Brief Summary
This podcast episode reviews the English dub of "My Hero Academia: Two Heroes," praising the ADR direction and scriptwriting by Colleen Clinkenbeard and Jeremy Kratz. The hosts discuss the voice acting performances for both returning and new characters, highlighting the dub's ability to capture the energy and heart of the series. They also touch on the movie's canonicity and its significance within the broader "My Hero Academia" franchise.
- The dub is consistently good and doesn't wear out its welcome.
- The casting choices, especially for new characters, are well-received.
- The movie is a fun fanservice that captures the energy of the series.
Intro
The podcast episode is a review of the English dub for the movie "My Hero Academia: Two Heroes". The hosts clarify that this is not the full film but a review, encouraging viewers to support the official release. They introduce themselves and the topic, setting the stage for a discussion about the movie's dub.
Movie Plot
The hosts provide a brief plot summary of the movie, which takes place between seasons two and three of the anime series. Deku and All Might are invited to AI Island for an expo, where they meet Melissa Shield, a quirkless girl. Villains hack the island's security system, taking people hostage and setting a plan in motion that threatens hero society. All Might holds the key to stopping them.
ADR Director and Writer
The ADR director for the movie is Colleen Clinkenbeard, and the writer is Jeremy Kratz, both reprising their roles from the TV series. Colleen has also directed "Panty & Stocking" and "Steins Gate," while Jeremy has written for "The Gingy Dough Collection" and the 2019 "Fruits Basket" anime. One of the hosts admits to having previously criticized Colleen's direction but now acknowledges her excellent work on "My Hero Academia."
General Dub Opinions
The hosts share their overall opinions on the movie's dub. One host admits to eating their words, acknowledging that Colleen Clinkenbeard knows what she's doing. The dub is praised for being fantastic and capturing the energy of the series. The addition of certain cast members who hadn't had significant roles before is also highlighted as a positive aspect. The dub is considered a lot of fun and a great time, which is why it consistently wins fan-voted awards.
Direction and Writing
The movie is action-packed and full of heart, dialing up the stakes compared to the TV show. The energy and heart of the TV show cross over into the film, with nothing lost in the direction and writing. The casting decisions, especially for the three major characters specific to the film, are praised for featuring Cali-based actors, which isn't common in Funimation dubs. The dub maintains a high level of energy, even when watched alone, and is considered very strong due to the direction and writing.
Initial Hesitations
One of the hosts admits to having initial hesitations about some of the casting decisions when the show first came out. However, after meeting Colleen and understanding the constraints she faced, the host realized that she had made the best possible calls. The dub is now considered phenomenal, with everything working and fitting perfectly. The initial nervousness from the community about how the adaptation would be handled is also discussed, given the show's growing popularity.
Female Cast
The hosts discuss the female cast, including Lucy Christian as Ochaco Uraraka, Colleen Clinkenbeard as Momo Yaoyorozu, and Trina Nishimura as Kyoka Jiro. Lucy's performance as Ochaco is praised for being sweet and adorable, with one host admitting that it has driven them to tears. Colleen's portrayal of Momo is highlighted for capturing her intelligence, wealth, and insecurities without resorting to stereotypes. Trina's Jiro is described as youthful, sarcastic, and tomboyish, providing a contrast to Momo's more girly demeanor.
Female Cast Performances
Ochaco is described as sweet, pure, and too good for the world, but also capable of kicking ass. The characters are all aware of their limitations, making them multifaceted and imperfect. Momo is compared to a regal rich girl, while Jiro is likened to a rockstar. The hosts appreciate how Colleen and Trina use similar vocal ranges to create distinctive personalities for their characters. One host initially disagreed with Lucy's casting but now enjoys her performance.
Jiro, Ochaco, and Momo
Jiro is fun to listen to because of her snarky personality and willingness to shut down pervy behavior. She also has a soft, shy side and knows the limits of her abilities. Ochaco is described as a sweet Georgia peach who can still kick ass. Momo has always been a favorite character because she subverts the stereotype of the spoiled rich girl, instead being sweet and almost like a big sister.
First Set of Boys
The hosts discuss the first set of male characters: Tenya Iida (J. Michael Tatum), Denki Kaminari (Kyle Phillips), and Minoru Mineta (Brina Palencia). Mineta is described as the worst, with one host actively disliking him. Brina Palencia's portrayal of Mineta is praised for making him tolerable, despite the character's flaws. J. Michael Tatum's Iida is considered perfect, balancing being a stickler for the rules with genuine concern for his friends. Kyle Phillips' Kaminari is described as cute, boyish, and derpy, providing a sweet and fun energy.
Male Characters Performances
Brina Palencia's performance as Mineta is praised for making the character tolerable, despite his terrible actions. J. Michael Tatum's Iida is described as a caricature of a by-the-rules character, which Tatum portrays fantastically. Kyle Phillips' Kaminari is very chill and provides a fun balance to the more tense characters. Kaminari's derpiness is also highlighted as a fantastic aspect of the character.
Kaminari, Mineta, and Iida
Kaminari is more of a "look but don't touch" type of pervert, which makes him more tolerable than Mineta. Brina's portrayal of Mineta is hilarious, making him a laughable character. Kyle Phillips' performance as Kaminari is one of his best, making the character seem natural. J. Michael Tatum was born to play Iida, and it was a safe choice for the right reason.
Second Round of Boys
The hosts move on to discuss the second group of male characters: Katsuki Bakugo (Clifford Chapin), Eijiro Kirishima (Justin Cook), and Shoto Todoroki (David Matranga).
Kirishima, Todoroki, and Bakugo
Justin Cook is a fantastic Kirishima, bringing a lovable charm to the character. David Matranga has become the epitome of Todoroki, not playing him as emotionless but with a lot of tension in his performance. Clifford Chapin is praised for his portrayal of Bakugo, capturing the character's anger and quieter, more hard-hitting moments.
Todoroki and Bakugo
Justin Cook's Kirishima is like a rockstar, very gruff but also a voice of reason. David Matranga's Todoroki has a stoicism to his character, but you can still sense the warmth and growth. Clifford Chapin's Bakugo is an angry little edge lord, but he has moments where he dials it back, and there was a little moment that warmed my heart.
Bakugo, Kirishima, and Todoroki
Clifford Chapin was born to play Bakugo, and it was a perfect casting choice. Kirishima is laid-back and chill, and Justin Cook plays that well. David Matranga is able to play both the stoic and serious Todoroki as well as the slightly goofy one.
Antagonists
The hosts discuss the antagonists: Dr. Samuel Abraham (Barry Yandell) and Wolfram (Keith Silverstein). Dr. Abraham sets up the hostage situation, and Wolfram leads the mercenaries. Keith Silverstein has also played villains in other Funimation films, such as "One Piece Film Gold."
Wolfram and Dr. Samuel Abraham
Keith Silverstein is great as Wolfram, dripping evil and having fun with the role. Barry Yandell does a really good job as Sam, even though he doesn't do much in the movie. Sam is technically the main villain of the film because he made the first suggestion to David to stage the hostage situation.
Keith Silverstein as Wolfram
Keith Silverstein has so much cunning and slimy evil to him, and it's clear he's having fun with the role. Wolfram is a character you love to hate, and Keith's performance is fantastic. He's one of the favorite villains of the entire franchise.
David and Melissa Shield
The hosts discuss the new characters David and Melissa Shield, played by Ray Chase and Erica Mendez, respectively. David is a professor and All Might's former partner, while Melissa is his quirkless daughter.
Ray Chase and Erica Mendez
Ray Chase is a vocal chameleon, and his performance as David is charismatic and sympathetic. Erica Mendez is Melissa, and she felt like she was another part of the show that had always been there. She's the all-American good girl.
David and Melissa Shield Performances
Erica Mendez's Melissa is sweet and adorable, and it seems like a flawless fit in this world. Ray Chase's David Shield is grounded in reality, and you can sense the exhaustion behind the voice. He's very good at keeping his ulterior motives hidden throughout the course of the film.
Deku and All Might
The hosts discuss the titular two heroes, Izuku Midoriya (Deku) and Toshinori Yagi (All Might), played by Justin Briner and Christopher Sabat, respectively. Both share the quirk One For All, granting them incredible strength and speed.
Justin Briner and Christopher Sabat
Christopher Sabat is a perfect All Might, the gold standard for this type of character being dubbed. He brings so much love and care into playing this character. Justin Briner is great as Deku, doing the screaming, yelling, and heartfelt stuff.
Deku and All Might Performances
Justin Briner makes Deku so adorable, endearing, sincere, and genuine. Christopher Sabat's All Might has dual personas, the hammy and fun hero and the calmer Toshinori. He gets to play with so many different aspects of his personality.
Christopher Sabat as All Might
Christopher Sabat is All Might, and you can't convince me otherwise. He has so much fun with the dual personas, and it doesn't really matter if he's small might or all might, he is still and will forever be the symbol of peace.
Final Thoughts
The hosts share their final thoughts on the movie and its dub. It's basically great, with flaws that are so minute and insignificant that you have to go looking for them. It doesn't have to be original, it just has to be good.
My Hero Academia
"My Hero Academia" reminds me of why I got into anime. It's as much fun, goofy, dumb [ __ ] as it is heartfelt, not holding back punches about being a good person and being the best person you can be and to go beyond your limits. It takes a lot of tropes and those unoriginal ideas but turns them into like converts it into a way that is very enjoyable.
Recommendations
Watch it with a group of friends because that is the best experience. If you have not yet seen "My Hero Academia: Two Heroes," you have to buy it on blu-ray or DVD. If you want to watch "My Hero Academia," you can stream it on Funimation now.
Outro
The hosts provide their social media handles and thank the listeners for joining them for season three of summer movies. They ask for feedback and suggestions for movies to cover next year.
