My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission

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My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission — Short, Easy-to-Understand Summary

What is it
My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission is a 2021 Japanese animated superhero film. It’s the third movie in the My Hero Academia movie series, produced by Bones and distributed by Toho. The film was directed by Kenji Nagasaki, with Yōsuke Kuroda writing the screenplay and Kōhei Horikoshi providing the original story. It features actors like Daiki Yamashita (Deku), Nobuhiko Okamoto (Bakugo), and Yuki Kaji (Todoroki), along with new characters such as Rody Soul, an orphan who teams up with the heroes.

Plot in brief
A doomsday cult named Humarise believes Quirks (superpowers) will someday wipe out humanity. Humarise plants bombs around the world that release a gas called Trigger, which makes Quirks go out of control and kills the users. Their leader, Flect Turn, wants to erase the Quirk population to “save” humanity.

World Heroes’ Association and the world’s heroes try to stop the bombs. Izuku Midoriya (Deku), Katsuki Bakugo, and Shoto Todoroki travel to Humarise’s headquarters in a country called Otheon, then cross borders to continue the mission. Along the way, Deku meets Rody Soul, a street kid who is trying to keep his siblings safe. Rody becomes involved with the heroes after getting mixed up with a Humarise plot.

The team discovers that Humarise used a man named Alan Kay and his partner to create the Trigger bombs. A USB drive and data disk hidden in Kay’s briefcase hold a kill code for the bombs. The heroes race to stop Humarise and the bombs, while Flect Turn challenges Deku with a powerful defense. Rody temporarily betrays the team to protect his family, but the truth comes out with help from Pino, a sentient Quirk who speaks for Rody. Deku ultimately defeats Flect Turn using One For All at full power, and Rody and Pino manage to insert the kill code, stopping the bombs. Humarise is captured, and the heroes recover. Deku returns home to Japan, while Rody stays in the world with a new job and dream of becoming a pilot. Class 1-A reunites at U.A. High, and Rody pursues his own path.

Production details (simplified)
- After the second movie, the creator of the My Hero Academia manga, Kohei Horikoshi, helped shape the story for this third film.
- Director: Kenji Nagasaki; Screenplay: Yōsuke Kuroda; Character design by Yoshihiko Umakoshi.
- The film introduces Rody Soul as a new main character and expands the world beyond Japan with international action.
- Stealth suits for Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki were shown in previews before release.

Music
Composer Yuki Hayashi returns to work on the score, and Asian Kung-Fu Generation performs the theme song “Empathy.” An insert song called “Flowers” is also by the same band. The soundtrack was released in Japan with later U.S. and U.K. home releases, including vinyl editions.

Marketing
Teaser trailers and key visuals came out in early 2021, with additional visuals released later. To boost interest, a bonus manga by Horikoshi was given to the first million theatergoers in Japan, and a novel based on the film was published in Japan. Various brand collaborations and merchandise accompanied the release, including special items tied to restaurants, stores, and character goods.

Release and home media
- Release date in Japan: August 6, 2021; 4D screenings started August 28, 2021.
- U.S. and Canada premiere: October 29, 2021; Australia and New Zealand: October 28, 2021; United Kingdom and Ireland: October 29, 2021.
- Home media: Blu-ray and DVD released in Japan on February 16, 2022; U.S. and Canada releases followed in August 2022; UK release of a 3-movie collection in February 2023.
- A later fourth film in the franchise, My Hero Academia: You’re Next, was released in 2024.

Box office and reception (highlights)
- Worldwide gross: about $47 million (roughly $29.3 million in Japan and $17.8 million in other regions).
- It was a strong performer in Japan and did solid business internationally.
- Critical reception was mixed to positive: Rotten Tomatoes gave a high score (about 87% from many reviews), while Metacritic showed a more average score. Critics praised the animation and action but some noted weaknesses in character development or pacing.
- Fans generally enjoyed the film for its scale, humor, and heart, with some mixed takes on its story depth.

Sequel
The series continued with a fourth film, My Hero Academia: You’re Next, which opened in Japan on August 2, 2024, continuing the franchise’s global popularity and expanding the world beyond the original series.

In short
My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission is an action-packed, globe-spanning adventure that pits heroes against a dangerous cult threatening the world. It introduces new characters, pushes Deku’s powers to the limit, and ties together the series’ themes of heroism, friendship, and hope.