Ten Years of "My Hero Academia": Special Video Celebrates Deku's Journey to Becoming a Hero

On June 16, known as "Hero Day," the production team of "My Hero Academia" released a special anniversary video. The short film titled "PLUS ULTRA MOVIE – You Can Be a Hero" traces the development of the protagonist Izuku Midoriya, also known as Deku, from his childhood to becoming the greatest hero. The journey is accompanied by the iconic film score "You Say Run" by composer Yuki Hayashi.

The video was created under the direction of character designer Yoshihiko Umakoshi, who has been involved with the series since the first season. For the ten-year retrospective, new animation sequences were specially created, bringing emotional key moments from Deku's story back to life.

"Hero Day" on June 16 holds special significance for the fan community: on this day in 2018, the episode "One For All" from the third season aired, in which All Might and All For One fought their legendary battle. Since then, this date has been celebrated annually with various activities.

The release of the video is part of the extensive ten-year anniversary project for the anime adaptation. The first season of "My Hero Academia" premiered on April 3, 2016, on Japanese television. After eight seasons, the main series concluded in December 2025. In May 2026, an epilogue episode titled "More" followed, and a new short story about the character Eri is announced for summer 2026. A concert featuring the series' soundtracks, as well as various merchandise and collaboration activities, accompany the anniversary year.