My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising is a movie addition to one of the most popular anime series in recent years, and earned its fair share of hidden plotlines and spoilers. These events not only reference the past but future scenes not yet fully released in the anime itself. Naturally. as a movie that takes place ahead of the anime, there are more than enough odd inclusions that are worth mentioning for the sake of developing both characters and the storyline.
Running a Hero Agency on a small island, the relatively simple plot creates countless opportunities for subtle side narratives and hidden gems to look over throughout the course of the film!
10 A Hero Is Born!
During the final battle, Katsuma has a chance to flee as his sister attempts to buy him time. Instead, the boy instinctively runs forward in an attempt to save his sister, changing the entire dynamic of his character. The music fades out and an eerily similar scene takes place. With the camera angle shifting down to focus on Katsuma's feet, the background goes completely white and highlights the moment when he chooses to save someone else's life over his own.
Eagle-eyed fans will notice this scene also occurs at the very beginning of the series when Midoriya tries to save Bakugo from the slime monster, which became the defining moment in All Might choosing the boy as his successor.
9 Past One For All Users Identities
Prior to the film, the majority of the One For All users were only shadowy visages to Midoriya, who struggled to connect to his predecessors. During the events of Heroes Rising, we meet several bearers of the quirk including Daigoro. Daigoro is bald, intimidating, and informational to the student, letting him know how the quirk has changed and mutated from one user to the next and kept any previous quirks of One For All users. This not only allows Midoriya to access stockpiled power but allows plot development around the abilities that are being shown already in recent manga chapters.
8 Hawks And The League Of Villians
Heroes: Rising digs into many details that aren't yet present in the anime itself, and one of the connections hinted at during the events of the movie is the Pro Hero Hawks and his relationship with villainous organizations. Hawks is considered one of the top heroes and is quickly rising the ranks to dethrone peers that had been established as pros for years longer than him.
Not only does the avian hero have the ability to fly and use his feathers as weapons, but Hawks also has a deceptively jovial personality that hides a calm, collected interior capable of achieving great feats. In the manga, readers might be familiar with Hawks and his involvement with the League of Villains, but anime watchers are getting a first look at what the Winged Hero is capable of.
7 The Reappearing Doctor!
This doctor has been seen throughout the events of My Hero Academia and has caught the attention of many watchful fans. In the beginning episodes, this doctor is the one who assesses children for their quirk abilities and tells a young Izuku Midoriya that he is quirkless.
Kyudai Garaki is seen treating children and working directly with the League of Villians, who is run by a man who can steal quirks effortlessly through touch. He has also been proven to be one of All For One's most loyal servants and is responsible for taking care of the villain after his first fight against All Might.
6 One For All Is Alive?!
One For All got a lot of screentime in this film and expanded nearly every aspect of the quirk itself in many hidden and unexpected ways. Not only was it discovered that All For One is incapable of stealing One For All due to their relation to one another, but that the implied consciousness of the quirk is something completely unexpected for the series. At one point, the powerful quirk was transferred to Katsuki Bakugo until after the fight when both Bakugo and Midoriya were rendered unconscious.
At this point, the apparently conscious "vestiges" of former users stored within the quirk chose to pass the quirk back into Midoriya, hinting at the implied consciousness and future complex structure of the One For All quirk ability.
5 Black Shadow Can Fly!
Through Class 1-A's Tokoyami internship with the Winged Hero Hawks, the student learned how to advance his own moves into heightened forms of ability and combat with Dark Shadow. This was an easy-to-miss turning point for Tokoyami, who did not have the ability to fly up until this point and can use the super move, Black Fallen Angel, to keep up with his new mentor. Some fans were stumped to be thrown into a flying Tokoyami however, given the hidden trials of the manga having the student go through a long trial phase of learning how to properly access the method.
4 Mystery Scar?
Anime fans will find many hidden gems in the course of watching Heroes Rising, one of them being Flame Hero: Endeavor's new scar! Manga readers and those who have watched the most recent episodes of the anime are caught up on the events of Endeavor's fight with the nomu.
This fight resulted in the now Number 1 Hero having a flashy new scar on his face that is rather striking to those who aren't sure how the wound got there. The scar marks the beginning of Endeavor's redemption arc with his family, and most importantly his son Shoto Todoroki.
3 Shoto Todoroki's Development!
Fans of My Hero Academia are no stranger to the family dynamic of the Todoroki household. The tension is palpable, and most wouldn't expect it to evolve past that stalemate. Pro Hero Endeavor isn't known for his kindness, and this is something that has been a trademark of the interactions between the hero and his son. However, a subtle change in behavior can be seen throughout the events of Heroes Rising between the father and son. This goes so far as to have the ending show a distressed Endeavor rushing to embrace his son after the final battle concluded.
While the two still have a long way to go in terms of affection or redemption in Endeavor's case, the film does secretly lay the framework to start rebuilding the family relationship.
2 Might + U
During the intensely-awaited final battle, the song "Might+U" can be heard playing in the background. It's a somber melody that won the hearts of many fans and is one of the most notable songs of the series. The song can also be heard playing in the anime itself- during Season 4, Episode 13 where Midoriya is trying to reach Eri and save her from Overhaul. Both scenes are immensely powerful, but also showcase the protagonist's true determination and ability to settle fights in a heroic manner.
1 New Gear
Anime watchers might miss the important new tech that Midoriya is sporting for the course of the movie. The Air Force Gloves were made by Mei Hatsume that was also responsible for creating the student's Iron Soles during the School Festival Arc.
Much like the Iron Soles seen during the Festival, the gloves are meant to enable Midoriya's unique Shoot Style of fighting by funneling the force of the blast through the holes on his fists. This will allow the student to use less power to achieve a devastating effect, saving Midoriya from constantly injuring his hands during a fight.