2026 has been a big year for fans of My Hero Academia. Not only is it the 10-year anniversary of the anime, but it’s also the year the final anime epilogue episode aired. As such, fans were eager to attend the special panel hosted by TOHO Animation at Anime Expo 2026, feeling bittersweet at the thought that this could be the last big event for the show in the near future.
In previous years, Daiki Yamashita, voice of Deku, attended Anime Expo with fellow heroes such as Kenta Miyake, voice of All Might. For the first time this year, Yamashita was in attendance with Kōki Uchiyama, voice of the League of Villains’ leader, Tomura Shigaraki. Together, the hero and villain greeted fans, shared memories, and even performed some live voice acting as a special treat.
The duo has been portraying their characters for 10 years now, and each had plenty of positive stories to share. For Yamashita, his two favorite scenes he’s voiced in the past decade were two that were quite different from each other: one was the moment All Might told him he could be a hero even despite his lack of a quirk, and the second was when he delivered his final Smash to defeat All For One. “This scene takes place near the end of the story,” he shared in reference to the latter scene. “What stayed with me wasn’t just the final Smash itself, it was everyone’s voices cheering Deku on. Not only within the anime, but across social media, people in Japan and all over the world were telling Deku to do his best, and it really felt like the entire world came together in that moment, and it moved me deeply. To me, that’s the true power of One For All. Deku has never fought alone, and he’s only been able to become stronger because of everyone supporting him and because he’s fighting for someone else.” Yamashita also really loved seeing the contrast between Bakugo’s battle and Deku’s. “Bakugo’s fight was about winning through overwhelming action, while Deku’s fight was about saving someone. That contrast showed two different kinds of heroes, both of whom were right in their own ways,” he shared. “It felt very true to both characters, and I really love that part of the story.”
For Uchiyama, his two favorite moments were Shigaraki’s first attack on USJ, and the moment Shigaraki revealed his beliefs to the students of Class 1A. “From that first USJ appearance all the way to Season 6, Shigaraki changed tremendously,” the actor began. “His appearance changed, his circumstances changed, the people around him changed, and through all of those experiences, his way of thinking gradually changed as well. Back in Season 1, he treated fighting heroes almost like a game, as attacking heroes was something he enjoyed. But, as time went on, his perspective evolved. He came to believe that heroes and villains were fundamentally different beings that could never truly understand each other, and that realization is what makes this scene so memorable to me.”
For both of the voice actors, episode 157 was the last episode they recorded together, when Shigaraki was ultimately defeated and consequently “freed” from the shackles of his past and All For One. “That was probably the first time it truly felt like we were fighting together rather than against each other,” Yamashita admitted. Uchiyama credited Yamashita for leading the recording session. “That scene actually raised the bar for me because of Daiki,” he began. “Originally, in the script, the moment when Deku and Shigaraki throw the final punch didn’t have much vocalization. But during recording, it was decided that both of us would add powerful battle cries together. Daiki recorded first, and he had an incredibly long line to deliver in one breath before that moment, and then I had to follow him, and I just remember thinking there was no way I could match him. He really was a hero until the very end.” Giving Uchiyama his flowers as well, Yamashita shared that he never doubted he could do it. “I trusted him completely and knew he had it in him,” he earnestly replied. “That’s what 10 years together gives you.”
Though the two could be best friends at this point, it wasn’t always this way. “At the beginning, we were both pretty shy around each other,” Yamashita admitted. “We weren’t sure if we should start conversations, so there was a bit of awkwardness. But, as we started doing radio shows and events together, we gradually got to know each other better. Now, we’ve even come to America together after the final season, and it’s been so much fun seeing how much Uchiyama-san is enjoying himself here.” Speaking from his character’s point-of-view, he also reaffirms that Deku was always just a positive person that saw the best in everyone. “Even though he and Shigaraki began as enemies, he always believed that if someone is human, then coexistence should be possible.” Rather than chalking it up to shyness, Uchiyama actually admitted that he intentionally did not bond with Yamashita in the beginning. “As I was portraying the villain, I worried that becoming too close with the others would affect my work,” he honestly explained.
Now, Uchiyama genuinely has nothing but love and respect for his castmates—Yamashita in particular. “Daiki has become much more powerful over these 10 years. Working with him over the last decade, whether during recording or interviews, I’ve always felt his positive attitude. That positivity has been there from the very beginning.” In true Deku fashion, Yamashita explained this growth in strength with a joke. “That’s because Deku’s special move names kept getting longer every year,” he shouted with a laugh. “It takes incredible stamina to shout all those names. There were so many American states! Texas, California, Carolina, I think those attacks had the longest names in the whole series.” Returning the compliments, he also shared his favorite qualities about Uchiyama. “Uchiyama-san has changed too. He’s smiling much more these days, and I’m happy to see that,” he began softly. “Uchiyama-san has always been someone who stays calm and looks at situations objectively. Listening to his perspective often lets me see things in ways I hadn’t considered before, and I really admire that.”
Wrapping up their Q&A, the two actors gathered together at the front of the stage for a special moment—a live dubbing. Rather than choose a combat-heavy, explosive scene, they chose the final moments between Shigaraki and Deku, when Shigaraki is defeated and fading away, asking Deku to give his best to his remaining league members. “We chose this quiet scene because My Hero Academia has so many explosive action sequences, but this was a rare moment when Deku and Shigaraki were able to connect heart-to-heart,” Yamashita shared. “It was such an important scene that I wanted everyone to experience it together with us.” For Uchiyama, he revealed that, to him, this was the hardest scene to record. “Although I was playing Shigaraki, it actually felt like I was playing as Tenko Shimura for the first time,” he admitted. “That was something I’d never really done before. After so many episodes filled with nonstop battles, hatred, and intense emotions, ending with such a quiet scene left a very deep impression on me.”
With 2026 being such an important year for the anime, Yamashita and Uchiyama couldn’t leave without one final gift for the audience. As a thank you, fans were also treated to the world premiere of a brand-new short episode by Kohei Horikoshi, My Hero Academia: I Am a Hero Too. The story follows Eri after the events of the final season, with interactions between her and everyone’s favorite characters in the future.
“Everyone is so grown up, and everyone looks so cool,” Uchiyama commented after watching along with the crowd. “At the end, Shigaraki had told Deku to do his best, so it was great to see that he was.” Between the enthusiastic reception to the panel and the reveal of the new short episode, it was clear that although My Hero Academia has concluded, the series’ legacy remains as strong as ever.
Fans can continue to enjoy My Hero Academia by attending one of the orchestral concert shows in the U.S. this September, or by streaming My Hero Academia: I Am a Hero Too when it comes out on Crunchyroll on August 3. “Now that the last season is over, I was truly able to feel the heart of the series, which is that there is a hero in each person’s heart. Thank you again. I will bring your energy and love back to Japan for everyone, including Horikoshi-sensei,” Yamashita concluded the panel with a smile, sharing one last “Go Beyond, Plus Ultra,” with the crowd.
