I had thought that the Washio Sumi arc would be best suited to a TV anime (which they did do, and it only lasted half a cour), or perhaps an OVA. Maybe it was for the best that they released it as a film first, so that way the budget for visuals and sound, not to mention the schedule, wouldn't be as tight. I found it interesting that they opted for a trilogy of short films, but to be fair to the studio, they were released fairly quickly. This film, to abuse an opera reference, is the overture and opening act. We meet one familiar faceunder a different name, and two new faces. While this isn't the "Original Heroes" according to canon, it's a previous generation of Heroes that was referenced in YuYuYu.

Unusual for a theatrical release, there's an opening theme song by Suzuko Mimori. Wow, her voice is pretty, and the refrain's haunting melody foreshadows what's ahead.

But we're not beating up on Heroes this time around, at least, not while they're greenhorn rookies. The "boot camp" sequence felt a little long, but established the camaraderie and close bonds between the trio. Unfortunately, the characters are a bit of a weakness-- Sumi is the standard straight-laced hero, and Gin is your typical "nekketsu" hero. Quirky, oddball Sonoko steals the show for me. Granted, we're just starting to get to know them in this film, remember, it's the opening act.

The films repeat the YuYuYu formula as before: a few close young friends thrust into intense, life-or-death battles. Only this time around, they're in grade 5 or 6 as opposed to middle school (7-9). Not as young as Nanoha (grade 3) when that series started, but... yeah.