“I Was A Bit Shocked” – Deku, Bakugo, and All Might Actors on My Hero Academia: You’re Next

Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia has been one of the biggest shonen anime of the past decade ever since it made its debut in 2016. Now, seven seasons and four feature films later, My Hero Academia is more popular than ever and primed to end on a high note.

Set in a world where superpowered “Quirks” are commonplace, Izuku “Deku” Midoriya and other strong heroes-in-training tirelessly fight against vicious villains who want to watch the world burn. My Hero Academia: You’re Next, the franchise’s latest movie, follows a deluded criminal who co-opts All Might’s inspirational message of hope into a suffocating, wicked manifesto. Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki, and the rest of Class 1-A give their all to take down this troubling threat who doesn’t just believe that he’s All Might’s successor, but he also looks suspiciously similar.

In honor of My Hero Academia: You’re Next, Daiki Yamashita, Nobuhiko Okamoto, and Kenta Miyake — Deku, Bakugo, and All Might’s Japanese voice actors — get candid on what sets My Hero Academia: You’re Next apart from the series’ other movies, their characters’ remarkable journeys, and why the film’s message is so timely and important.

DEN OF GEEK: It’s truly a privilege to play a character like Izuku Midoriya for seven seasons and four movies. Can you talk about his development over the course of the franchise, how this has affected your performance, and where his mental state is during My Hero Academia: You’re Next?

DAIKI YAMASHITA: As Deku, I always “voice what I feel as-is”, and that’s been a consistent rule. At some point, I stopped reading ahead in the manga, because I wanted my feelings behind my voice to be as real. I was hoping to be closer to Deku’s emotions by being in a similar place in the story’s timeline as him. This approach is specifically for when I voice Deku and I think it’s brought me closer to his thoughts and feelings. He is very calm in the fourth movie, because it’s right after season six, in which the heroes have all come together. Out of all of the movies so far, I feel that Deku is in his most stable state. Although I can’t deny I was a bit shocked by Dark Might, a villain with similar appearance and voice as All Might. 

Audiences have truly fallen in love with Midoriya as a character and he’s become one of the shonen genre’s most popular heroes. What has it been like interacting with My Hero Academia fans who you’ve inspired over the years and is surreal to watch a movie like this in a theater that’s packed with fans?

DY: I think it was around eight years ago when My Hero Academia was not yet known, but it was my first event and I said to the audience, “I want you all to remember these words! Go beyond! Plus Ultra!” I could see the question mark above most people’s heads and only very few repeated the words back to me. But I continued to repeat “Go beyond! Plus Ultra!” at every event, radio and live show. Now every My Hero Academia fan is ready for those words, not only in Japan but also fans worldwide. We’re always ready to say “Plus Ultra!” together. I’m glad I never gave up and I want to continue connecting with the fans with those words!

Kenta, you’ve played All Might since My Hero Academia’s start, who has always been the ultimate symbol of heroism and justice. What was the experience like to play this film’s villain, Dark Might, and get the opportunity to channel a very different type of performance? Did you approach Dark Might the same way that you would with All Might or did you take a different approach here? What were your inspirations for the character?

KENTA MIYAKE: I always viewed Midoriya and the group from All Might’s perspective, but this time I had the opportunity to look at them as a villain, so it was wonderful being able to feel their strength and resolve all over again. When I was figuring out how to voice Dark Might, I tried to remember my time auditioning before I knew too much about All Might. As a result, I hope I’ve been able to bring out Dark Might’s personality, including the feeling of emptiness he gives off at times.

One of my favorite elements in My Hero Academia is how the series blurs the line between heroes and villains and pushes the audience to question what really makes a hero. How is this theme explored in My Hero Academia: You’re Next and what do you think that the movie says about the power of words and the dangers of how people can misinterpret messages and turn something honorable into an abuse of power?

KM: The very existence of Midoriya, Bakugou, and Todoroki embodies what it means to be a hero. It is interesting to note that Dark Might was actually trying to become the next All Might, the new Symbol of Peace and a hero. He wasn’t intending to become a villain. However, he only recognized and admired All Might’s immense strength, and as a result, he ended up becoming more like a villain. If he had a genuine heart of wanting to become a hero like Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki, the outcomes might’ve been different.

Nobuhiko, one of the biggest joys of My Hero Academia has been watching Bakugo become a more important and confident character, especially in the My Hero Academia movies where he gets to lead the charge with Midoriya. What does Bakugo bring to the table in You’re Next as a hero and what are you going to miss the most about playing this character once My Hero Academia has ended?

NOBUHIKO OKAMOTO: I was definitely hoping to showcase Bakugo’s growth as a hero. In addition to leading the charge, he was trying to catch the villains before anyone else and win against them. Especially with a villain like Dark Might, who imitated All Might, I absolutely could not lose against him. Facing Dark Might felt different from any other villains, because I felt a mix of denial and frustration. And rather than feeling sad, I’m more focused on wanting to voice Bakugo until the end. Since Bakugo tends to let out intense yells way more than an ordinary character, I hope I can continue to bring out his charm as long as I can scream.

Bakugo has experienced so many satisfying and triumphant moments throughout My Hero Academia’s anime and feature films, but which stand out the most to you as the series heads into its endgame?

NO: It’s when Bakugo kept fighting, and I was rehearsing in tears for the “Right…” scene. Following that, I had a line to Izuku, “Can I still catch up to you?” but I can barely remember this recording session. I’m always bringing my all to the recordings, but this was my first time being overcome by emotion that I can’t clearly remember the session. I remember feeling relieved after seeing the broadcast.

My Hero Academia: You’re Next is currently playing in theaters