The second season will be a story that will make you fall in love with the characters even more! TV anime "My Hero Academia" interview with Daiki Yamashita (played by Izuhisa Midoriya) and Ayane Sakura (played by Ochako Reichi)

The TV anime "My Hero Academia" airs every Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m. on Yomiuri TV and NTV, 29 stations nationwide.

The series is currently in its fifth season and has become a long-term series, but the heroes' exploits are far from over.

Akiba Research Institute interviewed Hiroki Yamashita, who plays the main character, Izuhisa Midoriya, and Ayane Sakura, who plays Ochako Reichi. We asked them about their impressions of the first season of the 5th season and the highlights of the second season, which will start airing in July.

Her growth as a hero in the scene where the "black whip" appears

─ In the first season of the 5th season, the rivalry between Class A and Class B was depicted.

Yamashita: The growth of the members of Class B was particularly impressive in the first season. The rivals who had appeared in the past made efforts in hidden places, and when they were confronted with them, I was surprised to see how they fought. When they meet their rivals, they are surprised to see them fight like this. This is one of the most exciting aspects of shonen manga. Also, from Deku's point of view, the mystery of the One for All is being revealed through the manifestation of the "black whip," and this is making me even more curious about it, and I think it will become a point of interest in the future.

Sakura It is an unimaginable development from the first episode to have successive successors in One for All and also to be able to communicate with them. The characters that have appeared in the past that spoke to our hearts and minds had a somewhat formal atmosphere, but the heirs who had the "black whip" as their "personality" seemed surprisingly casual (laughs).

Yamashita: "Hey brother! They were very frank (laughs). (laughs). I am looking forward to seeing how the successors who will appear in the future will talk to Deku.

Sakura: As for Ochako, the scene when the "black whip" appeared was an extraordinary situation that was different from the past, and I knew that I could not stop it unless I held Deku firmly in my arms. He asked for help. It was a scene in which we could see Ochako's growth, including her decision to ask "Whose power can help Deku now?

Yamashita: Reichi was really cool in that scene and was a hero to Deku.

Sakura He was like a hero who helps a heroine who has gone out of control. Personally, I was also impressed by the scene where Iida pulls out the muffler of his engine in order to grow, even though it causes him a lot of pain, the scene where Monoma is thinking about his surroundings, and the scene where we see the relationship between Shinobu and Mr. Aizawa.

Yamashita: As the members of Class B have started to emerge, I can't stop talking about each character.

Sakura Kinoko is also cute and can be found at ....... But I was scared of the mushrooms that grew into her lungs as her "personality" (laughs).

Yamashita: The ability is a bit like that of an enemy (villain), so it's a bit scary (laughs).

Sakura Looking back on it like this, the competition this time was a deadly one, even though we were all students. There was also the "bird buddy" episode between Tokidome-kun and Hawks (laughs).

Yamashita: Tsuneyami also has a unique choice of words and is the type of person who goes his own way, so it's a wonder that their conversation was able to take place at all (laughs).

Sakura But Hawks is not the type to tell the whole story either, so maybe the other person feels uneasy.

Yamashita: Yes, that may be a reflection of Hawks' personality.

I want the relationship to be one of "looking in the same direction," rather than one of facing each other.

─ What do you think of the growth of Deku and Ochako over the course of the series so far?

Yamashita: I think Deku's mental aspect has grown a lot. Up until now, he has been so focused on the one for all, "I have to do something! I think that his analytical ability, which was always his nature, has been further sharpened. Deku is surprisingly stubborn and has moments when he goes off the rails, which leaves scars on his body, but I feel that he has grown to be able to act based on his awareness that "if he continues to do so, he will destroy himself and will never be a hero.

Sakura: He is getting further and further ahead, so sometimes when Deku comes up with "mumble mumble mumble ......" when he is analyzing, I feel relieved that he still has the otaku part from the first episode (laughs). From Ochako's point of view, I feel that Deku's growth and change is almost like "evolution" and that one day he will lose his original form. ...... Ochako does not know about the "one for all," but I think she senses that Deku is carrying something different and heavier than the others.

Yamashita: The scene when the "black whip" appears may have come from his ability to act on the spur of the moment. From a close-up view, I think Deku's growth is tremendous, but he himself has a really low opinion of himself. He always thinks that the people around him are ahead of him, and that they are helping him make new discoveries. I also think of Mr. Reichi as a person who has a natural talent for making everyone feel positive and comfortable, and who can do things that I cannot do. This feeling gives him the confidence to rely on others, and it also allows him to display his own great strength. In addition, I could see the trust that Deku has in Reichi, who has overcome many battles together with him, and that he can only ask for help from Reichi, which made me very passionate.

Sakura In Ochako's monologue, she says "Who can protect the hero when the hero is in pain? Where is Ochako when you are thinking about that monologue? I was asked, "Where is Ochako thinking about that monologue right now? I answered, "I was acting from a third-person perspective, thinking of Ochako as she was in the past." In response, I was asked to express in the monologue the "now" in which Ochako has grown up. The monologue was directed in a serious and tense manner that did not match the peaceful reminiscences on screen, but I am sure that this line was a feeling that Ochako grasped as she grew up, and I feel that Ochako also grew up as she was inspired by Deku's growth this time around.

─ ─ As the series goes on, the feeling of being a partner becomes stronger and stronger, and Ochako's feelings for Deku also grows, doesn't it?

Sakura: I don't want them to go too far in the direction of romance. When we were interviewing the female members only, the topic was "How are things going with Deku? (laugh). As long as it is "My 'Hero' Academia," our first goal is to be "heroes," not to be in a relationship where we are facing each other, I want us to have a relationship where we are looking in the same direction.

Yamashita Yes, I understand. It's like "a relationship that goes on next to each other.

Sakura Of course, there is a part of me that hopes for a relationship that enhances my life, but as Ochako said in the third season, "Let's put these feelings away," we should focus on the people in need and the world, not our love. I hope that this relationship will not be shaken until the world is at peace.

Yamashita: We are both friends and rivals who pursue the same goal of becoming "heroes. I want to cherish this relationship. Of course, I have no romantic feelings for them, so I wonder what Mr. Horikoshi will do with them in the future. ...... (laughs).

Sakura: While having such feelings, Ochako is trying to do her best using the gap she feels between herself and Deku, who is ahead of her, as a positive driving force.

Yamashita: Reichi is really good at changing his mind, isn't he?

Sakura I think she is a child who has the qualities of a hero from the very beginning. At first, I did not expect that the character would be so perfectly suited to the name "Reichi" (laughs). (Laughs) The characters in Heroaca really have their lives reflected in their names.

Yamashita Indeed. It is precisely because everyone compensates for each other's deficiencies that they are able to accomplish things that they could not do on their own. I think that if Deku were to take on everything on his own, it would be hard on him, so while he pursues the image of a "symbol of peace" like All Might, he will also form his own "hero image as Deku" in the future. I think that's why I'm going to be a hero in the future. I think that he may become the "best hero" because of the presence of Rehi and the other members of the team.

─ It has been about 5 years since the first season of the TV series started, what is your impression of each other as actors?

Sakura: Daiki has been exactly the same as Deku from the beginning, and I don't feel a single millimeter of change when I watch him from nearby. From the first time I met him, he was like a boy, friendly and always waving his hands and saying "Good morning! He always greets me with a big smile and a wave of his hand. On the other hand, he also has a sense of tension that you can only see in front of the microphone. When he said to Monoma-kun in the competition, "Duck, ......! to Monoma-kun in the competition, I thought it sounded amazing.

Yamashita: I think Sakura-san has a lot of guts and courage, which Reichi-san also possesses, and I would say he has a reassuring, unshakeable strength. For example, I tend to speak at my own pace, so I tend to speak slowly and chopped up, but Ms. Sakura is quick-witted and has a great ability to respond in a flash. This is linked to Reichi's sense of speed, which is now growing, and also to Reichi's relaxed attitude because he has his own time axis. There are some similarities between the actors and the characters in this scene, except for Kacchan (laughs).

Sakura Kacchan is the only one who is "out of the norm" (laughs).

In the second season, we will also see a story on the side of the enemy (villain), where we can feel a difference in temperature.

─ The first course depicted the growth of the Yuei students, but from the second course, the story will be centered on the enemies (villains). What do you two focus on?

Yamashita: Currently, we are recording the story in separate groups, so we have no idea how the story on the villain side will turn out in the second course, which will also depict the enemy side of the story. But if we know their sad backbones, we might be influenced by them, so we think it is better not to know.

Sakura If I knew, I wouldn't be able to beat them (laughs).

Yamashita That's really true (laughs). We are looking forward to the airing of the anime together with the viewers, and I am sure that there will be some gut-wrenching effects unique to anime, so I think that the number of people who are interested in the "Villain Alliance" is likely to increase.

Sakura: Twice is really cute. I get excited when I see a work like Heroaca, in which the "justice vs. evil" structure somehow becomes "justice vs. righteousness". I am sure that Mr. Horikoshi has a plan for the enemy (villain) side as well, and I am sure that it will be revealed in the second season.

Yamashita: Both sides are following the path they believe in. There was a line, "A hero is a person who puts beautiful things into practice." I think it is the role of a hero to know what the other person is thinking and then do something about it, and I think the day will come when we will have to put that into practice. ...... Also, as for the story, Deku and Kacchan go to Todoroki's house (laughs).

Sakura This story is a must-see for fans of Todoroki, and it was interesting to see Endeavor's messages not being read even in the first cool episode (laughs).

Yamashita: We get to see the clumsy Endeavor again (laughs), and I think it's a highlight with the heartwarming episodes about the family.

─ ─ Finally, do you have a message for the viewers?

Yamashita: In the first course, the main focus was on the growth of the students, like a "pull ultra" version of "My Hero Academia," but in the second course, we started with the internship of Deku and his friends at the Endeavor Office, and we are also waiting for the story of "Our Enemy (Villain) Coalition" to start. I think you can feel the difference in temperature between the two versions. I hope you will be prepared to accept the story and get excited with us so that you won't be hit by the difference in temperature. Please do so!

Sakura: In the first course, the students' battles unfolded through the application and arrangement of their personalities, and the highlights were the lessons they learned and the friendships that developed through these battles. We are also casted as enemies (villains). We are looking forward to enjoying the on-air show together with the audience since we haven't been able to record with the enemy (villain) cast.

(Reporting, writing, and photography by Kounosuke Yoshino)