Review | My Hero Academia: You're Next

“My Hero Academia: You’re Next is an exciting new entry in this franchise. It’s an action-packed film with a memorable villain who poses a real challenge for the heroes.”

The fourth film of My Hero Academia franchise is finally making its way to international fans after being released in Japan on 2nd August. This new adventure is coming to US cinemas on 11th October and the UK and Ireland on 18th October. The film is produced by Bones and international distribution is handled by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Releasing International.

STORY

My Hero Academia: You’re Next is an original story like the three other films. This means that if you know the series but haven’t watched everything yet, you can still watch this film and understand what happens. For this new adventure, Deku (Daiki Yamashita) and his classmates have to face a mysterious man pretending to be All Might. This man is in fact Dark Might (Kenta Miyake) who controls the Gollini Family, a crime organization.

This threat is a real challenge for the heroes. His first scene sets the tone for what to expect from him. When he is on screen, you know he means trouble. This is exactly the type of villain you want for the big screen. It’s actually a smart idea to have him look like All Might while he is absolutely nothing like. Undoubtedly, Dark Might is a memorable villain. On top of that, some of his allies are no joke either. With a bunch of villains like these, you get an action-packed film! It doesn’t hold back, it’s full of impressive fight scenes.

Moreover, Giulio (Mamoru Miyano) is a great addition to the cast of characters too. He is a mysterious character dressed as a butler and heavily armed. When you see him in action, he is the definition of badass. But he is also more than just a badass, there’s many layers to this character. This makes him the most interesting one in this film. All the new characters are worthy additions to the franchise. You’re Next not only delivers an action-packed adventure, there is an emotional aspect to the story as well. It’s another success for My Hero Academia.

VOICE CAST

The voice cast from the series and the other films once again returns to voice their respective characters. They’re great as usual. Plus, Kenta Miyake who voiced All Might is deliciously evil as Dark Might. He gets to do things differently and bring something new to what he did before with All Might. But, it’s one of the new additions to the cast who is the real standout. Mamoru Miyano shines in everything he does whether it’s voice acting, acting or singing. There is nothing this man cannot do. He makes everything better. So, it’s an absolute joy to see him voice a character in this film, especially one that plays a central role in the story.

VISUALS AND SOUNDTRACK

It’s My Hero Academia, we all know the quality of its animation. It’s visually beautiful and it is at its most striking during the final fight. The animators put everything they have in this. Though, it’s the European inspired scenery created by Dark Might that will pick everyone’s interest. It’s a refreshing setting for our heroes and villains to fight.

Like the series and the previous films, Yuki Hayashi returns as the composer. He delivers an electrifying score that is in line with what he did previously. Vaundy performs both the opening theme ‘Homunculus’ and the ending theme ‘Gift’. These are two good rock songs that fit for this film. But ‘Homunculus’ is the clear winner here. It really sets the mood for what you get in this film allied with a stylish opening credits.

VERDICT

My Hero Academia: You’re Next is an exciting new entry in this franchise. It’s an action-packed film with a memorable villain who poses a real challenge for the heroes.

Global theatrical release dates for the film are as follows:

EMEA:

October 9: Belgium, France, French-speaking Africa, Luxembourg, Switzerland (French language),
October 10: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland (German and Italian-speaking), Syria, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates
October 11: Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Kenya, Latvia, Nigeria, Norway, Southern Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey
October 17: Israel
October 18: Romania, United Kingdom
October 25: Poland
October 29: Austria, Germany