My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission

My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission is the third feature film in the popular anime franchise, sending Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki on a global mission to stop Humarise—a terrorist cult led by Flect Turn—from unleashing a genocidal plan that targets Quirk users worldwide. The film succeeds in expanding the series' scope beyond Japan, showcasing heroes from across the globe in a James Bond-esque international adventure that takes the action to cities like Paris and Singapore. The film's examination of Quirk discrimination through Rody Soul, a street thief who initially mistrusts heroes, adds thematic depth that connects with the franchise's central themes of heroism and prejudice. Bones Studio's animation creates amazing set pieces, especially the climactic battles that feature Deku's new "Full Cowling" techniques and the visually stunning "World Heroes" joint attacks. The main trio's relationship creates real character moments amid the turmoil, and the film moves quickly through its 104-minute runtime, eschewing the extraneous content that dogged earlier movies.

But in order to properly understand character motives and stakes, viewers must be well-versed in the intricate narrative of the series, including One For All's past and the present manga arc. This is one of the intrinsic constraints of anime movie tie-ins. While his genocidal plan's practicalities are frustratingly unclear, the villain Flect Turn, who has a dramatic past involving Quirk-related tragedies, receives little screen time and development and serves more as a plot device than a memorable foe. The film's attempts to balance many hero teams across various places result in a fractured storyline that never fully settles into a cohesive rhythm, and the vast ensemble cast means that many of the fans' favorite Class 1-A kids only make brief or no appearances. Additionally, the emotional beats, while heartfelt, follow predictable shonen patterns that will feel familiar to anyone who has watched previous My Hero Academia films or the series proper. While World Heroes' Mission delivers exactly what fans expect—spectacular action, heroic ideals, and the power of friendship—it plays things safe rather than taking the creative risks that could have elevated it beyond competent franchise maintenance.

Staff:

Directed by: Kenji Nagasaki

Written by: Yōsuke Kuroda

Based on: My Hero Academia by Kōhei Horikoshi

Produced by: Sokichi Onoda, Mirei Tsumura, Hiroya Nakata, Kazumasa Sanjouba, Mari Furubayashi, and Hayato Saga

Starring: Daiki Yamashita, Nobuhiko Okamoto, and Yuki Kaji.

Cinematography: Mayuko Furumoto

Edited by: Kumiko Sakamoto

Music by: Yuki Hayashi

Production companies: Bones

Distributed by: Toho

Release date: August 6, 2021

Running time: 105 minutes