My Hero Academia. Where do I even begin?
The Japanese manga turned anime series was one that took me by surprise. After dodging recommendations from numerous friends, thinking the anime as just another childish show, I decided to try the anime out upon learning that there was a film adaptation being released in New Zealand.
What was meant to be a casual endeavour into the anime series ended up becoming pure obsession as I binged watched through two whole seasons of the series. I was well equipped for the film and was beyond excited to catch My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (“Two Heroes”).
The film takes place in between season 3 of the series, meaning that in order to understand the film, viewers would need to have watched at least the first two seasons of the anime to fully grasp the plot.
As with most anime film adaptations, true fans would be able to figure out the plot of the film early on. Two Heroes’ narrative was overall predictable, however, had enough surprises to throw viewers off and keep their eyes glued to the screen.
The most captivating aspect of the film, of course, was the visuals, which were stunning and colourful. It was a visual delight taking in the world of My Hero Academia and enjoying the landscapes, technology, variety of ‘quirks’ and more. Everything was illustrated in such a bright and colourful way that was tough to not be sucked into the anime’s world.
The narrative itself was in keeping with the My Hero Academia theme, showcasing the sheer will and power of the students of UA and how far they’ve come since they first began their training. The interactions between characters were incredible, as good as the anime series itself, though with a bit more joy and laughter as the students were on a ‘holiday’. Of course, it was also great to see a bit more into the number one hero, All Might’s, past. However, I would have loved to have seen a proper backstory into All Might’s history and how he became the world’s symbol of peace.
Nonetheless, the action scenes were one of the best I’ve seen, with the students’ amazing quirks in action. It was a thrill to watch the students of Class 1A team up and work together to thwart the villains, even more so watching Izuku Midoriya, a.k.a Deku, fight alongside All Might. I couldn’t help but sit on the edge of my seat and cheer them on as they used the quirk ‘One For All’ to defeat their enemies.
The fight scenes were made even more epic by the film’s soundtrack, which were essentially remixed versions of the anime soundtrack that most fans already know and love. The action sequences and music made for a perfect combination, making each fight scene incredibly epic. It was tough not to raise my fist in the air and be pumped for Midoriya and All Might to win.
Two Heroes may not be as gripping as the anime series itself but it was a decent film adaptation to provide more My Hero Academia content to fans. The film itself was entertaining and being able to enjoy the film as a fan of the series, made for a better experience. The combination of easy going narrative, that even children could comprehend, fantastic visual sequences and a kick-ass soundtrack made for an epic film to watch. You’ll definitely have to give this one a watch.