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My Hero Academia: Vigilantes S2 Ep 11 Review

So, I know that these episodes came out a few weeks ago, but for whatever reason, the simuldub of MHA Vigilantes stopped out of nowhere. So I decided to hold off on the posts until the dubs came out! I’m really glad I did, though, because the dub is that good. Unfortunately, what isn’t good is the situation that Captain Celebrity is in. The Sky Egg is about to fall, 50,000 people are in danger, and all communication is cut off. If nothing happens, a lot of people are going to die. Captain Celebrtity needs to go beyond plus ultra anyone wants to get out of this alive!

Koichi Shines

By now, everyone in the Sky Egg can tell that something is wrong. The pro heroes have figured out that they’re under attack from a villain, but any attempts to call the outside are useless. The Scarred Man shut everything down with an EMP. The best they can do is keep everyone calm while the fliers find a way out.

The Scarred Man really thought this attack through. He’s tied down the heroes by having most of them stuck keeping the civilians calm. His bomber monsters already have CC on the defensive, and by the time the flying heroes reach them, it will likely already be too late. They’ve managed to put themselves in the best position to win. Thankfully, CC isn’t alone. Koichi is able to run interference and keep the pro hero safe.

Captain Celebrity is More than a Jock

At first glance, Captain Celebrity is a stereotypical jock, and he does have that personality. He openly admits that he likes being popular and well-liked by others, especially women. To him, it felt like the way things were supposed to be. But then, he met his wife, Pamela, the only person who didn’t look at him like he was God’s greatest gift on this planet. She even called him a balloon because he’s full of hot air! But his desire to get her to like him led to them falling for each other, and despite being polar opposites in personality, they got married.

It’s clear that Captain Celebrity loves his wife, but unfortunately, he’s still a big dummy. And that’s not just because of that stunt he pulled last episode. He kept angering her without meaning to, but even worse his good nature led him to be taken advantage of by people he thought were his friends. That’s why he had to leave for Japan for so long! The poor guy honestly doesn’t deserve that!

Thankfully, Koichi’s heroics were able to do the job! The other heroes start pouring outside to back them up, and it’s a who’s who of characters we’ve come to know. Eraser Head, Fat Gum, Ingenium, Best Jeanist, that dragon lady, Mirko! I know it’s not for everyone, but I like these kind of cameos. It looks like everything is gonna be good…but the CC loses all of his strength and starts falling!

Koichi, you Idiot!

And then Koichi jumps after him like an idiot! And then, the Scarred Man detonates the Bomber to break it free! It breaks the tower!

What a crazy episode! I really liked the flashbacks to Captain Celebrity’s life, but that ending was pretty shocking. Good thing I waited, since it means I won’t have to wait a week to find out what happens next! Go beyond, plus ultra!

I Give “Balloon Soul” a 3.5/5

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My Hero Academia S2 Ep 10 Review

We only have a few episodes left of this season of MHA: Vigilantes, and if I’m right, then that means that the arc we’re currently in, the Sky Egg Arc, is the last one. Given how it focuses on the end to Captain Celebrity’s time in Japan, though, it’s ending the season with a bang! I wish I was speaking figuratively, but thanks to the machinations of the Scarred Man, it is very, very literal. CC’s big farewell party is about to put the lives of thousands of civilians and Pro Heroes at risk, and there’s little that Koichi can do to help!

Man, that sucks!

Break in the Case!

The episode opens up with Tsukauchi and Eraser Head’s ongoing investigation into the Villain Factory, and they hit a big break. Thanks to the intel given to them anonymously by Koichi and Pop, they figured out that the dealers and Instant Villains were all tied back to this little-known pharma company. However, Tsukauchi is not happy that they had to rely on the aid of people whose actions are technically illegal. It’s a reminder of how for all their good intentions, Koichi and Pop are operating outside the law. As I’ve said before, and as Eraser and Fat Gum put it, they’re not hurting anyone and are competent at what they do, so they get somewhat of a pass.

Speaking of Fat Gum, he and Monika were brought in to help investigate their target. The latter ends up getting Aizawa to wear disguises to help investigate the company’s employees, much to his dismay. It’s the classic wacky person-straight man routine, and Monika is enjoying every second of it. For added humor, Koichi spots them on patrol, and due to not knowing Monika is a cop, thinks they’re dating. Poor Eraser Head, LOL!

Eventually, though, the investigation has everything it needs to launch a raid. And their deduction was right. They arrive inside to find even more of the Bomber monsters that attacked Captain Celebrity at the Christmas party. Eraser is able to stop them before they explode, but that doesn’t matter much once the Scarred Man uses them to escape. Zero Hour has begun!

CC’s Cringe Moment at his Party

Meanwhile, the farewell party for Captain Celebrity is in full spring at the Sky Egg. Thousands of people are attending, there are plenty of Pro Heroes we recognize from the main series, and Pop and the FeatherHATS all get to perform! And I swear that I saw a cameo of a young Deku and his mom trying to get into the event or get souvenirs!

It’s all fun and enjoyable…except for one cringe moment. Captain Celebrity excitedly shows everyone a photo of his wife and their newborn son to the crowd, and then proceeds to call her in the middle of the performance. His wife is not happy that A.) he woke her up in the middle of the night, and B.) he showed that embarassing photo of her to thousands of strangers.

I didn’t expect to like Captain Celebrity, but I’ve really warmed up to him. Sean Schemmel is not as well known for his roles outside of Goku, and when he does play them, it can be easy to tell he’s voicing them by his voice. But he really managed to do a great job as Captain Celebrity, to the point that I didn’t even know it was him until I looked it up. In addition, while CC can be a typical jock and do stupid things, you can tell that he means well. I get why his wife gets embarrassed by his antics, but it’s hard to stay mad at the goofball. Especially after what happens at the climax of this episode.

Zero Hour Begins!

While Koichi and CC are off during a break in his appearances onstage, they become the only people to see the Scarred Man’s Bombers making flying towards the Sky Egg. Even worse is the fact that their first attack managed to blow Koichi right out of the Sky Egg! If it weren’t for his Quirk, he would be dead! Captain Celebrity is able to stop the dome from tipping over, but, if you’ll recall, his Quirk has its limits. And to make matters worse, one of the Bombers has regenerative powers, meaning it can hit him with explosive punches as many times as needed until he tires out! And this is where the episode ends!

I normally hate cliffhangers, but this was a good stopping point. Captain Celebrity is stuck in an impossible situation. Koichi is in no position to help him. And even if the Pro Heroes know what’s happening, only a few of them are capable of aerial combat. We can’t blame it on Eraser Head and Tsukauchi, though. The Scarred Man was going to hit the Sky Dome whether they raided his hideout or not. Lucky for me, I’m writing this a day before the next episode comes out, so I don’t have to wait for long to find what happens. And I’m looking forward to it!

I Give “Zero Hour” a 4/5

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My Hero Academia: Vigilantes S2 Ep 8 Review

Remember how Beyond the Spider-Verse coined the term “canon event?” A moment in a story where something happens that defines a character from that point forward. Most often, it’s a very traumatic event that can scar a character for the remainder of their story. And we’ve come to the moment where Aizawa experiences his own canon event: the day he lost his best friend, Shirakumo.

NO OP Is Serious Business

A great way to tell when things are about to get real in an anime is when it chooses to skip the OP or ED. That means that it needs the extra run time for whatever’s about to happen. And this episode seems to get this, as it opens up on as the Heroes of Present Mic’s work study are flying to fight a giant frog villain. And it manages to swallow all of their attacks and throw them right back at them like he’s Kirby!

The Canon Event

Things get worse from there as the sky darkens from storm clouds. Rain is often used to symbolize something very bad is about to happen, and the fact that it starts right after Aizawa and Shirakumo have what will be their final conversation is a great way of showing just how bad things are about to get. Sure enough, His Purple Highness and Midnight warm Eraser and Loud Cloud about the frog villains Garvey. And then things go to hell.

What follows next I can only describe as the equivalent of Batman taking on a Kaiju on his own. We know he’s going to win despite not having any powers, but it’s still scary to watch. And Eraser Head is having to fight this villain on his own, without any backup. But despite not having a flashy power or moves, he proves to be the right person for the job. Seeing him take down the frog villain is like something straight out of a video game, and I loved it.  

But once th dust settles, and the adrenaline wears off, the true cost of victory becomes clear. Canon event completed.

Aizawa Has Untreated Trauma

We knew that Shirakumo ended up getting crushed to death saving those preschoolers and their teacher. We knew that Aizawa had lost his best friend. But I think what makes this hard to watch is the fact that Aizawa tries to deny that Shirakumo is dead. He was imagining his voice cheering him on the entire time, telling him what he needed to hear. But that was all that it was; his imagination. And it hurts like crazy.

This actually makes what happens in the main series feel even worse. Knowing that Dr Garaki and All for One steal Shirakumo’s body and turn him into Kurogiri was a truly unholy action. I know it will be years before Eraser Head and Present Mic get closure, but even knowing that they will doesn’t exactly make me feel any better about Aizawa’s canon event.

Everything changed for Aizawa after his canon event. He had spent his entire life guarding himself from others, thinking that he was better off alone. But then Shirakumo started to pull him out of his shell, and he started to think that maybe he could open up to others. But the pain of losing Shirakumo made him backtrack, thinking once again that, “no, I’m better off a loner.” So despite his teacher’s objections and despite Present trying to reach out to him, as soon as he graduates, he leaves.

We get a montage of his life as the Pro Hero Eraser Head, and while he’s undeniably incredible as a hero, the show bares no bones when it comes to showing how lonely it is, and how it’s not doing him any good. Until the day he meets Knuckle, Koichi, and Pop.

The Naruhata Crew Helped him Heal

The episode ends back in the present day, as Koichi meet the Hotta brothers along with the reformed Kirihiton and that Octoid guy. They all decide to take the cat in as part of a cat cafe they’re planning on opening! And as they’re doing so, Eraser remembers back to his school days and how he started to open up to others. I like how the show uses this moment to tell viewers that this is when it hits for Aizawa. Without even realizing it, Koichi and the other goofballs got him to open up again. He’s starting to heal.

I haven’t read the whole ending to Vigilantes, as I want to enjoy the anime. However, I’m hoping that by the time it does end, Aizawa will be on track to becoming the teacher we will know him as in the main series. He deserves this happiness.  

I Give “A Sky With No Rain Left” a 4.5/5

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My Hero Academia: Vigilantes S2 Ep 7 Review

Our look at the school days of Aizawa continues in part two of what, in all honesty, should have been an OVA or special. Those who watch My Hero Academia know that Aizawa will become a teacher at his Alma mater of UA High, but at the time that Vigilantes take place, he’s in the middle of his lone Batman era. That is to say, he’s keeping everyone at a distance. This school days arc is meant to show why he ends up like this, and so far, it’s been very interesting.

His Purple Highness is Nice

Thanks to the help of their senpai Kayama, aka Midnight, Aizawa and Shirakumo were able to find a work study with her boss, His Purple Highness. Now, I know next to nothing about him as I’m more of a Michael Jackson fan, but even I know this Pro Hero is a tribute to the late Prince. Again, don’t know how spot-on it is, but if the real Prince was as flamboyant as this guy is, then the writer for Vigilantes nailed the character. Unfortunately for Aizawa, HPH keeps taking issue with his attitude. He says his solemn nature doesn’t inspire hope or confidence in the people they’re supposed to save.

To be fair, HPH is not wrong, but he’s not right, either. Aizawa has always been an introverted and socially awkward person. He can work with others, but it takes more effort on his part. And he can genuinely smile, as Shirakumo sees when Kayama sends him a bunch of cat pics. But that’s why this arc works so well. It’s showing us how much of a positive influence Shirakumo was on him. Case in point, he was the one who gave Aizawa those iconic goggles he wears. Thanks to that, he’s able to use his Quirk far more effectively!

Aizawa Does Care, No Matter What He Says

Aizawa can deny it all he wants, but deep down, he really did enjoy the life that he had in high school with Mic and Loud Cloud. They’re such an odd pair, but they bring out the best in each other. So much so that Shirakumo proposed that once they graduated, they start their own hero agency together. I think that would have been incredible to see. Also, we learn what Midnight’s plan was once she went indie: use her agency to surround herself with hot boys. Why am I not surprised?

The hard part about this being a flashback, though, is the fact that we know how this will not end well. The episode pretends to end on a positive note as Aizawa starts to think that the possibilities in his life are starting to open up. However, after the ED, we get another scene. One of destruction as a villain goes on a rampage, and His Purple Highness is out cold, and it makes my heart sink. We know what’s about to happen.

I Give “Glass Sky” a 3.5/5

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My Hero Academia: Vigilantes S2 Ep 5 Review

Where is Knuckleduster? After saving his daughter from being possessed by Queen Bee, the gruff Batman expy disappeared without a word to Koichi and Kazuho. Even if you haven’t already been spoiled by the manga, the fact that he’s one of the main characters makes it obvious that Knuckleduster would come back in the future. What I wasn’t expecting, though, was for us to see him again so soon! While he doesn’t reunite with the Crawler and Pop☆Step, we do get a look at what he’s been up to while he’s been away, as well as his past. Even better, we see Koichi and Kazuho team up with another beloved hero from the main series, Midnight! And I think that this episode makes knowing her ultimate fate in the main series hit a lot harder.

Mixer Time

The episode starts with Eraser Head and Tsukauchi discussing the Villain Factory’s latest means of distributing Trigger: college mixers. They’re using attendees to spike the drinks with a weaker dose of the drug to help find candidates for Next-Level Villains. Since Eraser Head isn’t the most social person, though, they turn to someone who’s better suited to go undercover: Nemuri Kayama, aka the hero Midnight!

I never paid much attention to the popularity of various characters in My Hero Academia, but I think that Midnight was one of the more popular female characters. Not so much because she was well-written or crucial to the overall story, but for the fanservice. How Horikoshi got the go-ahead for her dominatrix theme is beyond me, but I’m worldly enough to understand why it appeals to some people. Even better, the first half of this episode does her plenty of justice by showing off how good a people person she is while undercover at a mixer with Kazuho.

How is Having Kazuho at this Allowed?

That’s the part I don’t entirely get. Somehow, Midnight got Kazuho, someone who can’t be older than a high schooler, into going undercover with her. Even if Pop’s a vigilante hero and idol, bringing a minor to an event like this with legal adults feels a tad reckless. Honestly, I think the story did that to touch on the subplot about her crush on Koichi, since he and the guys from the Mad Hatters are the ones attending the mixer! The irony is that he never even learns it’s Kazuho in disguise, and she has to watch as he gets attention from the other girls.

I will say this: the twist about the wallflower with the eyes obscured by bangs being the culprit was a nice twist. It helps that she’s doing all this because she’s a yandere for her friend and doesn’t want anyone else to have her. What others would see as messed up, though, Midnight sees as sweet…even if she knocks everyone in the place besides Pop out with her Quirk.

Again, I can see the appeal behind Midnight. This episode had her giving off major soft dom vibes. However, she’s not the main highlight of the episode: it’s Knuckleduster. HE’S BACK!!!! FOR A SHORT WHILE, ANYWAY!

KNUCKLEDUSTER IS BACK!!

Despite accomplishing his goal of saving his daughter from Queen Bee, Knuckleduster hasn’t given up his vigilantism. He just decided to go to the places where he couldn’t take Koichi or Kazuho, travelling internationally on the trail of Trigger. In his first appearance since the first season, we see he’s still being a Batman expy by getting intel on Trigger distribution from a dealer in Hong Kong. After that, he returns to give a friend on the force the intel, but not before going to see his daughter while she’s in the hospital.

This is where Knuckle proves that he’s always been a good dad. He’s more understanding of what she wants in life, doesn’t yell at her unless he has to, and both are on better terms. She still plays guitar to annoy him, but he doesn’t seem to care. Endeavor could learn a thing or two from him.

Knuckleduster Had a Quirk Once

Most importantly, though, this episode confirms what was already hinted at: Knuckleduster was once the hero known as O’Clock. And I think the anime does a good job with dropping hints about this. The fact that Knuckle doesn’t have a Quirk anymore. The Scarred Man’s scar mimicking the one Knuckleduster has on his face. Everything lines up perfectly, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what happened. All for One stole Knuckle’s Quirk and gave it to the Scarred Man. That’s why he tells his cop friend that the only way to stop him is to shoot to kill. He knows how dangerous his own power is, and thus says that with certainty.

I do wish that Knuckleduster had decided to meet with Koichi and Pop☆Step, but again, there are things that he has to do alone. It’s nice to see him, regardless. Plus, it looks like the next episode is going to be covering something much more interesting: the school days of Eraser Head, Present Mic, and their friend who will one day become Kurogiri. That is something I’m looking forward to seeing! Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!

I Give “The Man Returns” a 4/5

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My Hero Academia S2 Ep 4 Review

When you’re a hero in a place full of heroes, team-ups happen pretty often. It’s what they do. When you’re a vigilante, and you have to team up with a licensed hero, though, things can get complicated. By this point, several pro heroes know about Koichi and Kazuho’s vigilante activities. However, since they’re relatively responsible with their Quirks and help cover places they can’t, the pros have let them do what they want. Until, that is, Koichi almost crosses a line to becoming a threat to public safety with his Quirk. And in front of Eraser Head, no less. He’s lucky that the newest experiment of the Villain Factory shows up, or he would be in huge trouble!

Koichi, Why?

In the last episode, Koichi discovered something cool about his Quirk: he can use it to fire repulsion blasts. Since that led him to break his own window, he and Pop agreed he shouldn’t do that again…is what Pop thought! In reality, Koichi keeps practicing this new move in secret until Kazuho busts him and gives him another scolding. And I’m with Pop on this one; he shouldn’t use his Quirk like that!

In the world of MHA, you need an actual license to fire Quirk-based projectiles. Heroes like Eraser Head, Midnight, and Ingenium have been willing to look the other way with the duo because of how helpful they’ve been, but this is a step too far. Koichi could end up in jail for this. Unfortunately for him, he’s forced into a solo situation where he has no choice but to use this new talent: another next-level villain shows up. And then Eraser Head.

Ever since Narufest, Eraser Head has been regularly patrolling Naruhata to find the source of Trigger, much to the dismay of the small-time crooks turned pharmacists known as the Hotta Brothers. I couldn’t resist letting out a giggle seeing him show up just to drink coffee. Either he’s really that inconsiderate, or he’s doing it just to annoy them, and I’m pretty sure it’s the latter. Fortunately, that means when this new villain, Octoid, shows up and sends Koichi running, Eraser Head is there to help.

The bad news? Not only does Aizawa see Koichi use that “shooty go blam” power, as Koichi puts it, but his own powers don’t stop Octoid. It’s all physical. Thus, their only option is to team up to take down this threat.

Another Team-up of Heroes

Having read a lot of comics growing up, I know for a fact that a team-up between street-level heroes is pretty common. In most cases, it helps them take down much larger and more powerful enemies. And seeing the four, plus that other mantis guy, Kirihito, team up to fight Octoid feels a lot like one of those comics. Unfortunately, their efforts almost end up being in vain when Octoid manages to escape from their trap. And as it turns out, Koichi’s new move isn’t that effective. All it did was make the villain angry and make Eraser Head want to bring him in. This should be an important lesson, Koichi: either get good and responsible with that move, or don’t use it.

In the end, it’s not even the group that stops Octoid. It’s the Scarred Man (or Scarred Speedster, as I call him.) We could already tell that this mystery man was dangerous and bloodthirsty, but he takes it up a notch in this episode. When Octoid cuts his face, he crashes out and almost beats the villain to death in response! That is the kind of behavior you see from an unhinged serial killer! Octoid is lucky that he’s alive to be taken to jail!

In the end, Koichi manages to walk away from his team-up with Eraser Head, with the hero deciding not to take him in. He even covers for him by saying he doesn’t know Koichi when they run into each other alongside Tsukauchi. Such is the life of a hero, though. I’m looking forward to seeing Koichi develop further as he continues to go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!!

I Give “A Rational Man” a 3/5

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My Hero Academia Vigilantes S2 Ep 2 Review

Even when they’re not trying to find it, it seems like trouble seems to find Koichi and Kazuho. All they wanted was to have a nice day trip to do some idol stuff to promote Kazuho as Pop☆Step. Instead, this crab girl cop managed to drag right into the middle of a sting op looking for Trigger being sold using the venue as cover! But since they were just caught up in everything for once, this episode doesn’t really focus on our two vigilantes. Instead, our attention lies firmly with the heroes and cops sting op, and the member of the organization that’s distributing Trigger.

Crab Girl Almost Ruins Everything

As we learned at the end of the last episode, Monika Kaniyashiki, the idol that Koichi and Pop met at the idol event, is actually an undercover cop. And honestly, I can totally understand why she was chosen for the job. Being an undercover cop requires a fair amount of acting skills and charisma to pull off, and Monika’s goofy nature makes it easy for her to win the confidence of strangers. She was able to talk the seafood workers into letting her inspect their goods with no effort. On top of that, she’s a good detective. She was able to figure out that the Villain Factory was using cooling packs in the packages to smuggle Trigger. Unfortunately, it seems her goofiness is genuine, as it ends up putting Pop in danger once she blows the cover on the Villain Factory’s agent.

Who is this Guy?

The scarred man that Fat and the police face is someone we’ve seen before. He was the one who retrieved that last bee from Queen Bee’s hive after Knuckleduster killed them. At the time, it looked like he was some kind of speedster, which seems pretty rare in the MHA-verse. As this episode shows, however, it’s not actually a speedster power. Instead of providing raw speed, the man’s Quirk lets him speed up his brain and perception of time to the point where they can think and react faster than everyone around him, to the point where everyone else is moving in slow-motion. In other words, he just thinks and acts faster than everyone else than actually being faster.

As if to emphasize this, Tsukauchi manages to get a shot off on the Scarred Man that someone like Flash or Quicksilver could avoid. They don’t need a cooldown, which means it’s not a true speedster power. But even so, this guy was able to get away with a classic villain move: distraction. He makes the crab robots the workers were using go berserk and self-destruct, destroying all the evidence of the Villain Factory’s ops. More importantly, it puts Pop☆Step in danger since she’s piloting one of them due to Monika bailing to do her actual job.

Koichi Saves the Day

Good going, crab girl! You almost got an innocent bystander killed! Thankfully, she, Fat Gum, and Koichi were able to prevent a tragedy from unfolding.

As a lover of superheroes, I have to give the anime props for having Fat Gum and Monika perform a fastball special. However, they wouldn’t have been able to save Pop in time if Koichi hadn’t used his new ability to get to her in time. Granted, Monika the crab girl was the one who saved her, and Fat was able to tank the damage. But Crawler was able to get Pop clear of the blast. So, I’d say it was a team effort. And Kazuho did thank him afterwards.

So, the heroes and police didn’t get anything useful, and the villain got away, but no lives were lost. Koichi and Kazuho were able to fly under the radar once again, but their luck might not last much longer. Tsukauchi learned that his sister is acting as their agent/manager. And given how she’s knowingly aiding two vigilantes, that puts him in a bit of a bind. The next episode is going to be plenty awkward.

I Give “Crabtastic Rampage!” a 3/5

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My Hero Academia S2 Ep 1 Review

My Hero Academia may be over, but we still got a few years and a few more seasons of the spin-off prequel, Vigilantes. I know it wasn’t written directly by Horikoshi, but like the man himself, Vigilantes shows that it understands the superhero genre pretty well. In this case, it’s through the eyes of heroes who work closer to the streets, given in the form of Knuckleduster, Koichi, and Pop☆Step. As someone who grew up adoring street-level heroes like Spider-Man, the show really captures what it’s like to be a friendly neighborhood hero, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next. As it turns out, Koichi and Kazuhiro can’t stay out of trouble even when they try, as they’re about to get roped back into the conflict over Trigger.

Koichi is a Wall Crawler Now

It’s been a while now since Knuckleduster up and left Koichi and Pop☆Step, but the two have been getting by well on their own. Koichi is continuing his unauthorized hero work as the Crawler, but publicly, he’s acting as Pop’s manager. In this case, he’s acting as Pop’s manager, as she’s been asked to appear at a local idol event in Naniwa, but he ends up missing the train. Until, that is, he discovers another application for his Quirk: he can stick to surfaces.

Once again, I love how My Hero Academia wears its influences on its sleeve. If Deku was inspired by the likes of Spider-Man, but on a global scale, then Koichi is inspired by the friendly neighborhood aspects as well as his powers. That second part becomes all the more blatant with Koichi’s new ability directly mimicking the webhead’s wall-crawling abilities. That, and Koichi seems to have the infamous Parker luck, as he winds up having to intervene when he runs into another familiar Pro Hero, Fat Gum. He wins him over by saving his takoyaki, but what neither realize is that they’re both going to be at the same venue. The difference is that Fat Gum is part of a sting operation involving Trigger.

Why can’t they stay out of Trouble?

Even though Knuckleduster managed to stop Queen Bee, the distribution of Trigger hasn’t let up in Naruhata. In fact, doses that turn users into stronger Instant Villains, dubbed “Next Level Villains” are making the rounds. And while Koichi and Pop are at Naniwa, Eraser Head gathers info from some low-level dealers. Meanwhile, its revealed that Fat Gum and Tsukauchi (Makoto’s brother) are surveilling the idol event, convinced that it’s being used as a front to sell Trigger by this “Villain Factory.” To make matters worse, Tsukauchi can’t help but feel that Koichi and Pop look familiar.

At this point, there are several heroes who already know what the Naruhata Vigilantes are doing: Midnight, Eraser Head, and Ingenium. They’ve looked the other way because they aren’t doing anything too reckless and are just trying to help, which they need. Tsukauchi, though, is an officer of the law. He is supposed to arrest them for vigilantism. Plenty of cops in fiction dont do this because the heroes make their jobs easier, but this isn’t always the case. Fingers crossed that Tsukauchi is one of the former.

Parker Luck in another Universe

What makes this funny, though, is that even when they’re trying to have a day off, Koichi and Pop still get dragged into hero stuff. One of the performers they meet, Monika, is an undercover cop. And when she goes to do her actual job, Pop has to step in to cover for her. Thus, they’ve been dragged into this mess without even meaning to!

Like I said, Parker luck.

This was a soft way to start the next season of Vigilantes, in my opinion. I know this show isn’t for everyone, but for those not ready to say goodbye to MHA, I think this show will serve as a good way to enjoy it for a little longer. That being said, Im looking forward to seeing how Koichi and Pop handle themselves without Knuckleduster to back them up.

I Give “Day-Tripping to Naniwa” a 3/5

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My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 11 Review

Many people don’t like bees. They may be important to the global ecosystem, but the sight of an angry swarm of bees can terrify a person. And given how the bees used by Queen Bee are spreading Trigger amongst the people of Naruhata, there is good reason not to like these bees. With Narufest approaching and Pop☆Step getting a real shot at a big break, Queen Bee can’t be allowed to ruin everything. But can Knuckleduster stop her in time?

Let the Training Begin

Having agreed to take part in the upcoming Narufest, Pop☆Step and Koichi are introduced to the rest of the performers by Makoto. Unfortunately for Kazuho, she gets off on the wrong foot with some of them when Feathers, a pop duo, mocks her for her appearance, making her feel even more nervous than she already was. Thankfully, they’re the only ones who are of any issue, with the rest, being either indie band members, or a high school group, all act professionally. Beyond one of the high schoolers and band members falling for each other on the spot, everything seems to go smoothly.

Go, Pop!

Makoto’s strategy for the actual performance is fairly straightforward, as it will have Pop take center place amidst the song and dance routine. However, while this means she’ll get the most attention, it also means she won’t be able to move around much. That effectively denies her the use of her Quirk, which is one of the main reasons she’s gotten so popular. She does take to learning the music with gusto, though, but then everything changes when one of the members of Feathers injures her ankle. That’s when Pop makes a big decision. For the sake of the performance, she agrees to let the injured member take center stage. She will help cover her with her bouncing around during transitions.

This can be seen as a moment of maturity for Pop☆Step. She wants to be a successful idol more than anything, but she’s able to recognize her own limitations and is willing to work around them. That, in turn, endears her to the other performers, and by the day of, everything looks set for a memorable performance. Some familiar faces like Present Mic and Midnight even show up to make guest appearances, a move that makes fans of the main series very happy!

There’s just one problem: Queen Bee.

QUEEN BEE MUST BE PUNISHED!

Underneath her laid-back demeanor, Queen Bee has proven that she is very much a ruthless villain. Working with All for One was a dead giveaway, of course, but the last two episodes really cement how ruthless and cold-hearted she can be. Even if one doesn’t count the fact that she’s injecting people with Trigger against their will, the last episode revealed that she killed a couple. And to make matters worse, she kidnaps that Eel fan of Pop, and injects him with even more Trigger, turning him into a mini Kaiju. Thanks to that, power in Naruhata goes out on the day of Narufest, and not even Eraser Head is enough to contain the crazed fan!

That’s not even the half of it. The climax of this episode reveals just why Knuckleduster has been so obsessed with hunting down Hachisuka. She is actually his daughter, Tamao Oguro! To be more precise, Queen Bee is the name of the person who possessed his daughter. And like any good dad, he’s determined to save his kid. So determined, in fact, that he brought a stun gun to get rid of Queen Bee.

Get Queen Bee

It might seem overkill, even for Knuckleduster, but given how dangerous and elusive Queen Bee is, it really isn’t. And with the villain willing to wreck Narufest for the heck of it, she needs to be taken down now! Koichi and Kazuho are counting on Knuckleduster to come through for them!

The next episode is likely to be the last of the season, and if it is, I hope that we get to see a good show get put on. Knuckleduster, it’s time to play exterminator! End this!

I Give “The Day of” a 4/5

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My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 10

Plenty of people want to be famous for something, but few ever do. They might not have the talent they need to stand out, or they don’t get the right chances to stand out.  Pop☆Step has had plenty of chances to stand out and she has the talent, but she can’t keep doing street performances forever. So when an opportunity to build her reputation comes her way, she’s facing her biggest hurdle yet: her own insecurities.

Knuckleduster Has a Soft Side

This episode of Vigilantes doesn’t focus on one plot, but two, each one taking up half of the episode as a whole. And both plots are focused on the other two members of the Naruhata Vigilantes, Knuckleduster and Pop☆Step. In the first half of the episode, Knuckle, through the now-reformed Soga, is continuing his search for Kuin Hachisuka, AKA Queen Bee, AKA the girl with the bee quirk. His search almost gets him killed, though, when a student under her control sics her bees on him. It’s a moment made scarier considering how the bees come out from underneath the girl’s skirt. The implications of where they were hiding are very unsettling!

Knuckleduster is Closing in on Queen Bee

The experience isn’t a total loss, though. Knuckleduster is able to use the information to help his investigation of Hachisuka, who he’s shown to be very focused on tracking down. At the same time, though, we see that there is a softer side to him: he has a wife. She’s in the hospital and left in a catatonic state, courtesy of Queen Bee, but he’s still there for her. Showing that he’s caring enough to have a wife demonstrates that he is, in fact, more than the trigger-happy vigilante he tends to be. He’s like a version of Batman that’s fallen on hard times, but strives to keep doing the right thing.

As if to emphasize that point further, we get a scene of him training, and it feels like it was taken straight from Batman’s own training montage from Batman vs. Superman. Say what you want about that film, but that moment showed why Batman is the peak of human physical strength. Unfortunately, we don’t see his confrontation with Queen Bee until the next episode.

The real focus, though, is on Pop☆Step, who might be getting her big break.

Pop☆Step Gets her Big Break

During Captain Celebrity’s fight with that Kaiju-sized villain, several buildings in Naruhata got damaged. One of them, the Marukane Department Store, is undergoing renovations before reopening, and theyre promoting it by hiring new talent to perform. And Pop☆Step has been invited to do just that.

Despite how used Pop☆Step is to performing in front of crowds, this marks the first time she’ll be performing in front of a large group. In addition, she’ll be performing alongside other people. With how insecure she is, this is her toughest battle yet. And since Koichi is lacking in the ability to provide emotional support, he calls in someone who can actually help her: Makoto!

After the incident with the cat bus exposed Koichi’s secret identity to her, it didn’t take long for Makoto to figure out that Kazuho is Pop☆Step. Despite her jealousy over seeing the older woman as competition for Koichi, though, Pop☆Step can’t afford to let this help go to waste. And not only is Makoto a good choice due to her organizational skills, she also agrees to keep Kazuho’s vigilantism a secret. Pop may not like Makoto, but there can be no denying that she’s trustworthy.

Go, Pop☆Step!

So, thanks to Makoto, Pop☆Step is able to move forward with participating in the upcoming Narufest. She’ll go out there and sing the Marukane Department Store’s theme song alongside some other artists, and Makoto even got Captain Celebrity to make an appearance. All told, this looks like it could be Pop’s big break!

Assuming that the Bee Girl doesn’t show up to wreck everything. Which we know she will try to do!

This was a quiet episode overall, but not every episode needs to be a banger. Pop☆Step, knock them dead!

I Give “Event Announcement”

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