My Hero Academiaseason 7 has been one monumental event after the next, as the heroes and villains collide in what is officially their final confrontation. With the end of the season rapidly approaching, Screen Rant was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with some of the English voice actors for the series, Trina Nishimura (Kyoka Jiro), Zeno Robinson (Hawks), and Jessie Grelle (Fumikage Tokoyami), to talk about their characters, their legacy with the series, and how the future looks forMy Hero Academia’s characters.
My Hero Academiaseason 7 adapted the Star and Stripe arc, the UA Traitor arc, and most of the Final War arc from the manga. It’s now known thatMy Hero Academiawill be receiving one last season in 2025to tie up the remaining loose ends of the story, so fans will get to see their favorite characters again before all is said and done. With the English dub ofMy Hero Academiaseason 7’s finale set to debut on August 23, 2025, the time seemed right to talk to some of the actors who had been prominently featured in recent episodes.
My Hero Academia’s Trina Nishimura, Zeno Robinson, and Jessie Grelle Discuss Their Characters And What They’d Like to Have Seen
ScreenRant:So, what first helped you all to connect with the characters that each of you voice? If you’d like to start, Trina.
Trina Nishimura:Oh, sure! Well, I love one of the things that I love the most aboutMy Hero Academiais how everyone has a character that they can relate to, and I’m just fortunate enough that Colleen [Clinkenbeard] cast me as a character that I relate to the most. I love Jiro for a multitude of reasons. She loves music. I’ve always loved music. She’s an angsty teenage girl. I, too, was once an angsty teenage girl.
Trina Nishimura:so she has lots of leather jackets. I have an abundance of leather jackets. I just think she’s such a cool, interesting character in that. Not only is she, you know, a typical teenage girl trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs in the world. But she also shows this amazing devotion to her friends and her classmates, and to doing the right thing, and to following her heart and her dreams. And I like to think that I’m similar in a lot of ways, but I think that she’s really very inspirational as a young lady and aspirational for myself.
Jessie J. Grelle:Well, to echo Trina. I think Colleen also just kind of cast me as the character that she felt that I identified with the most, and I absolutely did. Tokoyami always kind of felt to me like someone who was struggling with a part of himself. And I feel like a lot of people can relate to that, especially, you know, younger people.
Jessie J. Grelle:So I think a lot of people see a bit of themselves in Tokoyami. I’m pretty sure he also listened to Alternative Rock in his youth. Kind of like I did. I also had a sword on my wall. So yeah, I think we were pretty well matched.
Zeno Robinson:I felt like Hawks, was so far and away from who I am as a person like Hawks. Is this kind of cool, put together, always sort of has the big picture in his brain kind of guy, and I sort of felt like I was like the son. I kind of awkward, like that person who was, kinda you know, like nerdy, and I don’t think I’m nearly as cool as Hawks, I think.
Zeno Robinson:Hawks is like who I wished I was like as a kid. I wish I was as like cool and intelligent and laid back as him. So I think a lot of connecting to Hawks is a lot of connecting to sort of that idealism.
Zeno Robinson:At one point I thought of what my ideal self would be, or like my dream self would be. I remember when I auditioned, I swore up and down. I wasn’t gonna book it. I spent like 4 hours auditioning these like 5 lines being like, I don’t sound cool enough. They’re gonna cast someone else.
Zeno Robinson:so yeah, I think connecting to them is just like being able to sort of play something that seems pretty opposite. At least I feel to who I am, even though others might might disagree.
Trina Nishimura:I was gonna say, you’re so cool.
Zeno Robinson:Oh, thank you!
Trina Nishimura:I aspire to be as cool as you, and every time I talk to people about like who their favorite pro hero is. Hawks is always at the top. It’s always like everyone loves you.
ScreenRant:So, as we’re getting closer to the end of the series here, is there any character that you wish your characters might have gotten to interact with more?
Trina Nishimura:No, I was like, I don’t know who goes, but I really wish that Jiro had had more time with Mineta. I love Mineta. I think that he’s such a cute little weirdo, and he’s also voiced by my bestie in real life, Brina Palencia. Yes, our names rhyme!
Trina Nishimura:We always say it like it’s like, Oh, this is my best friend, Brina. Yes, our names rhyme, because we have to say it. If we don’t say it, then somebody’s like, did you know your names rhyme? It’s like, Yeah, man.
Trina Nishimura:But yeah, no, I love Mineta, and I love Brina’s take on the character with the frontal lisp. I’ve never been able to do the frontal lisp. I can only do lateral. So I think that hers is so interesting and so neat. I love Mineta, and I think that they both have purple hair, and they could be best friends, like in real life.
Trina Nishimura:Who did you want to hang out with Jessie? Or who did you want Tokoyami to hang out with more?
Jessie J. Grelle:I feel like he and Tsuyu, Froppy, had kind of an interesting friendship in the early seasons, and they kind of their Quirks, while vastly different, like weirdly complemented each other, and they made a very effective team, and I would have enjoyed to see a little bit more of that kind of like a tag team.
Jessie J. Grelle:you know, fleshed out, maybe a little bit more. But what they did do with them was really, really fun.
Zeno Robinson:at the expense of sounding incredibly biased, and this surprises no one, but Mirko.
Zeno Robinson:Mirko is my personal favorite pro hero, for personal reasons. And I just think they have a real cool dynamic. I remember Horikoshi-sensei had drawn the two together, and I was like, man. I wonder what this relationship is like? I wonder? Like, what type of like friendship or anything do they have? They interacted once, I think, at the beginning of like Season 5. And there’s this mystery for me about like wondering how they’d interact and operate that I’m really curious about, because they seem like two sort of opposite sides of a spectrum. But I think there’s like a lot of cool potential chemistry there.
Zeno Robinson:Because I’m just like, why did he draw that, you know? And so that just made me really curious as to like, what that would be like, what a day would be like of them, like interacting and hanging out. So I think that that will be my choice.
ScreenRant:Yeah. Big fan of Mirko as well. So, for Tokoyami. This is a character who they often joke about him being edgy, but he is a character that could be a little bit too edgy if if he were approached wrong. How do you bring relatability to your performances as Tokoyami?
Jessie J. Grelle:Oh, goodness, I’m going to go back to—I’ll circle back around to something I mentioned in one of the earlier questions. I feel like a lot of his relatability comes from the fact that he is struggling with a part of himself that is, core to him.
Jessie J. Grelle:That is simultaneously a quirk and a weapon, but also a friend, like a kind of a best friend, almost like a sibling that has been with him since he was a kid. And I think we can all kind of relate to that.
Jessie J. Grelle:Kind of the duality of, on the one hand, having a friend who who is very close to you, but also being someone who is wrestling with internally a part of themselves, that while everything is very light and very good is easier to control. But when everything gets very dark and you know, sometimes very brooding, he’s harder to control, and can cause damage and be hurtful. And so I think that’s where a lot of his relatability comes from. That’s at least where I tried to focus on on portraying that. You know he’s not necessarily edgy as much as he is just almost in a way, philosophical. The way that he has lived has kind of forced him to grow up early is the way I feel about him.
ScreenRant:It brings a groundedness to his character that, I think, is really important.
Jessie J. Grelle:It humanizes him as much as you may humanize someone with a bird head.
Zeno Robinson:I think you do a really great job at it. It’s he sounds. He’s so sweet. He sounds so sweet to me whenever, I’m like, “oh, it’s okay. I’m so adorable.”
Jessie J. Grelle:You respect, like, he’s got like a big brother thing with with Hawks, I feel like. At least that’s what I was putting into. It is like this is someone not only that he looks up to, and respects, but he also thinks is very cool, which you did like. You know you put into that. You just put yourself in there, and he sounds cool.
Zeno Robinson:Oh, thank you. 100%. I agree with you. I think, Hawks is like, I don’t really like the kids, but that one, I like that. I don’t really want to be a teacher, but I like that one. I think I’ll stick with that one.
Jessie J. Grelle:Yeah. Under the wing.
ScreenRant:So, on that note, Tokoyami and Hawks do have a very interesting mentor relationship, especially since Hawks isn’t really the kind of guy that you would expect to see as a mentor. How do you feel their relationship has developed over the series, and what makes it so special to you?
Zeno Robinson:Yeah, sort of similar to what I said earlier, like Hawks himself says he doesn’t really see himself as like a teacher. He doesn’t really want to place the weight of responsibility of like, you know, teaching the younger generation. But he has this sort of fondness for Tokoyami, and to kind of echo what Jessie said about Tokoyami figuring himself out, like struggling with parts of himself. Hawks can see that as like another person who probably dealt with his own, like figuring out his abilities and powers, and how to make them work for him.
Zeno Robinson:And I think there’s this really, really precious moment in the newest season, where, you know, Hawks and Tokoyami have sort of built this camaraderie. This sort of, you know, older brother, younger brother-type relationship that in the thick of battle, Hawks tries to tell Jiro and Tokoyami to run and run for their lives, because he knows they’re actively putting their lives in danger. And I really like this moment where Tokoyami sort of like bucks back at him.
Zeno Robinson:And then Hawks has to realize they’re heroes, and he has to allow Tokoyami to be that as well. And so he asks for his help hero to hero, not just like Mentor, to Mentee, or an older brother to little brother, but hero to hero. He asks for and accepts their help, especially since Tokoyami had saved his life before. So I think they have a really precious relationship. But it’s really, really special.
Jessie J. Grelle:It really is. The the brotherhood feeling of it was pretty palpable, I think, from moment one. And Tokoyami, you know, when he comes into it. Yeah, you can tell he’s taking it very seriously that he he’s there to work, but I think he’s very quickly kind of worn down by the personal. Hawks is very personable with him, and treats him almost like an equal from moment one. And He opens up a world to Tokoyami that I think Tokoyami never thought that he would have. I didn’t.
Jessie J. Grelle:Hawks teaches him that his work is something that can provide him freedom. The freedom to fly, the freedom to to soar, not just in the sky, but against everything that would get in his way, and he loves Hawks for that. I think he would do anything for him. I think he sees him as a best friend now, and not just a mentor, and not just a peer.
Jessie J. Grelle:But I think that’s where that pushback came from. In one of the you know, the one of the more recent episodes when he stands up to Hawks for that moment. In that moment, you know, I think it is a hero to hero moment. It’s also a friend to friend being like, I’m not leaving you. You’re not sending me away again this time. I’m fighting at your side. And we’re taking this on together. And it’s been so cool to watch their relationship from where it started to where it is now.
Zeno Robinson:Yeah, agreed.
ScreenRant:So for Jiro. A lot of characters inMy Hero Academiaare very defined by their Quirks, but I would say that Jiro is not one of those characters. She’s more defined by her other abilities, like her music. What trait do you think has made Jiro stand out the most?
Trina Nishimura:I think what makes Jiro special and stand out in general is really like her role within the team and her role within the class and her, you know, just her love for the things that she’s passionate about – her friendships, her music, and bringing people together, and being part of a team. I think that those are all noble attributes that a lot of people, especially people that are, you know, younger or figuring out who they are and where they fit in the world, and who they want to be, and what kind of attributes they want to or values they want to encapsulate.
Trina Nishimura:encapsulate is not the word, but you get it, you get it. No, I think that she’s just she’s just a really cool, down girl that like is doing her best and trying to be there for her friends, and trying to, you know, make an impact and a difference in whatever way she can. And I think that that’s something that’s really special.
Jessie J. Grelle:Jiro is pretty badass.
ScreenRant:for Hawks. He’s a very interesting character, because he’s introduced in this ambiguous way, where you don’t really know what his allegiances are, and he kind of is a much grayer hero than a lot of the other heroes inMy Hero Academiaare. How does this attribute of Hawks as a character shape your performance of him?
Zeno Robinson:I think Hawks is a very analytical and strategic person at his core, and he doesn’t necessarily show it. He wears many faces. And I think it was important to know his origins like at the end of the day, Hawks was a person who was sort of picked up by the Hero Association at an incredibly young age. He’s seen what quote unquote, like ‘villains’ or ‘criminals,’ what that life is like. So I think it will already instill in him a more empathetic side towards those inhibitions. He would understand why a criminal would do what they do without sort of dehumanizing them, because he lived through it.
Zeno Robinson:But he does have a strong sense of justice, and I think that’s really evident with the latest season. No matter what All for One says, or throws at him. Hawks remains resolute in the fact that there is still hope, and he remains resolute in the future, and that there will be brighter days. His goal is that he doesn’t want heroes to exist, either. He thinks that the idea of heroes means that the world is in a state where they’re necessary. And the greatest victory is not having to work, because that means there’s peace, true peace.
Zeno Robinson:And so I think like when I keep Hawks' sort of internal, like ideals at the forefront of my mind. It sort of blurs all the lines. He does sort of have this gray viewpoint of the world, but that’s because of comparing where he came from and what the Hero Association asked him to be, and, like you can see the flaws in the hero society as the seasons go on like some heroes do it for fame or glory or money, and not necessarily for any sort of noble causes. Because they’re blessed with a good quirk or a good rating.
Zeno Robinson:I think Hawks sees through all of that. That’s why I’m always saying he’s like looking at the bigger picture. He’s always looking 5 or 10 steps ahead like showing Endeavor how to be a better hero, what’s necessary for society? This is a long-winded answer, but I still have to say I think, like, at the end of the day, I’m always informed by his heart and his ideals. And I think that always keeps him honest.
Trina Nishimura, Jessie Grelle, and Zeno Robinson Discuss Battling All for One
ScreenRant:Interesting. Back to Jiro, I’m curious. Jiro has not often gotten to shine in battle. Her big moments have mostly been outside of battle, but that changed recently with her fight with All for One. How does it feel to finally have Jiro get her time to shine after all these years?
Trina Nishimura:It’s been really cool. I always love battle scenes. I love battle scenes. And I love bad guys. I think that they’re always really interesting, and they’re fun to play. So when Jiro got to have the big team up moment with everyone, it was, it was really cool. It was cool to see her kind of come into her own, and it was cool to see her in action. And you know, I have a lot of questions all the time. For the directors, and Colleen Clinkenbeard, who’s amazing, And started the show. And now Mike Mcfarland, who’s directing the show now.
Trina Nishimura:Questions about like, “so just out of curiosity, like her accessories, like the amplifiers on her hands, what do they…” In point of fact. And like, I have all these questions about like how she achieves everything in battle. And I was like, “is there ever going to be a time where she will, in point of fact, use her cool speaker shoes in order to fight bad guys?” So they just like, I like outfits. But no, it’s been really cool to see her get out there. And really, you know, like Jessie and Zeno were saying, like watching these kids go out and put their lives on the line and like fight for what they believe in has been really, really cool. And I think that she’s just really badass and like it was terrifying. So I don’t read ahead. So I didn’t know where the story was going. When I recorded that episode, and when her ear is torn off, and there’s blood everywhere I was like. That’s it. You’re firing me now! like this is the end! I made it this long, and now I’m, now I’m dead. This is great. This is great. But I live. So it’s cool. Yeah, that’s how I feel.
ScreenRant:So on that note, yeah, she was pretty badly injured. How do you think Jiro’s injury is going to affect her future as a hero?
Trina Nishimura:I think that in general, in life and in media and in fiction, because media and fiction are a reflection of life, I think that the things that we go through, and the hardships that we face, and the scars that we’re left with, and everything that changes us as people, or as characters. Is always a valuable experience. In the moment you might not know why things are so hard, or why you had to go through something or why it happened, right, but I truly do believe that in life and therefore, as a reflection of life, in media and in characters, That things do happen to change you to prepare you for something later.
Trina Nishimura:And so I don’t view her injury as any sort of detriment or handicap. I think that it’s something that shapes her, and will somehow change her for the better in the future, or prepare her for something in the future. Or maybe she’s gonna win a really cool one ear contest thing at a fair. I don’t know. I don’t know, but I’m optimistic that there’s a reason, and it’s a good thing.
Zeno Robinson:Oh, good answer.
ScreenRant:So, I’ll continue talking about this fight that happened recently. Tokoyami also got to show off a lot. We’ve seen and heard about his power. It’s often said that he’sone of the stronger members of Class 1-A, but I don’t think we’ve seen his power as fully on display as we did in this recent episode. How does it feel to have Tokoyami really going up against the big bad guy directly?
Jessie J. Grelle:Just going ham like he is. I think this is the first time we’ve ever seen Tokoyami get angry. There’s so much going on in that moment for him, like, you know, the world’s on the line. So many pro heroes and students have given everything, Endeavor’s given everything. Hawks has given everything and then all for one starts monologuing about the power of his darkness and Tokoyami’s like, that’s my territory.
Jessie J. Grelle:And he takes it personally in that moment, I think, and because of his experiences growing up with, you know, being in the dark, he describes himself as a light hero of darkness. That he is the light in the dark, and that sometimes, you know, the things that save us can come from the dark as well, and he is one of those things.
Jessie J. Grelle:Getting to see him after we’ve been teased, even from as early as the first or second season of just how insanely powerful his Quirk can be when he loses control. But he never was in full control of Dark Shadow, while he was at his, his most unleashed, his most monstrous, and we finally get to see that after all of these years, all of his hard work, he is able to control Dark Shadow even at his most wild.
Jessie J. Grelle:And he goes Kaiju. It was great. He just goes straight up. Kaiju. Starts wailing on him, and it was so cool. Man, I love it. I love every bit of it.
Zeno Robinson:I had this line that I really wanted to change.
Jessie J. Grelle:Oh, yeah?
Zeno Robinson:Hawks was like cheering, cheering Tokoyami on. And I was like, that’s what I would do in this situation. Be like, yeah. Get him! Get him! Beat him up.
Jessie J. Grelle:Yeah. Hype, man. Just Hawks. Hawks is is fueling him in that moment, too, because he’s trying to protect his friend. But he’s also like, you know. Yeah, Hawks is there not just for moral support, but also he’s there, you know, spurring him on to just keep pushing himself, because it’s literally all or nothing. Facts.
ScreenRant:So, for Hawks. Hawks' most infamous moment at this point is definitely hishaving to kill Twice during the Paranormal Liberation War arc. How do you feel about Hawks' actions there? Especially in the context of his nightmare vision of Twice’s power kind of becoming a reality in these recent episodes.
Zeno Robinson:This might be like a controversial opinion for me, but I do think Hawks made the right decision, and I think what happened in the recent season, with sort of his fears coming true is proof of that.
Zeno Robinson:I feel like Hawks, did his best to give Twice multiple chances to like, you know, turn himself in or attempt to help him turn away from life as a villain. And there are many things that Hawks could have done better; the many ways Hawks could have, like circumvented the situation and apprehended Twice potentially without killing him. But it was to prevent what we eventually see come to fruition in this current season. It’s why Hawks was so afraid of Twice’s power, and he knew that if unleashed in the correct way, he could be overwhelming and devastating for the heroes, which we sort of see already in the latest season.
Zeno Robinson:And so, you know, I think once, Twice started killing other heroes, Hawks had no choice, really, but to do what he did, and Hawks, I think, still feels, you know, like he could have handled the situation better. But I think he’s like I said. He’s always thinking ahead. He’s always thinking preventatively, and he’s always placing the burden of sin on his back. He’s always willing to like, as he’s even said, get his hands dirty if it means for the better of the world or for everyone else. You know, if someone’s gonna do it, he’ll be the one to do it. So I think that’s a monumental task, and I think it’s not as black and white as it can be made to seem.
ScreenRant:Yeah, I mostly agree with you on that. I think that he really didn’t have much choice there. But I think part of what makes Hawks so relatable in that aspect is that he really does feel bad about having to have done that. There’s no there’s no question that he feels guilty, even though there really wasn’t another way. And I think that’s part of what makes Hawks very interesting.
Zeno Robinson:Yeah, he publicly apologizes. He’s like, I’m sorry, but he was killing people. What else was I supposed to do? I tried like, I really did, like, we became friends. That was my friend, you know, like I didn’t want to do that. We were cool, but he was going to kill a bunch of people, what I supposed to do? What do you want me to? What do you want from me? Huh! You’re welcome,
Zeno Robinson:yeah, I think, and as you can see, he was right. It happened anyway, like his biggest fear, he was right, and the first thing you said was, you gotta kill him like, yeah, it’s too late, like you got to take him out.
ScreenRant:So you mentioned earlier that Hawks was scouted to become a hero at a very young age. Do you think Hawks would still have become a hero if that weren’t the case, or do you think he would have had a very different sort of life?
Zeno Robinson:I think he still would have become a hero. Or at least, at the very least, maybe a vigilante. I think he might have probably wanted to work outside the bounds of the Hero Association and their rules. So I think, you know, Hawks probably would have erred more on the side of being a vigilante and enacting justice in his own way, in a way that he thinks is best for society, and I think, because he’s such a brilliant sort of tactician in my head that, like, you know, he would be steps ahead of the Hero Association.
Zeno Robinson:In not just ideals, but in efficiency as well. I think his past as being like a child of villains or a child of criminals would sort of influence how he feels about the hero society, but he at his core still has, and probably influenced by his past, a really, really strong moral compass and strong moral center. He’s just willing to, like all we discussed about Twice, he’s sort of willing to achieve like his ideal world, and sometimes by any means necessary, you know. Sometimes he’ll do what he has to do in order to ensure that peace is on the horizon.
Trina Nishimura:like, do you think if he was a vigilante he’d still go by Hawks?
Zeno Robinson:Would he go by Hawks? I don’t know. That’s actually—Yeah, I think so. I think he’d still go by Hawks. He definitely wouldn’t go by his real name, he’d probably still go by Hawks. I think he probably made himself Hawks.
Trina Nishimura, Jessie Grelle, and Zeno Robinson Reflect on The Past and Future of My Hero Academia
ScreenRant:Yeah. So, as we’re at the end of the season, pretty much, what do each of you hope the future holds for your characters?
Jessie J. Grelle:Well, I hope that Tokoyami continues to explore his Quirk and become more in tune with Dark Shadow and, by extension, more in tune with himself, and I hope that he takes all of the lessons that Hawks has taught him to heart, and wielding Dark Shadow becomes less of a burden and more of a freeing, liberating experience for him.
Trina Nishimura:I hope that in the future, moving forward that you know, Jiro, I hope that she starts a band like a really cool, like folk band. That also does like a little bit of punk rock on the side. It’s like Folky Punk rock. Yeah. I hope she invents a new genre of music.
Zeno Robinson:I hope Hawks takes a long vacation. I need Hawks to. I think he deserves a vacation. I think I just want them to relax now, like, he did a great job, you know. Job’s done, you know. Go home. Get some sleep, watch some TV, hang out with Mirko, man, but I really really just want him to sort of sit back and relax and enjoy the world he helped sort of create, you know? And that’s like his freedom. He’s always talking in a similar way to Tokoyami. You know Hawks is always talking about freedom and flying free. And you know, hopefully, not like he could be free from like the expectations of society and the Hero Association and all of that.
Zeno Robinson:So, you know, a pat on the back and a good and a vacation. That’s what I want for Hawks. I want the I want to like cause he needs to hear. He did a good job, like, I just want like somebody to tell him he did a good job, you know, despite everything, and then he can take a vacation.
ScreenRant:So finally, asMy Hero Academiais coming ever closer to its its end, do you have any thoughts or reflections on your journey with this story so far?
Jessie J. Grelle:Really, I think, just the entire experience throughout. How long have we been doingMy Hero Academia? Now, since ‘16?
Zeno Robinson:Whoa! It’s like 7 years.
Jessie J. Grelle:Yeah, something like that. 7 or 8. So over almost a decade, I guess. It’s been one of the more interesting, but rewarding experiences. The show just kind of came, and I felt like at such a perfect time, and hit a subject and a genre that is so near and dear to a lot of people here in the States that it just kind of was a shoe-in and the lessons that it teaches how like, even with or without a Quirk, everybody can be a hero or a villain.
Jessie J. Grelle:I think that’s probably its strongest message, I think it’s affected every single one of us, whether we play a hero, a villain, or someone without a Quirk.
Trina Nishimura:Personally, my journey with Jiro as a whole has been incredibly special for me. Especially given all of the events during 2020, and the rather tumultuous, challenging year that that was, and the subsequent years… and a few years leading up to it. I think that, you know, a lot happened in 2016, and a lot has happened since that has been incredibly challenging to a lot of people, myself included, and being able to play a character that isn’t just blindly brave, like a character that’s afraid. And that’s human, and that is surrounded by like-minded people that are also afraid and human and imperfect in their own ways, and talented in their own ways, and watching them come together. All of that Is a really inspirational takeaway for me.
Trina Nishimura:I am very, very fortunate in my life to have been born at the time that I was as a woman, and to be born into a country where I enjoy liberties and freedoms in a lot of ways and challenges in others, and a lot of people can say the same. I don’t take those for granted, but it has been a really hard time with the pandemic and unrest, and a lot of really awful tough things. And watching that mirror being held up to society. And you know, seeing these people and these kids that are just willing to band together and fight for what’s right and stand together. I find it to be a really inspirational message. And something that we could all use a lot more of in life and in society, just recognizing the humanity and goodness in others.
Trina Nishimura:I think that hopefully, you know, when people look at this piece of work in the future, it does stand the test of time, and I think it will. Just because, you know, people innately wanna be nice to other people. Like, we’re all just people doing our best out here. And they’re just kids doing their best there in that world. And I think that that’s really inspirational and really beautiful.
Trina Nishimura:so I guess my biggest takeaway is that I’m really, really lucky? And I’m really grateful.
Zeno Robinson:Echoing a lot of what everyone here has said. You know, it was hard for me at first to break into acting in anime, and it had been something I’ve been wanting to do since I first learned I could voice act, because I just loved anime growing up. And so I remember watching the first episode ofMy Hero Academiaand being upset because I had felt like at the time, it was something I’d never be in. I was like, no, it’s in Texas. I’ll never be in that, and so I felt very much like Deku-like. Can I be in the anime, too? And I had I didn’t think, and I remember distinctly when I like looked it up at a restaurant out here in Burbank and felt like Dang. I’ll really never be in that, like maybe 2 or 3 years before I actually ended up in the show.
Zeno Robinson:And that really changed my life. Like it changed the trajectory of my career. In a substantial way. As I’m sure it did, for you know Jessie and Trina as well. And it’s nothing short of an absolute blessing. I started, you know, playing a Shie Hassaikai member in season 4. And he had about 5 lines, and I was satisfied. I was like, Okay, well, I was inMy Hero. It’s something I ever thought I would do. And like, I know, there’s a lot of other actors who would like die to have a single line in this show. So I got to have 5, and I’m very grateful.
Zeno Robinson:And then Colleen had sent me the audition for Hawks, and I think she just really, really believed in me. And so I’m, like, forever grateful and thankful to her for that for sort of giving me an opportunity to play a character that would be not just so substantial in this show, but I think substantial for me in the anime world as an actor. And yeah, I’m very blessed to be a part of it.
Zeno Robinson:There’s certain pieces of media that you’re able to always tell are like, really special, you know, and I think, likeMy Herois is one of those things. It’s a global sort of phenomenon. And it’s that way for a reason, because of, you know, like the relatability and the likability of the characters and the ideals and the exciting, inspiring sort of heartfelt storytelling, right down to the music. And you know I’m just very thankful that I got to be a part of it, and to be welcomed by the cast and the way that I was by everybody. But you know, by Jessie and by Trina and getting to travel and do cons with you guys and talk about this thing we love together is something I never thought would happen. So I think, like my experience with the show, and I learned a lot like as an actor, and I learned a lot like as a fan of anime as well.
Zeno Robinson:so yeah, it’s something I think will stick with me forever, and I’m really blessed to have seen as much of it as I as I have been able to.
Trina Nishimura:I have to tell you, because I don’t think I’ve ever told you. But after you did those 5 lines with Colleen, she was obsessed with you.
Zeno Robinson:Really?
Trina Nishimura:Oh, my God! She was like, oh, you have to hear this kid. I was like what?
Trina Nishimura:At a session, she played it, and I was like, who is that?
Trina Nishimura:Guy named Zeno. I was like, that’s not his real name. But, oh, he’s so good! I was like, oh, cool, cool.
Zeno Robinson:Wow! I never knew that. Shout out, Colleen.
Thanks toZeno Robinson, Trina Nishimura, andJessie J. Grellefor their time. Fans can watch the English dub ofMy Hero Academiaon Crunchyroll, with the Season 7 finale set to premiere on July 23, 2025.
My Hero Academia
Cast
Anime series My Hero Academia follows Izuku Midoriya, a boy born without superpowers in a world where most have them. Despite his lack of abilities, he enrolls in a prestigious hero academy, striving to learn the true essence of heroism and fulfill his dream of becoming a hero.
