ANIME REVIEW | "Vigilantes" Shows Darker Side of "My Hero Academia" World
I’ll admit: I’m biased when it comes to My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. The spinoff of Kohei Horikoshi’s hit Shonen Jump series did something that other spinoffs failed to do: expand the world in an intriguing manner. So when word got out that studio Bones would be bringing it to life in the same way they did the main series, I was legitimately excited. As I told many, when it comes to Vigilantes, this is the good shit!
But there’s a problem, one that I totally forgot. Yes, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is the better story, and it certainly has the better characters. What I totally forgot about this spinoff is that it takes a bit of time before it really starts firing on all cylinders. Just how long, you ask? Well…the entirety of the first season?
Don’t let that reveal scare you! Trust me when I say that the main trio of Vigilantes is a lot more interesting and compelling than the main three of the base series. I may not speak for everyone, but I will take the likes of The Crawler, Pop Step, and Knuckleduster over Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki any day. Not only are they more fleshed out, but they also have more personality than a cereal box mascot.
So why do I warn you about Season One of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes? Because this series does take its time when it comes to fleshing out these characters and their backgrounds. Heck, even the villains that appear aren’t exactly A-tier, until you get roughly halfway through the main series. But when the bee user Kuin starts to show her cards, and the reasons behind her actions are revealed, you start to see that this spinoff is a different beast than its predecessor. Yes, My Hero Academia may deal with friendship and family drama, but not at the same level of darkness that Vigilantes delivers.
Perhaps I should go a bit into the main plot of Vigilantes at this point. As one can imagine, the “vigilante” title means that these heroes operate outside of the law. They have no hero license, meaning that they run the risk of getting arrested themselves if they’re caught trying to save the day. That means in order to act as heroes, the likes of The Crawler, Pop Step, and Knuckleduster have to work in the shadows. However, outside of Knuckleduster, The Crawler and Pop Step aren’t exactly the most trained heroes in the underground racket.
That training basically becomes the backbone of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. When Knuckleduster appears in their lives, both The Crawler and Pop Step start figuring out how to become the heroes they wish to be. With The Crawler, whose powers allow him to glide up and down the street, that means learning how to advance his speed to and find ways to weaponize that slide of his. For Pop Step, her jumping skills start out just for show in her guerrilla idol performances, only for them to be useful when it comes to seeking enemy locations and helping warn others of danger.
Meanwhile, Knuckleduster’s story has a bountiful number of layers to it, with each one revealing itself as episodes go by. A wife in the hospital, a missing daughter, and his reason for fighting are all slowly but surely unveiled. He goes from being a Sin City homage to his own character, one ripe with tragedy and heart. And when the daughter is finally revealed, you can’t help but feel an ache of pain for what Knuckleduster goes through.
However, while Knuckleduster is an important part of the Vigilantes story, he’s not the main character. That title belongs to The Crawler, who is often humorously called “the cruller” by the citizens. There are some great moments with him in the first season, be it his interactions with Captain Celebrity or the original Ingenium, the latter aiding him in his powers. With that being said, The Crawler doesn’t show his true muscles at this point, with his heroism being somewhat limited to assisting others and the occasional gang fight.
The same can be said about Pop Step, who is now just finding her way to be a hero. For the most part, she acts more as an assistant to either Knuckleduster or The Crawler. Only when her idol singing skills are needed does she truly step into the spotlight and become her own lead. That sadly takes some time in this first season, and while she may have the personality and style of a main character, her actions have yet to showcase that level of importance.
With all of that put under consideration, why then does My Hero Academia: Vigilantes deliver the goods? It’s because the sum of all of the parts of The Crawler, Pop Step, and Knuckleduster make this spinoff an entertaining and engaging watch. Separately, these are still underground heroes struggling to find their identity. And that search is what makes this an intriguing watch. Just as we witnessed Deku learn how to use All Might’s powers, we’re only just starting to see how both Pop Step and The Crawler become the heroes they aspire to be.
Thankfully, Bones doesn’t treat Vigilantes any differently than the main My Hero Academia series. Whether it’s the action, the American comic-like color schemes, and comedic aspects, this spinoff looks just as good as the core anime. However, I do have one minor complaint, and it’s how they handle some of artist Betten Court’s style. There are parts of the manga that really go into that mid-1990s dark comic aesthetic, and perhaps Bones made some of those moments in the anime a little too bright? (A minor gripe, I know.)
One other complaint I have is with its choice of music. Although Pop Step’s songs do fit her character, the rest of the soundtrack just doesn’t gel with the attitude of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. Where the main series is all about huge orchestrations and big numbers, this spinoff should feel more punk rock. Instead, it uses the same kinds of songs, sometimes the same tracks, resulting in Vigilantes to lose a bit of its luster. The same goes for both the opening and ending themes, with both “Kekka Orai” by Kocchi no Kento and “Speed” by yutori being way too poppy to match the story material.
Thankfully, the right voice cast did step up to bring these characters to life. Shuuichirou Umeda has the right amount of spunky and can-do in his performance of The Crawler, all without reaching annoying levels like a certain green-haired hero. Izumi Hasegawa gets the right amount of pep and tsundere personality as Pop Step, with her singing voice matching well with the underground idol. You also couldn’t ask for a better-sounding Knuckleduster, whose actor Yasuhiro Mamiya brings the grit, heartache, and rage in his vocal deliveries.
Season One of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes takes a little while to really get going, which is exactly what happened in the original manga. Where it’s at right now is when the world of this spinoff will be turned on its head. As I said in the beginning of the review, this is the good shit. But be patient, for when Season Two of Vigilantes drops, the true best story in the My Hero Academia universe will be unleashed!
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My Hero Academia: Vigilantes can be viewed on Crunchyroll, and has been licensed by Crunchyroll. Episodes 1-13 were observed for review. Promotional consideration provided by Crunchyroll.
