Tokyo International News Agency

Rody Soul, a popular character from the movie *My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: World Heroes' Mission*, made his first TV anime appearance in Episode 8 (No. 167) titled "Izuku Midoriya: Rising" of the popular anime *My Hero Academia* FINAL SEASON, which aired on November 22, 2025. The voice of Rody is provided by actor Ryo Yoshizawa. As it's his first appearance in four years since the movie's release, fans have flooded social media with expressions of joy and emotion. The line "Hang in there, Hero" that Rody delivered to Izuku Midoriya particularly moved many fans. Since the word "Hero" was added to a part that was originally just "Hang in there" in the manga, speculation has spread on social media that it might have been Ryo Yoshizawa's ad-lib, making his passionate performance a big topic of discussion. Yoshizawa himself commented in a post-dubbing interview, "It was an expression of deep trust in Deku, as if to say, 'Deku...

It has been revealed that the film "Kokuhō" has achieved a "historic feat" as a Japanese live-action film, surpassing 7.47 million viewers and 10.5 billion yen in box office revenue in just 73 days since its release. This record marks the first time a Japanese live-action film has exceeded 10 billion yen in 22 years, since "Bayside Shakedown 2" (17.35 billion yen), released in 2003. Furthermore, it has carved its name into Japanese film history by ranking third in the all-time Japanese live-action box office rankings, following "Nankyoku Monogatari" (Antarctica) (11.0 billion yen), released in 1983. The film, which lead actor Ryo Yoshizawa describes as "a special movie for me personally," has captivated many viewers since its release. It is a work that condenses the passion of "Team Kokuhō," who were involved in its production, from the overwhelming performances of Ryo Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama, to the art direction, costu...