MANGA REVIEW | "My Hero Academia: Vigilantes" - Volume Fourteen
There’s a point where a vigilante transforms into the hero they aspire to be. Volume Fourteen of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes brings that moment to The Crawler, who is in the midst of fighting No. 6. On top of protecting Pop Step, The Crawler now finds himself doing everything he can to protect his friends and the city he calls home. Thankfully, a long-missing teacher makes his grand return.
Throughout the fourteenth volume is a nonstop fight between The Crawler and No. 6, whose multiple transformations make him quite the formidable opponent. From super speed and sniping skills to explosions galore, No. 6’s power is akin to some of the bigger baddies of the main My Hero Academia series. But The Crawler has an advantage that No. 6 doesn’t have a real grasp of: how to react to an opponent’s first punch. This skill comes in handy, with our hero avoiding too much damage by the skin of his teeth.
That’s not to say that The Crawler isn’t dealing with fatigue. Although he’s had his fair share of fights, this current battle in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes feels like all past villains smushed up into one. (Considering No. 6’s powers, it’s quite the accurate way to describe him!) It also doesn’t help that he’s dealing with a bountiful of anons on the ground, who have the potential to explode at any moments.
And then, he returns. After many teases and broken promises, Knuckleduster comes crashing in like Marv looking for that Big Fat Kill! Our anarchistic anti-hero tries to aid in The Crawler’s current battle, going so far as to plant explosives in the building he’s fighting. Sadly, his plan goes up in flames, and not in a literal sense like he would’ve wanted. However, this does give Knuckleduster the chance to pass on some wisdom when he crosses paths with The Crawler again.
It’s a moment in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes that allows Knuckleduster to pass the torch to the next generation. The Crawler looks close to death, only for his teacher to give him some simple advice on how to use his powers to stay in the fight. There’s a mixture of hope and worry during this part, with The Crawler still unsure if he’s at death’s door. However, a new power is soon unleashed from the young kid, and it’s a sure sign that his fight with No. 6 is far from over!
For over 190 pages, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes goes all in on the action. And it never bores, with every twist and turn adding a new level of adrenaline to whomever is lucky enough to read this story. Volume Fourteen gives off that feeling that the end of this origin story of The Crawler is reaching its end, with his official hero chapter soon on the horizon. Hopefully if and when Pop Step wakes up, she will earn her chance to be just as heroic as The Crawler has become.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
