My Hero Academia Vigilantes Episode 1 Review

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a refreshing new spin-off series of the popular hit series My Hero Academia, introducing new protagonists and some well-known favorites into the mix. My Hero Academia has always been an anime about wanting to become a hero and what it takes to be a true hero of justice. However, what do these aspirations look like from the other side, from an illegal hero?

Vigilantes is a new approach to the popular series. In it, despite not owning a Hero License, our protagonist Haimawari Koichi protects his neighborhood through good deeds, whether cleaning up the trash or helping others find their way. However, vigilantism is outlawed by the government, which could make the amateur hero fall in hot water with the local police and nearby Pro Heroes.

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An Introduction to the Superhuman Society

The City Needs a Different Kind of Hero

Much like MHA’s protagonist Midoriya Izuku, Haimawari Koichi is a sucker for heroism and an all time fan of the popular Pro Hero All Might. The series starts off with an introduction to the superhuman society, and much like My Hero Academia, homage is paid to the first baby born with a Quirk, the Luminescent Baby, with Koichi Haimawari, the protagonist, as the narrator.

Similar to MHA, emphasis is placed on heroism, the popular profession of the superhero society that villains have overrun. However, unlike pro heroes, which the government has sanctioned, other, more illegal heroes who volunteer to operate independently exist. Bringing forth the time-old question of what heroism means to these vigilantes who strive to become real heroes.

After a sneak peek at our new main characters, we see a rampaging villain causing destruction. However, the Number 1 Pro Hero, All Might, steps in, swiftly subduing the villain and taking him away. We then meet our protagonist, Haimawari Koichi, an avid All Might fan, university student, and part-time worker. Instead of being immersed in the recent battle, Koichi quickly regains his composure and rushes to university, showcasing that although Koichi has dreams of heroism, reality quickly sets in. As the series begins, there are a few differences between it and the manga. However, it still allows the anime to flow seamlessly.

The Three Musketeers

Unfortunately for Koichi, trouble isn’t far behind as he soon meets three delinquents who give him a hard time for bumping into them. In an attempt to extort Koichi, Kugisaki Soga quickly pours out his drink and demands he grovel and apologize. Here, we are introduced to Koichi’s Quirk Slide and Glide, a weak Quirk but great for evading despite its slow speed. For Koichi’s Quirk, Slide and Glide, to be activated, he needs to touch a surface in three places. In doing so, Koichi can travel by sliding, but at a slow pace similar to that of a bicycle. While using the Quirk to escape the three delinquents, Koichi gains a few comments about his Quirk. While convenient, it’s not fast and seems even creepy, “Almost like a cockroach.”

Soon after, as the evening sets in, we meet our second protagonist, Pop Step, performing on a lamp post for her loyal followers. Koichi thus remarks on her performance; although her music is not that memorable and her flash makeup hides her face, she shines brightly as she performs. Watching her, Koichi also comments on how nice a leaping Quirk would be after receiving harsh comments on his Quirk. He may feel envy for her Quirk while lamenting his own, which others look down upon. As he uses his Quirk in an alleyway, he slips, reflecting on life’s unfairness, drawing a parallel to Deku, who expressed the same emotion at being born Quirkless. Trouble arrives when three delinquents show up at Koichi’s convenience store job, where he is quickly beaten for earlier disrespect.

It’s Time to Play Hero

With His Costume Donned, Koichi Set Back Out Into the Streets

After his earlier beating and complaints about the police’s failure to save him, Koichi rushes home and changes into his special costume to fully utilize his Quirk. Although unofficial Quirk use is illegal, Pro Heroes need licenses to fight crime, and Koichi still helps needy citizens. This is the first instance in which we see how the hero society has failed its civilians, showcasing cracks within its structure.

During his heroic spree, Koichi returns dropped items to their owners and helps civilians with directions, to which we see a cameo of Midoriya Izuku’s mothers when she was slimmer, indicating that the series began at a much earlier time than MHA and recycles various items, thus cleaning the city. While he gains recognition for his actions, he can’t help but feel ecstatic about his good deeds.

Koichi enters an alley and meets Pop Step, marking their first official encounter. Here, we learn about Koichi’s aspirations as a hero. He wears All Might-inspired clothing to emulate him and serve society. Later, they encounter the three delinquents again, but this time, Pop Step accidentally hits Kugisaki Soga.

They quickly corner Pop Step, threatening to reveal her face online. While Koichi weakly tries to stop them, he hesitates, thinking it isn’t his business. Seeing Pop Step cry and feeling insulted by their mockery of his All Might hoodie, he attempts a surprise attack but is soon captured. Knuckleduster arrives to save the day, overpowering the three. While rescuing Pop Step and Koichi, he also checks for discoloration on the delinquents’ tongues. Marketing is the first time the three protagonists have interacted with one another.

What it Takes to Become a Hero

After the scuffle, Koichi tries to escape, wanting to avoid more trouble. During this time, Knuckleduster attempts to recruit him, promising to make him a hero. Although Koichi initially declines, claiming he’s not interested, Knuckleduster sees through his lies, noting that a person who respects All Might and enjoys helping others cannot truly be uninterested in becoming a hero. At this, Koichi is very different from a typical wanna-be hero. Unlike MHA, where Deku quickly jumps in to save others, Koichi needs more coaxing out of his shell.

Koichi debated becoming a hero, but when he saw Pop Step in danger after Knuckleduster’s speech, he acted, revealing his “soul of a Hero.” He declined Knuckleduster’s help, viewing him as crazy. They returned to Koichi’s apartment to make it their base. This highlights Koichi’s internal struggle; past grievances and his perceived weak Quirk hinder his desire to be a hero, creating a dynamic character.

Soon, the three delinquents are approached by a new character offering a “great medicine” circulating in the city. This is the drug Knuckleduster seeks; it boosts Quirks but weakens reason. Villains show signs of use with black-stained tongues. This highlights a flaw in the hero society: as civilians take Trigger, they become Villains, terrorizing others. Police and Heroes respond slowly, leaving clean-up to vigilantes. Vigilantes also demonstrates where Trigger originated, as it was showcased in My Hero Academia as a typically hard drug to combat as any civilian could get their hands on it.

Koichi reluctantly joins Knuckleduster, who aims to find the source of the Trigger drug by confronting suspicious individuals. Pop Step appears, questioning their actions and scolding Knuckleduster for neglecting her. She also offers valuable information during their search. Their efforts are interrupted when Knuckleduster tries to force information from a salaryman, but Koichi and Pop Step’s attempts to intervene lead to an encounter with the popular Aizawa Shota, the underground hero. In this scene we truly see how unhinged Knuckleduster is and how much he really wants to get the Trigger drug off the streets. As our older heroes portray themselves as respectable and aspirating, Knuckleduster, with a rugged look and cigarette in hand, is a great new take on what it means to be a hero, a direct parallel to All Might.

Much like MHA, the series has a good mix of comedic moments with action, animated beautifully with onomatopoeia to provide additional effects, creating more depth to the episode. The characters are also refreshing as they differ from the usual hero-wannabe, displaying more depth and crudeness to their personalities, as they are not held back by the law, thus allowing them to act as they please, not needing the public’s approval. With fast-paced action and a clear goal at the start of the series, the series has made a pretty good start in establishing itself.

My Hero Academia is now available to stream on Crunchyroll.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes

Release Date

April 7, 2025

Network

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)

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  Yasuhiro Mamiya

  Knuckleduster (voice)

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  Kenta Miyake

  All Might (voice)