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Japan Anime News Edit by Taimu Tsuji

【Anime Expo 2024】 My Hero Academia Thrills 3,400 Fans at Anime Expo 2024: Exclusive Movie Preview and Star-Studded Panel

From July 4th to 7th local time, the largest anime convention in North America, "Anime Expo 2024," was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. A report and photos from the special event for "My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next," held on the 5th, have arrived.


Daiki Yamashita, Mamoru Miyano, Meru Nukumi, and Kenta Miyake on stage at the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."

Daiki Yamashita, Mamoru Miyano, Meru Nukumi, and Kenta Miyake on stage at the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."


The event attracts numerous anime fans from around the world each year. At the "My Hero Academia" stage, more than 3,400 local fans gathered, with many fans lining up early in the morning and numerous cosplayers dressed as various characters, including Deku.

On the "My Hero Academia" stage, Daiki Yamashita, the voice actor for the protagonist Izuku Midoriya (Deku), Kenta Miyake, who voices All Might, the former No.1 hero known as the "Symbol of Peace," and voices Dark Might, the antagonist in the movie, Mamoru Miyano, who voices the original character Giulio Gandini, and Meru Nukumi, who voices the heroine Anna Scervino in the movie, flew in from Japan. They spoke about the charm of the popular anime series and highlighted the new movie.


Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."

Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."


Yamashita first took the stage and greeted the audience in English with a phrase inspired by Deku's signature move, "California Smash!" This was met with a huge cheer from the audience. Miyake then took the stage after being introduced by the MC and greeted in All Might's voice, saying, "It's okay now! Because I am here at Anime Expo!" This sent the audience's excitement soaring.

The two discussed the currently airing Season 7, captivating the fans with their words and eliciting cheers. Miyano and Nukumi then appeared for the movie segment, greeting the audience amid enthusiastic cheers and shouts of "Meruru!" and "Mamo!" The cast was visibly surprised by the reaction. When asked about their impressions of standing on the Anime Expo stage, Nukumi commented, "The enthusiasm of everyone is incredible... I'm having so much fun!"


Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."

Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."


Miyano's heartfelt "I love you!!" was met with a chorus of "I love you too" from the audience, and some fans even shouted "Daisuki!" in Japanese, showing the collective enjoyment of the event.

When asked how he felt upon hearing about the movie adaptation, Yamashita enthusiastically said, "I was super happy!" Hearing the MC translate this as "Super Happy," Yamashita repeated it energetically, prompting a "cute!!" reaction from the audience. He added that he was curious about the story's placement within the overall timeline, saying, "It was a surprise to find out what happened during this period. Compared to the first movie, this fourth movie feels very heroic." His heartfelt comments were met with applause and admiration from the audience.


Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."

Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."


Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."

Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."


Miyano and Nukumi also shared their excitement about being cast in the movie. Miyano humorously echoed Yamashita's "Super Happy," drawing laughter from the audience. Nukumi, a big fan of "My Hero Academia," said she was thrilled and thought it was a prank at first, adding, "I'm Super Happy too!"

Miyake, who played the dual roles of All Might and Dark Might, shared his feelings about the challenge, saying, "Since 'My Hero Academia' has the theme 'PLUS ULTRA' (Go Beyond), I felt I had to go beyond as a voice actor too, so I took on the role of the villain, Dark Might." He recounted the difficulty of recording All Might's lines after Dark Might, noting that All Might ended up sounding a bit villainous, requiring retakes.


Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."

Scenes from the special event for 'My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: Your Next' held at "Anime Expo 2024."


Miyano discussed his approach to voicing Julio, emphasizing the importance of understanding the character's emotions. Miyake humorously responded with "Me too," followed by Miyano's "You too," eliciting laughter from the audience. The anecdotes revealed the cast's struggles and camaraderie, delighting the fans.

The special stage also featured the world's first screening of the first 15 minutes of the movie ahead of its release in Japan. The cast joined the audience in watching the film, with cheers erupting each time familiar characters like Deku and Bakugo appeared, and anticipation growing during scenes featuring new characters Julio, Anna, and Dark Might.

At the end of the screening, it was announced that the movie would be released in North America on October 11 (with the Japanese release on August 2). The audience responded with thunderous applause and cheers. The event concluded with the cast leading the audience in chanting "PLUS ULTRA!" the catchphrase of "My Hero Academia."


Mamoru Miyano and Meru Nukumi at the photo spot with a view of the Hollywood Sign.

Mamoru Miyano and Meru Nukumi at the photo spot with a view of the Hollywood Sign.


Source : ORICON NEWS