Intense action, extraordinary abilities, and heartwarming courage. We’ve all come to expect this from the My Hero Academia franchise, yet we are never fully prepared for how far beyond these expectations MHA tends to shoot for and achieve. The newest movie in the saga, World Heroes’ Mission, continues the streak of success with a story that proves to hit all of the repeated themes throughout the series while still being so much more.
MHA: World Heroes’ Mission is relatively straightforward: a terrorist organization, Humanrise, tries to take out all people with Quirks using special bombs, and the heroes must stop them. Of course, this includes our favorite hero trio, Bakugo, Todoroki, and Deku, and their adventure tests their abilities and determination to be heroes. Deku teams up with a local, Rody Soul, to help save the world, and as usual, he helps Rody in many different ways, as Deku’s courage and positivity are infectious to all he meets.
Even though we all know the pieces that tend to make up MHA storylines, World Heroes’ Mission still somehow surpasses these expectations and makes it all seem brand new. The
writers were able to keep the story and dialogue accurate to the characters while still being fresh and exciting. When Deku has his anticipated moment of thinking he’s weak and has to lean on others, he still can express it in a way that doesn’t entirely feel like he’s repeating himself. The dialogue is meaningful at the moment.
The story itself also comes with some surprises. While it seems on the surface that this is a plot we’ve seen before, it still enraptures and captivates the audience as a brand new adventure. I tend to forget that MHA doesn’t shy away from dark themes and rough moments, even as a fan. The movie is accurate in contrast to its constant message of positivity and strength. There were times in World Heroes’ Mission where I was left a bit shell-shocked at the intensity of a scene. However, the viewer must take the plotline with a slight grain of salt, as we tend to have to in the MHA universe. Viewers may not get all the answers you are looking for. Notably how the terrorist organization created the threatening bombs without anyone knowing of it beforehand, but like every other subplot, it’s easy to overlook these small pieces and appreciate the small arc as a whole.
The music also contributes to World Heroes’ Mission in a subtle yet wholesome way. As we’ve seen throughout the entire MHA series, the instrumental music that follows the scenes enhances the excitement and anticipation that viewers feel. The music is eloquent and understated enough that the audience often doesn’t realize how it contributes to the film. Just when viewers are getting whiplash from the constant action, a lyrical song called Flowers, performed by Asian Kung-Fu Generation, adds a relaxing and serene tone to a montage that offers a break while still supporting the progression of the movie. High-quality performance is an expectation. Mainly since the band also performs the opening sequence as well. MHA has repeatedly shown that they do music right, and World Heroes’ Mission is no exception.
My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission is not only a must-see for any MHA fan but for anyone who likes fantastic animation, storytelling, and music. The plotline is easy enough to understand on its own while being intense and exciting sufficient to draw anyone in. It proves to be another successful addition to the MHA franchise. The crew behind the series continues to show that when it comes to the MHA universe, they always go “plus ultra.”
My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission debuts in the U.S. on October 29. Previously released in Japan on August 6, a special manga adaptation volume, called Volume World Heroes, was also released to coincide with the premier, along with a prequel chapter in Weekly Shonen Jump titled “Endeavor’s Mission.”
