Key Takeaways
1. Spinoff Series Launch: My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is the first spinoff anime, set five years before the main series.
2. Returning Characters: Familiar characters like All-Might and Eraser Head make brief appearances, but they are not the main focus.
3. Main Characters: The series follows three main characters with quirky, less effective abilities: Koichi Haimawari (The Crawler), Pop Step, and the mysterious Knuckleduster.
4. Vigilante Storyline: The plot centers around vigilantes combatting crime and investigating the dangerous quirk-enhancing drug, Trigger.
5. Tone and Style: Unlike darker spin-offs, Vigilantes retains a tone similar to the main series, with minimal focus on high school life.
While fans excitedly look forward to the final season of My Hero Academia coming this October, the spring anime season of 2025 has provided a delightful surprise: the debut of the very first spinoff anime series titled My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. This new series introduces fresh characters and villains and takes place five years before the main events of My Hero Academia.
Familiar Faces
Even though the timeline has changed, MHA enthusiasts will spot some recognizable characters early on. All-Might makes a quick appearance, even if it’s just for a moment, and Eraser Head could again take on a significant supporting role. However, it’s worth noting that, as licensed heroes, they are not the main focus of this series.
The Main Characters
The primary trio comprises three characters with quirks that are not particularly effective (and may even be non-existent). Nevertheless, they each try their best to use their abilities for good.
To start, we have Koichi Haimawari, who possesses a quirk that lets him glide on surfaces – no, not like Slide N’ Go – Koichi can only manage a speed similar to a bicycle and must maintain contact with the surface through three points. He often travels on all fours and gets called a cockroach by critics. Initially, he adopts the hero name Nice Guy, but he soon rebrands himself as The Crawler after he decides to shift his focus from performing small good deeds to combatting crime.
Next in line is Pop Step, whose jumping quirk is mostly utilized for spontaneous musical acts. Yet, she contributes to the vigilantes by doing detective work on social media after being rescued from some thugs. She seems to be on her way to becoming the group’s “guy in a chair,” although her character currently embodies the “damsel in distress” trope.
The Mysterious Knuckleduster
The most intriguing character is a rough, older man known as Knuckleduster. It’s uncertain if this intimidating figure has a quirk, but one thing is sure: he can deliver a powerful punch! That’s probably the most critical skill for a vigilante, right? His punch-first, ask-questions-later philosophy contrasts sharply with Koichi’s calmer approach, but Knuckleduster remains an enigma: who is he, and what drives him to be a vigilante?
The series kicks off strong with its first two episodes, which establish an overarching storyline about the vigilantes trying to track down whoever is behind the distribution of the dangerous quirk-enhancing drug, Trigger. This substance was also an issue in the main series, and while that might not be the best sign, action aficionados will have a lot to enjoy in this new series.
While there haven’t been any major battles yet, the first two episodes are filled with almost constant fights. That’s just the reality of being a vigilante. After all, the series highlights the crime that licensed heroes overlook.
Comparisons and Expectations
Though the promotion of the show might lead fans to draw parallels with other darker spin-offs, like Cells at Work! Code Black, MHA: Vigilantes appears to maintain a similar tone to the main series. A positive aspect? There’s no sign that high school storylines will dominate, as only Pop Step is still a student, and the initial episodes barely touch on the characters’ personal lives. MHA fans eager for some action-packed justice in Japan should definitely check out Vigilantes, particularly if they’re craving anime superheroes.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is currently airing on Mondays, with an English dubbed version available at the same time on Crunchyroll.
