North American fans of the Japanese anime series My Hero Academia: Your Next have a lot to look forward to, as for the first time in the popular series’ history, North American audiences can experience My Hero Academia on the big screen. With English subtitles and dubs, distributor Toho International (Godzilla Minus One) is tailoring the anime series to an English-speaking audience, as they attempt to increase their American viewers.
“With the North American release of Godzilla Minus One, Toho International took its initial steps forward as a film distributor, beginning down the path Toho Company Limited has already successfully traveled for many decades within Japan,” says Toho International president Koji Ueda. “Through the success of Godzilla Minus One, it became clear US moviegoers want to watch Japanese theatrical releases as intended – on the big screen with their friends and fellow fans,” added Ueda.
Originally a manga comic book that debuted in 2014, My Hero Academia has sold over one hundred million copies worldwide. The comics were first adapted into a TV series and then three theatrical films, with the fourth on the way. According to the official synopsis, the series sequel is set “in a devastated society where villains are rampant.” It follows the protagonist “Izuku Midoriya, a U.A. High School student who aspires to be the best hero he can be, confronts the villain who imitates the hero he once admired.” The Japanese release is set for Aug. 4, with the North American release coming later this fall.