Deku and Bakugo Team Up in Heroes Rising and it is Glorious

I’m currently writing this on my phone as I prepare to go to bed, but this can’t wait until the morning. I just got done watching My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising. It was amazing! A huge step above Two Heroes, which was already a good movie.

The film takes place sometime after Season Four of the anime, though I’m not sure when. All the students of Class 1-A are filling in for the Pro Heroes by watching over the small island town of Nabu. Once again, Horikoshi wears his love for Star Wars on his sleeve. This month long excursion has no Pros and no teachers, so it’s a good chance for the students to gain experience. That is, until a quartet of villains arrives and turns the island into a disaster zone. Cut off from the world, the students of Class 1-A have to pull off all the stops to save the island. And man, do they go beyond, plus ultra!

Using the Cast to their Full Exent

A complaint I have about Two Heroes was how it never used app of Class 1-A as much as it could have. It only focused on around half the class, with the other half only making cameos with no lines. In Heroes Rising, though, the opposite happens.

Whether it’s through helping the islanders or throwing their might at the villains, this film gives each member of Class 1-A a moment to shine. While some will get more attention than others, I still enjoy seeing how each of these young heroes can show off what they can do.

Flashy Villains, No Depth

The villains in this story were terrifying on a scale that few in MHA can match. However, they’re so lacking in depth that I can’t even hope to remember their names. I guess that doesn’t matter, though, when they can bulldoze their way through the heroes. As a result, the students get pushed to their absolute limits to win, which makes for some intense fights.

Then we have the big bad, Nine. He’s called that because he let the League of Villains Dr. Eggman experiment on him. As a result, he has a weaker version of All for One’s Quirk. That alone makes him a nightmare, but the damage it does to his body keeps him from being All for One 2.0

So, he comes to the island looking for a Quirk to negate the damage, so he can fulfill his evil plans. What are they? Make a world where the strong rule: same spiel, a different bad guy. He doesn’t need depth when he can create a grandiose disaster and throttle the heroes in the worst beatdown I’ve seen since the Original Broly. Which leads for the team-up that fans have wanted

Deku and Bakugo

We’ve seen how Dekh’s relationship with Bakugo’s evolved over the series. Whereas Bakugo once thought his former friend was a nobody, this film shows him giving him genuine respect. He still yells at him and complains a lot, but he’s nowhere near as condescending. He wants Deku to get stronger so he can prove that he’s better than him.

Every generation of Shonen has had one great rivalry. First there was the legendary rivalry of Goku and Vegeta. Next, we had Naruto and Sasuke. Now, we have Deku and Bakugo, carrying the torches of those that came before.

In other words, this film’s about their relationship with each other and how far they’ve helped each other grow. This leads to the two facing down Nine in a climax that I can barely describe to you. The closest I can say is that it’s like the Deku vs. Overhaul fight times a hundred! It’s that good!

A Plus Ultra Film

While I do hold a soft spot for Two Heroes, I’d say that Heroes Rising was a significant improvement. If you haven’t seen it yet, then why are you still reading this? Go see it before it’s too late

I Give My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising a 4.8/5

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