My Hero Academia: Vigilantes got off to a far darker start than the main My Hero Academia anime did, although when one actually breaks down the scene, it bears a striking resemblance to Deku’s most important moment. So, how does Vigilantes‘ dark scene tie into the main series?
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes‘ first episode features the aspiring idol Pop Step being captured by a group of thugs in front of Koichi, but the wannabe hero is powerless to stop them. Koichi makes a bold attempt anyway, but nearly gets his eye poked out for his trouble. That’s when Knuckleduster appears out of nowhere, simultaneously taking down the thugs and letting Koichi know that he was impressed by the young man’s heroic intentions, even if they didn’t ultimately save the day. Knuckleduster decides to take Koichi under his wing, and begins training him as a vigilante.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Mirrors Deku’s Desire to Help
Koichi and Deku Both Share the Spark of a Hero
In the beginning of My Hero Academia, Deku sees his friend Bakugo has been taken hostage by the Sludge Villain. While everyone else can only watch, Deku steps forward and takes action, putting himself at risk to help another person. This inspires All Might to take action, regardless of his weakened state, and allows him to save the day. All Might immediately recognizes that Deku has what it takes to be a hero from this incident, and makes his decision regarding passing down One for All.
Vigilantes‘ scene is actually very similar. Koichi, like Deku, sees someone in trouble in front of him, and feels compelled to act. While Deku had no Quirk to work with, Koichi only has a fairly weak one that’s not much help in a fight. Knuckleduster effectively takes the place of All Might, down to his catchphrase being “I’m here,” saving the day and approving of Koichi’s attempts to help, even if they were ineffectual. Knuckleduster, like All Might, immediately picks up this kid with the heart of a hero as his protégé, hoping to shape him into a proper hero some day.
My Hero Academia Vigilantes Has Other Ties to the Main Series
A Few Cameos Help Tie the Spinoff to the Main Series
My Hero Academia Vigilantes featured several familiar characters from the main My Hero Academia anime in its first episode. First, of course, was All Might’s dramatic appearance, taking care of a villain in seconds and disappearing again to the next crime scene. Then, during his “Nice Guy” work at night, Koichi offers directions to Inko Midoriya, Deku’s mother. Finally, the episode ends with Koichi, Knuckleduster, and Pop Step making contact with Shota Aizawa, who’s on duty as a hero and sees Knuckleduster’s violent behavior as uncalled-for.
Fans can expect to see many more familiar faces in the episodes to come, and Aizawa himself will have a fairly large role to play in Vigilantes. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is just getting started, so there’s plenty more to be excited about as the series continues.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes
- Release Date
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April 7, 2025
- Network
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Tokyo MX, BS Nippon TV
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Shuichiro Umeda
Koichi Haimawari / The Crawler (voice)
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Ikumi Hasegawa
Kazuho Haneyama / Pop☆Step (voice)
