March 30th, 2019 
Charles Solomon 
One of the biggest anime hits of recent years, the broadcast series My Hero Academia (2016) blends the popular genres of the superhero adventure and the high school comedy-drama. The first feature, My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, earned a 100% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and a respectable $28 million in its US theatrical release in September. The Blu-ray has just been released, and is at the top of the anime category on Amazon.
Kohei Horikoshi, the manga artist who created “Academia,” seems genuinely surprised at the runaway success of his work: More than 16 million copies of the books have been sold. “I wanted My Hero Academia to be something I could enjoy,” he said in an interview. “I’m really glad people are following along and enjoying it. As for its popularity overseas, that hasn’t quite hit me yet. I still wonder to myself, ‘is this really true?’”
Horikoshi set “Academia” in an alternate world where most children are born with “Quirks:” special powers that can be developed until the possessors become superheroes–or arch-villains. Nebbish-y Izuku “Deku” Midoriya (voice by Justin Briner) was born without a Quirk, but his willingness to help people in danger impressed ultimate superhero All-Might (Christopher R. Sabat). All-Might, who looks like the Beach Boys’ version of a Marvel hero, shared his formidable “One for All” Quirk with Deku.
Like Miles Morales in Spider-Verse, Deku has to learn to control his formidable new abilities. He works hard, but his classmates at U.A. High, a school that trains elite superheroes, have been using their Quirks since they were toddlers. Deku faces a steep learning curve.
As the feature opens, All-Might takes Deku to visit his inventor friend David Shield (Ray Chase) on I-Island, a floating tech lab the size of a small city, where the world’s greatest scientists push the boundaries of the possible. In his ill-fitting suit and high-tops, Deku gapes in awe at the miraculous gadgetry. But he’s even more impressed by David’s Quirk-less but brilliant daughter Melissa (Erica Mendez), who likes him (!). Several other students from U.A. High just happen to be on the island as tourists or working part-time jobs. When brutal terrorists seize control of I-Island, taking everyone hostage, it’s up to Deku, Melissa and their friends to rescue them.
The familiar characters throw themselves into the fray, but the climactic final battle atop the 80th floor of the central tower pits All-Might and Deku against the terrorist ringleader Wolfram (Keith Silverstein). A hi-tech gauntlet Melissa invented for him enables Deku release his powerful Quirk without shattering the bones in his fist. Although the battle goes on a bit too long, director Kenji Nagasaki throws in an impressive array of CG effects that keep the visuals exciting. To no one’s surprise, Deku finally beats the wasabi out of Wolfram.
Although they’re both come-from-behind kids, Deku lacks the cockiness of another popular anime hero, Naruto Uzumaki. Short, skinny, untidy and apologetic, Deku’s a far cry from the standard-issue superheroes.
“I think a lot of Deku’s appeal is because he doesn’t seem like a typical hero,” says Horikoshi. “He’s an ordinary boy who was crushed by the fact that he couldn’t be what he wanted to become, and that makes him relatable. I think everybody has experienced facing a wall that is difficult to overcome. I’m a fan of American comics: I like Marvel, and I was especially influenced by Spider-Man: ‘with great power comes great responsibility.’”
Like Shameik Moore in Spider-Verse, Briner keeps his character believable as both a formidable warrior and an uncertain kid. The combination of strength and insecurity make both characters more interesting and human than many other comic book heroes. Superman is never awkward; Batman is always cool. Deku and Miles struggle to come to terms with their powers. Becoming the type of hero they admire is a personal journey. They fight evil, but it’s the individual journeys that set both films apart.
When David says, “that boy has the heart of a hero,” he identifies the quality that’s made My Hero Academia a hit on both sides of the Pacific. The energetic blend of heroism, comedy and rock ‘em sock ’em combat is fun to watch. But it’s Deku’s sincerity and selfless courage that viewers remember after the smoke has cleared.
My Hero Academia: Two Heroes
Funimation: $34.98 two discs, DVD and Blu-ray
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