Warning: Spoilers for My Hero Academia: You’re NextMy Hero Academia: You’re Nextwas released in US theaters on July 22, 2025, marking the acclaimed shonen series' fourth theatrical film. The movie has been an immense success thus far, both internationally and domestically, earningover $3 million domestically during its opening weekendalone. The film takes a bit of a different approach from previous movies in the franchise,centering a love story between two new charactersas one of its main arcs.

The villain ofYou’re Next,Dark Might, was a mafia leader from the Gollini family who introduced himself as a villainous version of All Might. The key to powering up his Alchemy quirk, that allows him to change his physical look and manipulate other matter effortlessly, was a girl named Anna Scervino, whose Overmodification Quirk supercharges others' Quirks. Armed with this deadly power, he was nearly unstoppable. Class 1-A and the Pro Heroes rallied to stop him and save Anna, along with a brand-new character, Giulio Gandini, who was hired tocare for Anna and neutralize her painful Quirk with his own.

Anna Scervino and Giulio Gandini from My Hero Academia: You’re Next in manga form.

A New Relationship Was an Integral Plot Point of theYou’re NextFilm

What Was Once Just a Career Blossomed Into True Love for New Characters, Giulio and Anna

In the end, Dark Might was defeated, largely in part due to the efforts of Class 1-A’s most powerful trio: Izuku Midoriya, Bakugo Katsuki, and Shoto Todoroki, who all idolized All Might and were determined to protect his legacy from this evildoer’s negative influence. Although much of U-A’s victory against the film’s villain, Dark Might, can be attributed to Deku, Class 1-A, and the Pro Heroes' relentless efforts and clever plots, one of the most important aspects of the movie wasthe relationship between new characters, Giulio Gandini, and the girl Dark Might kidnapped and whose Quirk he exploited, Anna Scervino.

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My Hero Academia: You’re Next was jam-packed with exciting moments and scenes. Here are 10 of the best, most exciting moments in the film.

Though it started as a mere career choice for Giulio, taking care of Anna and relieving her pain became truly fulfilling as he grew attached to her emotionally. His love for Anna blossomed beyond simple obligation, and he genuinely developed feelings for her, leading him to fight tenaciously to remove her from under Dark Might’s evil spell. Even after becoming horrifically injured, losing an arm, leg, and an eye when Dark Might broke in and kidnapped Anna, he continued to chase her down to fulfillhis selfless promise to protect her from dangerno matter what.

Dark Might is empowered by Anna’s Quirk in My Hero Academia: You’re Next.

Without Giulio’s Love, the Conflict of the Story Would Not Have Been Resolved

Giulio Dealt the Final Blow, Neutralizing Anna’s Quirk Forever and Ending the Conflict Out of Love

Without Giulio’s contributions, the students and Pro Heroes may never have been able to stop Dark Might, because it was Giulio’s love for Anna andwillingness to neutralize her Quirk that halted the battlefor good. One of the final scenes shows Giulio using his Neutralization Quirk to remove Anna’s Quirk forever, ensuring she would never feel the excruciating pain Overmodification caused ever again. This touching act of love prevented Anna’s Quirk from running rampant and harming others. Giulio told Anna he would leave, since he had fulfilled his career duty, but she pleaded for him to stay, professing her love for him.

Anna and Giulio received their happy ending, finally free to be together not just out of necessity, but out of true love. This touching conclusion to the filmyet again proves that love is the key theme ofMy Hero Academia.Throughout the series, love for others drives characters to take action. From Deku and Class 1-A teaming up to save Bakugo from Tomura Shigaraki, to Deku’s classmates convincing him to set aside his new vigilante persona and stop fighting alone, love for others has always been such a crucial factor in the story. Horikoshi himself commented on love’s role in the film:

Giulio riding on his motorcycle and preparing to shoot.

“The relationship between Giulio and Anna is a part of the goal point where Deku and the others will eventually reach. The movie as a standalone in itself is interesting, but if you watch the movie then return to the actual story, then you might feel ‘oh so this is where the story leads to.’ As such, please pay attention to Giulio and Anna in the movie!” - Kohei Horikoshi,Comicbook

The Heroes’ Love for All Might and Giulio and Anna’s Love for One Another Are Connected Story Arcs in the Film

As Horikoshi’s own words make clear,Deku’s fight with Dark Might and Giulio and Anna’s story are connected. The overarching conflict could not have been resolved without Giulio’s persistent love for Anna and determination to rescue her. In the same vein, Deku, Bakugo, Todoroki, and the world at large professed their love for All Might continually and became furious at Dark Might because he was making a mockery of the heroic cultural icon they had grown to deeply care for. Giulio and Anna’s love, as well as all the heroes' love for All Might, determined the outcome of the final battle.

My Hero Academiastands out as so positive among all the shonen anime series because of how pivotal love for others is to the story. People become pro heroes out of a desire to protect others from harm. Within Class 1-A,the students develop bondsas friends,not just classmates.When Bakugo was kidnapped, a group of 1-A students risked their lives to take him back from the villains. When Deku felt disappointed by hero society and went off as a vigilante, his classmates convinced him to return, asserting the importance of teamwork and looking out for each other.

Dark Might posing next to a determined Deku face.

My Hero Academia: You’re Next Ending Explained

The ending of My Hero Academia: You’re Next can be a little complicated. Here’s exactly what happened during the film’s climactic scenes.

As much asMy Hero Academiafocuses on fighting and heroes vs. villains, it also thoroughly explores relationships between characters. The series has highlighted mentoring relationships, like Deku and All Might, and friendships, like those in Class 1-A, more than romantic relationships so far, so seeing this new type of bond inYou’re Nextadded a new form of loveto the story. In the film and in theMy Hero Academiaseries itself, the characters' greatest victories and triumphs occur as a result of their combined efforts and outpouring of love for others, calling attention to love’s continual prominence in the series.

My Hero Academia_ You’re Next (2024) - Poster

My Hero Academia: You’re Next

Cast

In a world where heroes and villains clash, Deku faces a powerful new threat in the form of Dark Might, an evil doppelgänger of his mentor, All Might. As a mysterious fortress begins devouring entire cities, Class 1-A must rise to stop this unprecedented danger and uncover the villain’s true motives.