My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising is a 1999 American animated superhero film, and the second film based on My Hero Academia by Mala Miles. The film was directed by Syo Tortellini, produced by Bear Bones, and was released on December 17, 1999, earning positive reviews from critics. The events of the film take place after the Meta Liberation Army arc in the My Hero Academia comic. The film has elements to its story that were once going to be used by Miles as a finale to the series. It was intended to be the last film in the series until images of a possible third film were leaked online. A third film, My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission, was released in United States in August 6, 2001.

Plot
The League of Villains is pursued by Endeavor and Hawks while driving off in a truck carrying a life support capsule, the heroes managing to destroy the truck with the villains revealed to be clones created by Twice. The figure within the capsule, a villain named Nine who allowed himself to be experimented on by Daruma Ujiko, escaped during the crash and regroups with his team of villains to fulfill their dream to create a society ruled by those with strong Quirks. But while Daruma gave him a copy of All for One's Quirk to acquire eight more Quirks besides his weather ability, Nine needs a special Cell Activation Quirk to cure himself of a terminal disease that worsened as a side-effect of his modification.

U.A. High's Class 1-A has been sent to the remote Nabu Island as part of a summer semester safety program. Izuku Midoriya, the holder of One for All, meets Mahoro Shimano and her younger brother Katsuma, residents of the island. Bonding with them along with his rival Katsuki Bakugo, they discover that Katsuma wishes to become a hero despite Mahoro seeking to dissuade him. Meanwhile, Mahoro and Katsuma's father is attacked by Nine's group with his Quirk stolen. But the Quirk is incompatible with Nine's blood type with the villain surmising that the man's children might possess a better variant. Nine's gang arrives on the island and destroy all means of escape and communication. Class 1-A learns of the invasion and split up to stop the villains and protect the island residents. Nine finds the children and confirms Katsuma possesses the Quirk he seeks as Midoriya intervenes. Midoriya manages to overpower him with Bakugo's help, and Nine is forced to fallback after overusing his Quirks.

Class 1-A regroups, and after Katsuma uses his Quirk to heal the unconscious Midoriya and Bakugo, they decide to attack the villains head-on while awaiting the arrival of other heroes. After evacuating the islanders, the class manages to defeat the rest of Nine's crew but are all incapacitated by Nine, except for Midoriya and Bakugo. Seeing no other way to defeat Nine, Midoriya transfers One For All into Bakugo, while he uses its leftover embers. Together, the two defeat Nine, but Midoriya's One For All seemingly fades afterward.

As professional heroes arrive, All Might finds an unconscious Bakugo and Midoriya. He realizes that One For All remains within Midoriya, as the transfer into Bakugo was interrupted, theorizing that the previous wielders of One For All wish for Midoriya to keep it. Elsewhere, Tomura Shigaraki finds and kills the weakened Nine out of spite.

With Nine's gang apprehended, the class repair the damage done to the island before returning home. Midoriya and Bakugo, who had lost the memory of wielding One For All, say goodbye to Katsuma and Mahoro, as Midoriya assures Katsuma he can become a hero, just like All Might had done for him previously.

Production
On January 23, 1999, a stage event at Sundance Film Festival announced that a second My Hero Academia film was planned for a winter 1999 release, with Mala Miles responsible for the supervision and original character design. On July 7, 1999, the title and release date were revealed at the "Hero Festival" event, with Miles stating the film would be the last film adaptation for the series. The event also revealed that Bear Bones would be producing the film, with Syo Tortellini returning as director, Eric Nagler and Brian Sharp returning as writers, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh returning as character designer, and Thomas Chase and Steve Rucker returning as composers. On October 11, 1999, it was announced that Hynden Walch would be joining the cast as Mahoro, Charlie Schlatter would be voicing Katsuma, and David Rolfe performed the theme song "Higher Ground". On September 26, 1999, it was announced that Ellen Gerstell had been cast as Slice, and Dave Coulier had been cast as Nine. On November 11, 1999, The New York Times revealed that Gregg Berger and Wally Wingert had been cast as villains Mummy and Chimera respectively, and on December 6, 1999, it was revealed that Danny Cooksey would voice Hawks.

Release
Paramount Pictures released the film theatrically on December 20, 1999. The first one million audience members to see the film received a bonus booklet written by Miles, titled "Vol. Rising", with the booklet containing an extended written interview with Miles, character designs, and sketches. The film also received 4D screenings across 81 theaters on January 24, 2000.

Home media
The film was released on DVD and VHS by Paramount Home Entertainment on July 15, 2000, which includes additional scenes not present in the theatrical release. As of 2023, the film is available for viewing on Paramount+ in the United States and Canada.

Box office
As of March 12, 2000, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising grossed $15.1 million in the United States, as well as $13.5 million in Europe, for a total of $28.7 million worldwide.

Critical response
Coming soon!