'My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission' Review
PG-13: Violent material, bloody images, and some language
Runtime: 1 Hour and 44 Minutes
Production Companies: Bones
Distributor: Toho, Funimation Films
Director: Kenji Nagasaki
Writers: Yōsuke Kuroda
Voice Cast: Justin Briner, Ryan Colt Levy, Clifford Chapin, David Matranga, Luci Christian, Maxey Whitehead, Dani Chambers, Christopher Wehkamp, Christopher R. Sabat, Trina Nishimura, Kyle Phillips, Brina Palencia, Monica Rial, Justin Cook, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Robbie Daymond
Release Date: October 29, 2021
In Theaters Only
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?
Unlike a lot of other film critics in the business, ya boi Rendy J is very proficient when it comes to anime. Well… when it comes to the select few that I actually watch, one being My Hero Academia. Every time an MHA movie comes out, I smash my way to the nearest theater to see my Class 1A babies on the big screen. Their third theatrical feature may be a minor step down from the previous entry, Heroes Rising, but it’s still really damn fun.
If you’ve seen a My Hero Academia movie — or any theatrical anime film, for that matter — you know what to expect when it comes to animation. The production value is raised higher than ever, delivering top-quality, high-octane 2D action sequences that warrant the price of admission alone. World Heroes’ Mission offers captivating sequences that range from fun and exciting one-shots that keep you on the edge of your seat to brutal and surprisingly gory violence that earns its PG-13 rating. Much like its predecessor, there are times the film blends 2D and 3D techniques to elevate the quality and albeit being brief, it’s pretty darn cool.
While Two Heroes and Heroes Rising were mostly stand-alone flicks that took place between the show’s seasons, World Heroes’ Mission requires you to be up to date with season five. It does a decent job catching you up to speed without being a complete recap of the entire series. The film treats you as if you are a fan and allows you to get into the rhythm of the story within the anime series’ timeline without giving the same ol’ exposition about Quirks and the world the heroes inhabit as the predecessor did. It’s as if the writers went, “Okay, this is the third movie. To hell with a recap. Let’s go!” Heck, there’s even some character development to Deku and his power that will make fans lose their mind, apart from the fan service based on “what if” scenarios come to life. It walks that fine line of being inconsequential to the series itself while showcasing that growth did occur to these characters.
The narrative puts Deku on the run with a misguided kid named Rody, the victim of a villainous terrorist organization that wants to commit Quirk genocide upon the world. Seriously, they’re like the Court of Owls and Spectre if they were in a society of superheroes. Upon a weird MacGuffin mixup that kicks off the plot, Deku and Rody are on the run, fugitive-style. Through their different pasts, the film presents a shockingly relevant theme. Seriously, the film depicts police corruption, brainwashed cults, coups, domestic terrorism, etc. I know animation takes a long ass time to make but this hit factor was close to some messed-up events that took place in America earlier this year. As Deku and Rody Soul venture off together, the film delivers a good message about heroism and their contrasting ideologies, allowing both characters to grow. Granted, Rody is a movie character we’ll most likely never see again, but he’s given a damn good character arc with depth and heavy-hitting emotions. The relationship between Deku and Rody is so strong, it’s the major emotional heft the film has to offer.
If you’re going into this movie to see your Class 1A fave who isn’t Deku, Bakugo, or Todoroki in action… well, get ready to be disappointed. While Heroes Rising explored the class working as a team, World Heroes’ Mission is completely focused on Deku, which I consider a major downfall. It’s nice to have a Deku-focused story where he gets some development but you’re losing the “Academia” part of My Hero Academia in the process. The class had a prominent presence in the first two films. Some of the students get one to three lines of dialogue at best… or none at all. Tenya Iida has no lines at all while Mineta actually does. FRIGGIN’ MINETA!
Though I admire the attention to detail to expand MHA’s global scale, I’m confused as to what it was going for on a location basis. At times, the film would show a place reminiscent of France or Italy by showing the monumental architecture of said places. Yet, it also creates a hodgepodge of real locations with a fictional town located in Europe. It doesn’t necessarily pick a lane and you get confused for a bit, especially when you’re trying to keep track of where any of the heroes outside of Deku are located.
Despite backpedaling in quality and character compared to its superior predecessor, My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission is an entertaining and exciting entry in this ever-expanding franchise. If you’re a fan like I am, it’s a darn good meal to keep you satisfied until the next season of the series rolls around.
