REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia Vigilantes’ Season 1 Sets Itself Apart

My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 1 does a tremendous job at separating itself from the original series. Based on the manga written by Hideyuki Furuhashi and illustrated by Betten Court, the spinoff/sequel succeeds in delivering its stylistic flourishes while maintaining the general energy and aesthetic of My Hero Academia. Directed by Kenichi Suzuki and produced by Bones Film, the series takes a street-level approach to heroics, allowing the world to expand while keeping the story itself insular and personal. 

The series takes place five years before Izuku Midoryia’s (Daiki Yamashita) fateful meeting with hero All Might (Kenta Miyake) and inherits his power, One For All. In My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 1, we instead follow an ordinary college student and his desires of being a hero despite a seemingly limited quirk. As Koichi Haimawari (Shuichiro Umeda) reaches for his dream, he meets the street performer, Pop Step (Ikumi Hasegawa), and the vigilante, Knuckleduster (Yasuhiro Mamiya), the latter of whom pushes him into pursuing vigilantism. 

At first, the series stumbles only because built-in comparisons plague it. From the start, it’s excellent visually and rich in pop-art, comic-strip-inspired color stories. The stronger, defined lines lend themselves to the show’s influences. But, apart from Knuckleduster, it takes nearly until halfway through the season to care about the characters. Koichi, the lead, is little more than a support system at times—a glorified extra in his own story. 

It takes until Episode 9, “Mom Descends,” to truly begin understanding Koichi and what makes him tick. His ordinary nature—his “plainness”—is the point, just as it was for Midoryia. But while Midoriyia was immediately thrust into larger-than-life scenarios, Koichi offers an alternative route where the young hero might’ve found another more grounded means of helping others. 

Knuckleduster is the MVP of My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 1.

It’s partially why the series is at its narrative best in fights where Koichi takes flight. Because no matter the anticipated fall as gravity does its work, here’s a would-be hero who is willing to leap not just to feel the thrill of flight but for the sake of saving whoever else is falling. 

Luckily, Pop Step and Knuckleduster are easier to root for earlier. Pop admittedly begins to make more sense in Episode 5, “Judgement,” when her backstory is revealed and we understand her ties to Koichi and affection for him. That said, the early episodes with her character are rough. She is in near-constant peril and need of saving. Luckily, this shifts over time, but it’s tiresome getting there, especially considering the strength of her quirk and character. 

But, without question, it’s Knuckleduster who steals My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 1. Once the season ends and he’s reunited with his daughter, it becomes clear that he was the de facto protagonist of this first season. He paves the way for Koichi and Pop to approach their stories and acts of heroism. From Episode 1, it’s his tracking of the drug Trigger that leads him to Queen Bee, who has taken over his daughter’s body. He drives the plot, not Koichi. 

The spinoff/prequel series sets itself apart from its predecessor. 

He’s a fantastic character who could have easily been one-note. Instead, we watch, beyond the eyes of Koichi and Pop, as he contends with his past mistakes and his commitment to being the best father he can be to get his daughter back. The last few episodes of the season stun in part due to this storyline and the emotional highs it hits because of it. 

It’s also in these last few episodes where My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 1 showcases its best animation. The fight sequence between Knuckleduster and Queen Bee is brutal, with the animation adopting a cinematic point of view. From the hulking movements of Knuckleduster as the direction hovers over one of his shoulders, to Queen Bee’s frantic race through the city, and the rippling, electrical surge in his last-ditch attempt to save her, the animation finds new wavelengths to operate on. 

The animation is truly what sets the series apart from its predecessor. Where My Hero Academia loves its royal blues and bold colors, Vigilantes appreciates a buzzier, more neon aesthetic that helps ground the series. The action is vibrant and physical.

Vigilantes get to play in an already established world. 

The manifestation of these sequences is even more effective due to the three-level approach our protagonists offer us: Koichi on the ground, able to disarm and defend, Knuckleduster sturdy as a rock in offense, and Pop taken to the skies for lookout. 

By tackling the story from these vantage points, it reveals a plethora of depth to explore. This is aided by the supporting cast, which includes other local heroes and fellow students. More than anything, My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 1 offers a more clinical approach to heroics. And it’s these personal touches—the how and why of the world and the advertising brand deals that even heroes succumb to—that make it such an exciting watch. The world is well-established, and Vigilantes get to play in it. 

While not everything is perfect and the writing requires some tightening up and better pacing, My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 1 is, in large part, a triumph. The bold visuals, strong and engaging action sequences, and character work with Knuckleduster create an invigorating spinoff to one of Shonen’s biggest success stories. 

My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 1 is out now on Crunchyroll.