Ann’s coverage of New York Comic Con 2023 is sponsored by Ize Press!
© 堀 越 ／ ／ 集英社 ・ の の ヒーロー 委員会 委員会Crunchyroll has launched the latest My Hero AcadeKaren OAV,”My Hero AcadeKaren UA Hero Battle”. Conference attendees were the first people in the world to lay eyes on the OVA. Dubbed into English, the story revolves around an exclusive My Hero AcadeKaren card game, and if I had to summarize the OVA in a single sentence, it would be something along the lines of “Wow, it’s really a series.” feature-length films and-animated commercials.”
I don’t mean this negatively. I love and still play Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, but that’s a brief description. The setup is pretty standard, although the chronology of the story is confusing. Previous OVA episodes of My Hero AcadeKaren Karen came out around the time they would have happened at the same time as the anime, but there’s no way this episode would have taken place in season six, given the heavy subject matter being tackled right now. Instead, the OVA takes place during season five.
The general gist is that class 1A feels listless in the winter because they are stuck in their dorms. Unable to go out, visit family or participate in any fun activities due to the League of Villains targeting them, good boy Mirio, in his over-the-top classic style, introduces a new card game is being developed by his underclassmen. They decided to play and test the game to pass the time.
As a spectator, it’s unclear how the game works. It feels like watching the first seasons of Yu-Gi-Oh!, where there weren’t really any rules and events just happened. There is a digital interface where characters can place cards based on each other and other famous heroes. Placing a card down creates a three-dimensional avatar that battles your opponent’s cards. It’s simultaneously incredibly simple and a bit complicated since the OVA doesn’t actually make it clear whether the digital avatars are fighting on command or whether there’s an AI controlling the avatars based on the character’s known fighting style. . I would have liked if they actually explained how the card game works in the real world, but at the very least, it’s simple fun that I think most My Hero fans can enjoy.
The avatars made me laugh thanks to its art style. The avatars look almost exactly like real-world avatars except the eyes are drawn in this exaggerated and large way. This feels right at home on some of the cuter characters, but when you lay eyes on characters like Bakugo or Todoroki, it’s a riot.
The simple card game premise becomes absurd to the point of absurdity when Bakugo shows up with his overly competitive nature. His rivalry with Deku remains, and he won’t lose to him at cards. There are some sentiments at the end, such as neither Deku nor Bakugo feeling that the AI truly grasps who they are or what they will do, but then this is truncated in the ending. It exploded beyond expectations when Bakugo faced defeat. The audience seemed to enjoy the spectacle, with much laughter and expected reactions.
The card game depicted is based on Crunchyroll’s collaboration with UVS Games, My Hero AcadeKaren: Jet Burn, featuring exclusive artwork from fan-favorite My Hero AcadeKaren characters. Players can pick up their cards at their booth on the show floor; however, the booth was sold out by the time the episode aired. UVS Games will release Jet Burn on November 17.
There were other collaborations mentioned during the panel, including one with Hyperfly and NBA apparel on exclusive basketball jerseys for teams like the Chicago Bulls and Lakers that feature My Hero AcadeKaren styling . Finally, My Hero AcadeKaren will also be collaborating with Squishmallows to create exclusive plushies that look absolutely adorable. Early releases will include plushies of Deku, Bakugo, Uraraka, and Todoroki. They seem like a must-have for stuffed animals and My Hero AcadeKaren fans alike. I just pray for all our wallets.
