REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia: Vigilantes’ Episode 6 – “Crossing Lines”

Here lies the problem with any spinoff series or story that delves into the background of a well-acquainted world. Sometimes, we don’t want to know how a character – often a villain – came to be. Oftentimes, the mystery is the fun, fueling the spark and intrigue as our heroes go toe-to-toe with an enigmatic force of evil. Such is the case in My Hero Academia Vigilantes Episode 6. The otherwise solid and polished installment falters because regardless of how well done it is, the reveal that Stendhal (Gō Inoue) is Stain doesn’t land with its desired blow.

Stain is one of the most interesting villains of My Hero Academia, and his first fight with Todoroki, Iida, and Midoriya perfectly encapsulates the messy disorder that comes with being a hero, first and foremost. He challenges the trio’s sense of justice while opening viewers’ eyes to the shifting morality of its wrongdoers. And while there’s some thematic potency in his inclusion, witnessing his descent in the same period where Tenya is racing ahead (as the former would ultimately end the latter’s hero career), it doesn’t entirely feel worth it.

Expanding lore is part of the fun of any ever-expanding series or franchise. But sometimes, too much lore ruins the effect of a well-deployed villain. My Hero Academia Vigilantes Episode 6, at the very least, has fun with Stendhal’s descent into madness, emboldened by Knuckleduster’s (Yasuhiro Mamiya) words during their fight. While not Knuckleduster’s intent, Stendhal takes them to heart to steal his resolve and eliminate distractions or vanity. No longer will he kill villains who have crossed his crudely drawn lines. Instead, he will kill “false heroes” who don’t fight from a true sense of virtue.

The fight sequence between Knuckleduster, Koichi (Shuichiro Umeda), Stendhal, and Soga (Kôsuke Toriumi) delivers some sublime, fluid, and cohesive action sequences. The entire episode excels with this cohesion, most notably in the opening fight with the yakuza when the men transform with their quirks, the transformation seamless. But the battle with Stendhal bottles the character’s physicality and varying levels of skills. From Koichi’s clumsy attempts to help Sora despite his dislike of him to Stendhal’s speed and agility, the direction captures their distinct differences.

My Hero Academia Vigilantes Episode 6 spotlights the growing ensemble. 

But it’s Knuckleduster who once again gets the deserved hero moment. Of all of the characters introduced in the series, he’s the one who truly shines. Despite not knowing much about his backstory, the writing and voice acting establish who he is in a no-nonsense way. When he arrives on the scene to save Koichi, his spotlight allows him an epic-scale sequence, backlit by the bustling city streets as he stands firm in his resolve. Adding to the charm is his declaration in calling Koichi “my boy,” yet another way the series echoes the original, down to the dynamic between All Might and Midoriya.

More than anything, My Hero Academia Vigilantes Episode 6 continues to establish the world and the many characters populating it. Kuin / Queen Bee continues to lurk in the shadows and is much more physically formidable than she seems, standing back up after Stendhal (now Stain) seemingly plunges a knife in her eye. Sora’s inclusion is the most perplexing, however, considering his introduction in Episode 1 had him threatening sexual assault.

Pop Step (Ikumi Hasegawa), having to tend to his wounds while he seems to catch on to her crush on Koichi, isn’t the sweet scene the direction suggests it would like to be. Instead, it begs why we’re meant to care about this character. His internal monologue at the start is an attempt to make him sympathetic, but he simply blames others for pushing him into being monstrous when much of the onus seems to lie on his soldiers. Unfortunately, he might be sticking around, so hopefully, the series will pull some Herculean stunt to make him more palatable.

My Hero Academia Vigilantes Episode 6 hits its high notes during the beautifully executed fight sequences and any moments where Knuckleduster is on screen. However, it loses momentum by forcing an unnecessary backstory and unlikable characters into the plot. “Crossing Lines” is entertaining and high-energy, but the narrative needs a bit of a boost.

My Hero Academia Vigilantes Episode 6 is out now on Crunchyroll. 

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