Summary
- My Hero Academia is on fire in 2024 with the manga ending, Season 7 airing, and a new movie, "You're Next," earning big.
- The movie features Dark Might, an intriguing villain with powers similar to All Might, shaking up the hero world.
- While the movie adds depth to the MHA universe, it's optional to watch for main storyline understanding.
It looks like 2024 is shaping up to be My Hero Academia's year after all. With the manga series having concluded just a few weeks ago and Season 7 of the anime currently airing, there's already plenty for fans to digest. But the excitement doesn't stop there – the franchise is about to unleash its fourth official movie, My Hero Academia: You're Next, in theaters.
This film premiered in Japan on August 2, 2024, and has already earned over 370 million yen on its first day (roughly 2.5 million US dollars). It's set for a global release, including in North America, on October 11, 2024. The movie's production was first announced in Weekly Shōnen Jump Issue 36-37 on August 7, 2023, with its title revealed on January 29, 2024. The timing of You're Next is particularly intriguing, as its release falls right in the middle of the anime's seventh season. This unique scheduling has sparked a lot of questions among fans about the movie's plot and its place within the M y Hero Academia canon, but it's not really too complicated.
My Hero Academia: 19 Saddest Deaths In The Series, Ranked
Out of all the characters who have died in My Hero Academia, these deaths are arguably the saddest in the series.
My Hero Academia: You're Next Plot Explained
My Hero Academia: You're Next brings a fresh, high-stakes adventure to the beloved franchise. Without diving into spoilers, here's a break-down of the plot elements that fans can expect.
The film opens with Japan's cities in ruins, and only small pockets of society remaining. The young heroes of U.A.'s Class 1-A are working tirelessly to combat villains and restore order to their world, when a mysterious fortress seemingly pops out of nowhere and starts devouring every person in its path.
As the heroes try to figure out where this fortress is from and what to do about it, we learn that Deku and his friends will have to face off against a formidable new enemy that calls himself Dark Might (who also, somehow, bears an uncanny resemblance to their mentor, All Might).
This setup very noticeably draws parallels to the "evil Superman" storylines we've seen so often in the superhero genre, but since its All Might, fans can't help but be intrigued. What makes Dark Might truly terrifying isn't just his powers or his powerful allies, but his twisted interpretation of All Might's legacy.
Dark Might: The Evil Superman
Dark Might believes that true heroism lies in overwhelming power rather than virtuous actions. This misguided philosophy leads him to capture a girl with quirk-amplifying abilities, using her power to reshape the city according to his vision. The result is a massive flying fortress where hundreds of civilians, including our heroes, find themselves trapped.
Dark Might is arguably the best part of this movie. His powers allow him to transmute materials on a massive scale, and he's backed by a group of powerful quirk users that fully accept him as the new Symbol of Peace. Dark Might believes he's the true successor to All Might, having misinterpreted the hero's final words, but he isn't reduced to a one-dimensional evil trope. He's a very fun and well written character, and perhaps the only reason You're Next is worth watching.
If You Could Choose One My Hero Academia Quirk to Have, Which Would You Pick?
There are so many unique and interesting Quirks in the world of My Hero Academia, but one that does fascinate me is Tamaki Amajiki's Manifest, which lets him manipulate his body into animal-like features, depending on the food he has recently consumed. As much as I'd love to take on this Quirk due to the sheer versatility and unlimited potential, I am way too picky with my food.... So in that case, I'd probably have to go with my backup choice, which is Reiko Yanagi's Poltergeist Quirk, as it is essentially a powerful Telekinesis ability that enables her to manipulate multiple objects at a time, by will.
Todoroki, Bakugo and Deku Shine in My Hero Academia: You're Next
The flying fortress mentioned earlier is Dark Might's creation (not a spoiler, it becomes quite obvious early on in the movie how it happened). It traps hundreds of civilians and displaces them all over the fortress, pretty much like the Infinity Castle in Kimetsu no Yaiba. With all the main characters split-up and disoriented, we see each of them trying to reach and confront Dark Might in their own way. But before they can get to him, they must overcome his super-powered allies and an endless army of quirk-created automatons.
This story structure allows for multiple exciting battles and character moments. While Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki get the lion's share of screen time, every hero gets a chance to shine. For these three main characters though, the fight against Dark Might is deeply personal, challenging their understanding of what it means to be a hero.
The movie introduces two new characters: Giulio and Anna. Giulio, a cyborg and former butler, serves as a secondary protagonist. His mission to kill his former master, Anna, intertwines with the main plot. Series creator Horikoshi himself has highlighted the importance of Giulio and Anna's relationship, stating it connects to the ultimate goals of Deku and his friends.
My Hero Academia: 5 Non-Canon Characters Who Should Be Canon
These interesting non-canon characters in My Hero Academia have enough going for them that serious consideration should be given to making them canon.
Is My Hero Academia: You're Next Canon?
Firstly, the state of Japan depicted at the beginning of the movie suggests that You're Next takes place around the beginning of the anime's seventh season.
As for whether its canon or not, the movie has been confirmed as technically canon by the voice actors involved in the project. This means that the events of You're Next are considered to have actually occurred within the My Hero Academia universe. However, watching the movie is optional for following the story-line of the anime series.
If its still confusing, Horikoshi provided some insight into this matter in an interview. He suggested that viewers who watch You're Next before Season 8 might be able to connect some dots about behind-the-scenes events. However, went on to explain that those who don't watch the movie probably won't notice much of a difference in their understanding of the main story-line.
The movie as a standalone in itself is interesting, but if you watch the movie then return to the actual story, then you might feel 'oh so this is where the story leads to!'
So in a nutshell, the events of You're Next are likely to provide additional context and depth to the world of My Hero Academia, but they're not crucial plot points that will significantly impact the main series narrative. Whether you choose to watch it or not, you'll still be able to fully enjoy and follow the anime series.
In My Hero Academia, Young Deku is born into a world where people commonly have something called quirks, also known as superpowers. He himself is born without any, but circumstances lead to that changing. He enrolls at the UA High School, a prestigious academy where the worlds future heroes learn how to use their powers.
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