With My Hero Academia: Vigilantes making its premiere, comparisons to the main storyline in My Hero Academia are already flooding conversations. Set years before Izuku Midoriya’s journey, this prequel offers a darker, more grounded corner of the world where not all heroes play by the rules. The tone is grittier and the stakes feel more personal, paired with characters that operate in moral gray areas that are rarely explored in the original series.
Yet, drawing a direct line between the two and debating how they compare completely misses the point of Vigilantes. It isn’t trying to outshine or replace its predecessor but rather expand the universe by offering a street-level perspective that isn’t seen in the main narrative. While My Hero Academia leans into idealism and legacy, Vigilantes carves out an entirely separate space, focusing on the overlooked aspects of hero society.
Koichi Haimawari Is Just as Compelling as Izuku Midoriya
Koichi Is a Refreshing Protagonist in the My Hero Academia Universe
Koichi Haimawari, also known as The Crawler, is the protagonist of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, a street-level spin-off set years before the main series. Unlike Izuku Midoriya, who is training to become the next Symbol of Peace through formal training at U.A. High, Koichi is just a regular college student with a Quirk he doesn’t consider hero-worthy, Slide and Glide. His motivations aren’t rooted in a desire for fame and glory, but just that he wants to help people by any means he can. This includes acts such as returning lost wallets or picking up trash.
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While Midoriya’s path is highly structured and filled with expectations, Koichi’s is improvised and often thankless compared to licensed heroes. While Deku shoulders the inherited power of One For All, Koichi builds his power from the ground up. Both characters are empathetic and heroic, but the world treats them in very distinct ways. While Midoriya is nurtured by the system, Koichi finds ways to survive around it. His evolution into a capable and respected figure makes his arc refreshing for the franchise. Vigilantes offers a different perspective about what it means to be a hero in My Hero Academia’s universe.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Offers an Entirely New Perspective on Heroism
Vigilantes Allow Fans To See a Different, Often Overlooked, Side of Hero Society
Vigilantes shoulders a new form of heroism, offering a fresh perspective that diverges from the traditional and idealized view from the main series. In My Hero Academia, heroism is often defined by strength, recognition, and status, with U.A. acting as the gateway to greatness. Vigilantes, however, focus on the heroes who operate outside the system and aren’t concerned about popularity. The story shifts away from spotlighted heroes such as All Might or Endeavor to those who fight with modest means and personal convictions, rejecting the idea that heroism doesn’t need an official license or societal validation to be done.
What makes Vigilantes more interesting is its exploration of the moral gray areas of heroism. While the original series typically presents heroes as paragons of virtue, Vigilantes embraces the messier side of heroism, where the lines between right and wrong are often blurred. Characters like Koichi, Pop Step, and Knuckleduster may operate outside the law, but their motivations are rooted in a genuine desire to protect. This allows fans to consider more critically what it means to be a hero in a world with an imperfect system.
Both My Hero Academia and My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Have a Lot To Offer the Series
Both Offer a Captivating Storyline With Two Different Perspectives on Heroism and Hero Society
While My Hero Academia is the leading story in the franchise, Vigilantes offers a complementary storyline that further develops the world of heroes and villains. The main series focuses on the rise of the next generation of heroes, emphasizing power and growth. Vigilantes offers a much grittier exploration of what heroism means outside of the conventional hero systems of licensing and training. By expanding the universe with characters who operate on the fringes of hero society, the world has a chance to be explored at a deeper level, offering a greater understanding of what doesn’t work in hero society.
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Together, the two stories create a more complete picture of the My Hero Academia universe. Vigilantes follow those who don’t have the luxury of fame or legal protection but still aim to make a lasting impact on their communities. While My Hero Academia provides a larger narrative of professional, public heroes, Vigilantes focuses on the quieter aspects of hero work. Together, they create a world that balances idealism and realism, giving fans a well-rounded understanding of their complex world and heroism in different forms.
Vigilantes Is Another Fun Journey That Deserves the Same Amount of Appreciation That Its Predecessor Has
Vigilantes Is an Extension of the Universe, Made To Share Otherwise Untold Stories of Heroism
Vigilantes offers a unique and thrilling journey that deserves to be appreciated just as much as its predecessor. My Hero Academia captured audiences with its intense battles, developed character arcs, and exploration of professional heroism on a global scale. Vigilantes provides an equally engaging story with a focus on more personal arcs set on the streets rather than the spotlight. The spin-off dives into the lives of ordinary people who, despite not having the status or recognition of pro-heroes, still have the spirit of heroism through selfless actions.
Koichi, Pop Step, and Knuckleduster may not be on the same level as All Might, but their contributions to their communities are no less impactful. Without overshadowing the original series, Vigilantes tells stories that would otherwise go overlooked. The charm of the series is that it doesn’t aim to outshine, only expand the world of hero society outside U.A. and pro hero work. Fans of the original series should give the spin-off the same attention and respect. Appreciating both stories means understanding the many different forms of heroism, whether it’s in the forefront or the background of My Hero Academia.