Anime "My Hero Academia" Concludes: Daiki Yamashita Reflects on "Spending Half My Voice Acting Life Running Together" — Final Episode Screening Event Report

The Cast Reflects on the "Final Battle"

The event began on an emotional note. During the opening greetings, Sakura was immediately overcome with emotion and was seen shedding tears. Inoue helped wipe her tears, and with encouragement from the other cast members, the stage talk began. First, they looked back on Episode 8 (No. 167), "Izuku Midoriya: Rising," which featured the climax of the final battle.

Regarding the passionate development where the students of Class 1-A rush to Deku's side, Inoue commented, "The energy on set was just incredible, driven by the feeling that this was truly the final battle of My Hero Academia. Everyone gave it their all, performing with the intent to connect everything forward." Hatanaka looked back on the recording, adding, "During dubbing (for the scenes with Inoue), even though she had finished recording her parts, Inoue-san stayed next to me every time, even for scenes where her character wasn't speaking. It really put me at ease during the scenes where I had to pour out my true feelings, and I was so grateful."

Ishikawa shared his impression of the scene: "Back during the Stain fight, Iida said, 'Right now, I just need my legs.' In this battle, Iida supports Deku, trying to become Deku's legs. I was so happy that I could become the legs that guided Deku—who no longer had any hesitation—as a true friend."

Miyake commented passionately on All Might's line to Deku, "You have been my hero since that day." He said, "When I said that line, I felt like I wasn't just saying it to Deku, but to the hero known as Daiki Yamashita. The animation and reality blurred together, and I wasn't 'acting' at all. It was the only moment I felt completely synchronized with All Might."

Yamashita responded, "I feel that the phrase 'Do your best' (Ganbare) itself is a line that symbolizes him. When it aired, everyone tweeted 'Do your best' on social media, and it was a memorable episode where I felt the world of My Hero Academia and the real world connected as one."

Next, regarding Episode 10 (No. 169), "The Girl Who Likes Smiles," Sakura was asked about her thoughts during recording. Fighting back tears, she conveyed her feelings: "Ochaco and Toga are depicted as contrasting existences. Many 'Villain' Quirks are actually capable of saving people, so they could have been heroes too. But seeing how environmental differences divided their fates was a cruel conclusion for Ochaco. She had been agonizing over that for a long time, so seeing her friends take her hand and catch her—even as just a viewer—made me incredibly happy."

Approaching the Final Screening

As the screening of the final episode approached, the cast was asked how they felt facing this day.

Inoue: "I've participated for about 10 years, but looking back, it felt like an instant. Part of me doesn't want it to end, but seeing how much the characters have suffered, I also wanted to release them from that battle. I'm happy to see them reach that point."

Okamoto: "I think all the cast members have parts of this show that overlap with their own lives. I want to witness the final title callback of My Hero Academia and the feelings Horikoshi-sensei poured into it together with everyone."

Miyake: "I believe every single person cheering for us is the greatest hero. I want to experience the final closure with you all." Yamashita: "It’s a story that feels very 'My Hero Academia.' Hearts are all created equal, and this finale returns to the origin, showing us that while futures may head in various directions, they end up coming back here. I hope you enjoy it with a smile until the very end."

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