify its existence as a theatrical release aside from the badass climax, for its story was a Die Hard clone. Seriously, go watch Die Hard and then watch Two Heroes. You’ll find that the resemblance is uncanny. Heroes Rising learned from that and actually provides an original story that is more in line with the series and is a well-warranted extension. Granted, this should’ve been released a few months after season 4 was complete to avoid confusion, but I’ll get to that later.We haven’t seen all of Class 1-A working together as heroes since the Provisional Hero License Exam Arc in season 3. The focus has been on selective characters and their work-study internships, especially during the first half of the most current season. One of my favorite aspects about Heroes Rising that justified its existence in a theater is that it offers the togetherness of Class 1-A that we never got before. Every single character plays a part as a hero here… even the most useless ones, like this dude:
Every 1-A hero gets their time in the limelight and at the core, it’s all about teamwork, which is one of the major strengths of the movie. The story nails the subtitle, “Heroes Rising”, for it's all about Class 1-A truly coming to their own as heroes and working together as a unit.Because of my attachment to these characters, the film’s initial setup and premise works. The entire class is sent to a remote island called Nabu Island to do hero work. They have their own agency where residents call and a student with a corresponding Quirk is sent to help. Considering how long we’ve been following the series and the evolution of these characters, we’re attached to these kids and seeing them do hero duties just fills your heart with warmth. There are certain points where I caught myself awwing and saying:
I loved the early moments of bliss and watching the kids be heroes to the residents of the island by doing various tasks to keep people safe and secure. The first half-hour follows a structured set-up of an episode, balancing the heroes doing their own activities while villains are plotting to screw things up. But once the 30-minute mark hit, the movie straight up goes, “Oh YEAH, you’re here for a kickass My Hero Academia movie, right? Honey, we GOT YOU!”From there, Heroes Rising becomes the ultimate My Hero Academia movie you’ve been waiting for. The stakes are significantly raised due to the fact that the heroes must work without any teachers or pro hero supervision. 1-A has to go up against a new breed of villains, including the major baddie Nine who threatens to destroy the island. All the elements that you know and love from the series come into fruition and it’s a badass rollercoaster ride throughout.
Part of the reason why anyone in their right mind loves this franchise is the beautifully animated and well-orchestrated action sequences. Featuring some of the most magnificent animation to date, to no one’s surprise, the action sequences are brilliant, incredibly action-packed, and badass. It’s that sweet sweet traditional 2D animation with great detail and high quality that keeps it so fun and it’s completely consistent with it. It doesn’t have any jarring 3D animation upgrades to add to the severity of the destruction, like the climax in Two Heroes did. It’s completely 2D throughout, featuring some of the most mesmerizing fluid movement I’ve seen in a feature in a long time. I am saving myself a second viewing for the big screen, partially so I can just bask in the beauty of the animation on a 50-foot screen. It’s one of those movies that just motivates any fan of animation to dive into the field. In terms of action, it doesn’t take a lame live-action route — characters on both sides take damage. Most of the kids get their asses handed to them and it’s tense to watch. The series always establishes a level of consequence with each threat the characters face and it’s doubled down here. Though this is animation, I find it a better display of a realistic aura of consequence, more so than any clean-cut studio superhero flick (I’m looking at you, Marvel).
This is a fair warning: If you have not at least completed the Overhaul Arc and decide to see this movie, you’re going to be completely lost. This story is completely canonical to the series but unfortunately, it skips ahead, for it takes place after the events of season 4, which we’re still in the middle of. Fans of the manga wouldn’t have a hard time, but for anyone who is just watching the series and abiding by that, you better be as up-to-date as possible. The film references several events from season 4, appearances from characters who haven’t even debuted in the series yet (like Hawks), and showcases the newest upgrades to Deku’s abilities that he just acquired in the series. You know what? If you’ve read past the School Festival/Deku vs. Gentle Criminal Arc then congrats, you can go see the movie without being confused about where it falls in the timeline. I can only imagine how confused Japanese viewers who only watch the series must’ve been considering this was released in December, for we were only halfway through the Overhaul Arc back then. Thankfully, for American viewers, it’s less confusing to watch now considering we were able to get more episodes to better prepare us beforehand.As much as I’ve grown to love these heroes, it’s a shame that the main antagonists are major duds, especially Nine himself. Nine is mostly a One For All clone with heart palpitation problems and he’s as basic as a villain straight out of an MCU movie. Even though he's OP, there’s not much to his character. He’s just a power-hungry villain who wants to create a new world and blah blah blah, world domination blah blah blah. We’ve seen this countless times before and after the impressive memorable villains the heroes have faced thus far, Nine is as generic as they come. Because of his one-note character, the conflict doesn’t feel as enthralling. His Sephiroth-like character design is impressive though.
MHA: Heroes Rising is anime’s take on the phrase, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Every young hero from Class 1-A is given a moment to shine as the group works together to aid — and occasionally protect — the residents of Nabu Island, a small, relatively crime-free paradise that’s hours away from mainland Japan. Even the most underwhelming students find productive uses for their Quirks (save for Invisible Girl who is still just… incredibly invisible). When the plot truly kicks in, the students are pushed to their limits and then some, but their camaraderie is undefeated. Class 1-A is a phenomenal group of heroes that even the X-Men would be jealous of.The fact that there are no Pro Heroes present for the conflict that ensues raises the stakes to new heights. You knew that All Might would eventually save the day in MHA: Two Heroes, but Heroes Rising doesn’t have that luxury to fall back on. This is Class 1-A’s show and they’re ready to show off everything they’ve learned thus far. My biggest criticism stems from Nine, the basic villain that desires nothing but the most basic villain goal ever. It’s so predictable that one of the students makes a snide comment about his lackluster endgame plan. On top of that, his Quirk is basically a less refined version of All For One that doesn’t really expand beyond what we’ve already seen from his predecessor. There’s nothing unique or captivating about Nine’s Quirk, like, say, Hunter x Hunter’s Chrollo Lucifer who must meet a stringent yet compelling list of requirements before stealing a Nen ability. However, Heroes Rising’s final battle makes up for this and provides some of the most stunning animation in My Hero Academia history. Think Demon Slayer episode 19, but on a grander scale and with way more destruction.
Heroes Rising is a fun addition to the MHA canon, but the last act — the climax — of this movie is the biggest fan service yet and will make you lose your windpipes, for you’ll be shouting at a Plus Ultra level. This movie’s climax is the reason why it went to theaters. You thought the final battle with All Might and Deku fighting alongside each other in Two Heroes made you scream? Do you think 100% Deku was epic? BELIEVE WHEN I SAY the finale in THIS movie will make you lose your shit 100%. If you've been following this series as much as I have, this is essential viewing. I can’t wait to see this again with weebs so I can join the fun, for that’s what Heroes Rising is at its core: A fun, action-packed movie for fans of the series only.Speaking of which… this is a PSA for major entertainment outlets: DO NOT SEND NOVICE FILM WRITERS TO REVIEW MOVIES MEANT FOR FANS OF A SPECIFIC PROPERTY! Last week there was a measly review from The Guardian, which was clearly written by a pleb and it was embarrassing. It reminded me of last year when critic Roger Moore went to review Dragon Ball Super: Broly without any prior knowledge of the franchise. Movies like this are for a specific group of people. If you didn’t watch the series, read the manga, or just do the bare minimum research, then don’t see it or review it. You’re just making yourself look like a dumbass.Rating: 4/5 | 81%
