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?