Fans gathered at The Wiltern on September 16 to celebrate ten years of My Hero Academia through live music. The concert was curated by Music Director Emily Marshall, who led a team of classically trained musicians, some familiar with the series and others experiencing it for the first time.
The stage was set up for a variety of instruments and musicians. Marshall’s station included her keyboard, iPad tracks, organ and piano sounds, a microphone, and the score. “I’m both the Music Director and the Music Supervisor, and I also play keys, so I’m wearing a lot of hats for this,” she shared with Asia Blooming ahead of the show. “I’m playing each one of the tracks, so I start the cues in the show. I’m conducting the orchestra, and I’m also playing keys, which includes organ and piano and everything along with the show as well. The Music Supervisor end of it comes in even in the pre-production end of things, which is when we’re getting and assembling all of the new material,” she explained about her complicated setup. Next to her, the stage also included a drum and percussion area, acoustic and electric guitars, and the rest of the orchestra, which included a cellist, bassist, hornist, trombonist, trumpeter, saxophonist, and a flutist. The touring group typically consists of 12 musicians, though Los Angeles was treated to four additional musicians—a second guitarist, trombonist, pianist, and violinist. There were also two vocalists who joined the instrumentalists on stage.
As soon as the venue doors opened, fans rushed in to take photos with the various posters and signs, order drinks and snacks, and buy merch. Plenty of fans also showed up in cosplay, donning the iconic outfits of their favorite characters. Cosplays ranged from villains like Himiko Toga to teachers and Pro Heroes like All Might and Shota Aizawa, as well as Class 1-A students such as Izuku Midoriya, Shoto Todoroki, and Katsuki Bakugo.
The music began after a brief introduction from the evening’s two vocalists, who requested the eager crowd to “go beyond, plus ultra” with their reactions to the show. The night progressed in chronological order, starting mellow with Midoriya’s desire to become a hero after seeing All Might. The clips of the young hero paired beautifully with the orchestra, as the musical swells built up the excitement from the audience. From there, the next song was Marshall’s personal favorite part of the show. “The most memorable moment is always a little different every night because the audience has different reactions to the show, but ‘You Say Run’ is really exciting,” Marshall told Asia Blooming. “That’s the first time in the show that the audience hears the rock band part of our show because we start out a little orchestral. And that’s just really cool, and you feel the energy really light up when that happens.” Varying parts of the show brought out different reactions from the crowd, as some moments brought out tears and others laughter. But, just as she said, “You Say Run” elicited the loudest cheers, as the energy in the venue began to climb.
The concert took listeners on a journey through My Hero Academia, from the students’ first day at U.A. to the League of Villains’ first appearance, the sports festival and training camp arcs, and more. Fans got to see Eri’s first appearance and the battle against Overhaul, the training battles between Class 1-A and 1-B, the first time Midoriya met the former One For All wielders, and Shigaraki’s fight against Re-Destro as the League of Villains took over the Meta Liberation Army. Scenes even included Dark Hero Midoriya’s first meeting with Lady Nagant, Stars and Stripes’ appearance, and, of course, moments from the final battle against Shigaraki and All For One, and the series’ ending. Each of the characters, whether they were Class 1-A students or U.A. teachers, also had their own moment on screen. Present Mic’s introduction was paired with funky jazz beats, Bakugo’s introduction was accompanied by an explosive burst of energetic music, and even Gran Torino’s entrance was highlighted by theatrical music to match. As such, the concert featured a variety of genres including jazz, rock, classical, and pop. Every piece felt intentional, meant to elicit specific emotions and memories while watching the scenes on the screen.
Just as Marshall had shared, however, the final element of the performance was truly the most integral to making this such a memorable night—the audience. Fans cheered during their favorite moments from the decade-long series, clapped for their favorite characters, and even gushed in excitement over particular instruments from the ensemble. Every cheer brought a smile to the performers’ faces, while the audience’s laughter, applause, and even tears showed just how deeply they were connecting with the show. The energy between the stage and the audience continued to build throughout the night, making the concert feel all the more special.
For fans who have spent a decade with My Hero Academia, the concert became more than a simple chance to hear the soundtrack performed live. The familiar scenes on screen acted ignited memories, while the musicians gave those memories a new emotional dimension. A scene that fans may have watched years ago could suddenly feel just as exciting, funny, or heartbreaking as it did the first time. While most fans may have watched the anime alone or with a select few friends initially, experiencing these moments alongside hundreds of other fans in the theatre made the nostalgia feel collective rather than individual, turning the concert into a celebration not only of the music, but of My Hero Academia itself.
Prior to the start, Marshall revealed to Asia Blooming that her main goal for every performance is simply to ensure she does the My Hero Academia IP justice. “We want to do this for the fans, and we want everyone to come and enjoy,” she shared. “It’s hard to figure out exactly what you pull from eight seasons of the show to make sure you have all the moments that are really special to the fans. It’s a lot of music, and everybody’s playing their hearts out on stage, so we just really hope that everybody walks away just with a smile on their face.” Judging by the excitement and joy on fans’ faces as they exited The Wiltern, Marshall and her team had accomplished exactly what they set out to do.
