RJ Writing Ink

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes S2 Ep 13 Review

Once again, the day has been saved thanks to the heroes! And I mean all the heroes, including the Naruhata Vigilantes. The Scarred Man/Number 6’s terrorist attack was foiled, and everyone has been able to move on with their lives. But the passage of time brings change, and as Koichi is getting ready for life after college, he makes a decision that leaves Kazuho speechless. It also means that the next season of Vigilantes is going to be our last, sadly.

Captain Celebrity’s Return Home

Picking up from the fight between Knuckleduster and Number 6, their little clash manages to reduce what was left of the building to rubble. The last we saw of either them, they were clashing fists as the building fell down around them. The good news is that when the police comb the rubble, Knuckleduster’s body is nowhere to be found. That means that he made it out alive. Unfortunately, it also means that Number 6 escaped, with the police noting how his blood is barely human at this point. The last we see of him in the post-credits scene, All for One and Garaki are running their experiments on him, meaning that he will be back.

For the moment, though, life returns to normal for everyone. Captain Celebrity is praised for his actions in helping to save the Sky Egg, though his wife does get mad at him, regardless, for almost getting killed. And unfortunately, he has to take all the credit while leaving none for Koichi to keep the media off him, much to his friend’s dismay. Especially since Koichi himself is fine with not getting the praise.

It’s good to see a hero remain humble, but at some point, I think it crosses the line into low self-esteem. The problem is that since Koichi is unlicensed, he has to keep out of the spotlight or face legal trouble! Speaking of which, Naomasa now knows that Koichi is the Crawler thanks to Eraser Head. Since he and Pop have good intentions and are competent at helping others, he’s willing to look the other way as thanks for helping to save his sister. But it still sucks that Koichi isn’t getting treated like the hero he is! At least, not yet.

Two weeks pass, and Captain Celebrity recovers enough to finally return home. Much to everyone’s surprise, though, Makoto is going with him to study abroad and keep being his manager. And the look she gives Koichi as she’s leaving makes Pop☆Step so jealous! Yet she’s still unable to tell Koichi about her crush on him, so she has no one to blame but herself!

The Final Season of the Crawler

The final third of the episode then skips ahead to two years in the future. Koichi is now a senior in college and getting ready to graduate and look for a job. Even better, he’s now well-known and well-regarded in Naruhata as its protector. These two girls he says even get his name right and ask him for a photo! Overall, life is going well for Koichi, Pop, and everyone in Naruhata. But that’s when he drops a major bombshell to Kazuho: he’s thinking of retiring as The Crawler. And the panic on Kazuho’s face is so hard to look at!

I completely understand why Pop☆Step would panic about this. Being a vigilante is how the two met. Without it, they may no longer have a reason to hang out, and she’ll never be able to confess to him. Speaking of which, she’s had two years and she still hasn’t told him? She’s almost an adult, so if it’s the age gap, that shouldn’t be a problem soon! Beyond that, though, I get why she would be upset. Koichi has gotten to live his dream for two years now, and he’s ready to give it up? Shouldn’t he want to do this for the rest of his life? I know working a job is important, but shouldn’t he at least try to do what he loves for a living?

Regardless, it seems as though this summer is going to be Koichi’s final season as the Crawler. Which also means that the next season of Vigilantes will be the last. In other words, unless we get another spin-off series, this might be the last we see of My Hero Academia, and that sucks. It’s an entire universe of superheroes, and I’m sure that there are plenty more stories that can be told! But all good things must come to an end, or they end up like The Simpsons. I don’t know when the final season comes out, but I’m looking forward to seeing. Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!

I Give “Graduation and Career Path” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia S2 Ep 3 Review

If there’s one benefit that Vigilantes has over My Hero Academia, it’s that its more low-stakes story enables it to focus more on the slice-of-life aspects of being a hero. Most great superheroes at least attempt to have a life outside the costume, and it’s those moments that helped to humanize them. Or, in the case of that mysterious speedster villain, show how far removed they seem to be from humanity as this episode focuses on those ups and downs of the game of heroes and villains.

LOL, All Might is So Adorkable

The episode opens up in what has to be both the most fantastic yet silliest way possible: All Might stopping three giant Kaiju in Okinawa, before leaping back into the sky on his way. Keep in mind, Vigilantes either takes place around or just before the time he and All for One have the fight that almost kills them both, so this is when the hero is still in his relative prime. And he’s as good as we think he was…and just as adorkable when he’s not on duty.

I really liked seeing the meetups between All Might in his civilian guise and Officer Tsukauchi. They have a relationship like Batman and Commissioner Gordon, with Tsukauchi being one of the few who knows who All Might really is. Seeing the hero panic when he sees Tsukauchi’s injuries and sheepishly giving him gifts from grateful citizens is incredibly heartwarming. They are as close as friends can hope to be, and it’s clear it goes both ways. After all, Tsukauchi gives All Might his own gifts and, while not seen in the anime, it’s shown that he handles all the paperwork for the spontaneous acts of heroism that he does. Tsukauchi is a good friend to have in the force.

Or, if you’re Makoto, a big pain. Naomasa knows that his sister knows the real identities of PopStep and the Crawler, and he disapproves of their vigilantism. But Makoto refuses to sell them out. Even worse for him, she’s so smart that if he says the wrong thing, she’ll learn things that are meant to be kept private. For example, using the gift bag he got from All Might, she figures out he knows someone at his agency. That’s incredibly close to the truth, and he can’t afford her getting in over her head!

It still makes what he does next funny, though. He uses the bath salts All Might got for Makoto for himself, and is embarrassed by how nice everyone thinks he smells.

Who is this Guy?

As all this is happening, we see the mysterious speedster who attacked the idol event training and talking to All for One. At the same time, the cops are busy looking for more info on this attacker, and they come to a surprising revelation. As it stands, this attacker’s Quirk is very similar in nature to a hero that hasn’t been heard from in a while: O’Clock. They were also a speedster and part of the last generation of heroes, but they dropped off the face of the earth years ago. This new O’Clock is too young to be the original, and there is the potential for a Quirk to appear twice in different people. However, given how this villain is working for All for One, it’s more likely the Quirk was stolen and given to him. Either way, that’s not good.

Koichi’s New Move

Meanwhile, Koichi and Kazuho resume their vigilante activities as Koichi continues to experiment with his Quirk some more. He already learned he could use Slide and Glide to stick to objects like Spider-Man, but in this episode, he learns a power that not even Spidey has. He can use his Quirk to fire propulsion blasts from his palms like he’s Iron Man! At first, he’s happy to find something that can help fight offensively, and is eager to show off to Kazuho. As soon as he does, though, he breaks one of his windows. Which is something that Knuckleduster would do, not him.

They both agree that the power is too great.

Don’t Be Like Knuckleduster

It’s nice to see how even though they both miss Knuckleduster, they haven’t forgotten about his faults. Well-meaning as he might have been, Knuckleduster was still a very uncouth, violent, and inconsiderate guy who roped them into this life against their will. Neither of them wants to be like him, and so they use him as an image of what not to be. As Koichi puts it, he’s still teaching them something even after leaving. It’s funny, but still sweet.

There wasn’t a lot of action going on in this episode, but I don’t think that that’s necessarily a bad thing. Like I said, the lowkey stakes means that the show can focus more on the everyday lives of the characters. And one thing I’ve learned about writing a good Shonen manga is that the supporting cast needs time to grow. That way, they can support the main protagonist so they don’t have to carry the story. The next episode, though, looks to be focusing more on one of the coolest characters in the franchise, Eraser Head. Considering how he’s like another Batman for MHA, I’m looking forward to learning more about him. Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!!

I Give “Public and Private” a 3/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 13 Review

Queen Bee has been defeated, and Naruhata is supposed to be safe. Pop is starting to gain traction as an idol. And Koichi is starting to get the hang of being a vigilante, even if he still needs help. It seems like life is going well for everyone in Naruhata! Except Knuckleduster suddenly goes missing. Where did he go?

Life Goes On…

Ever since Narufest, POP☆STEP has been doing better than ever. Her performance has been going viral on social media, and she is loving it! She’s gotten plenty of fan mail (actual mail!) And the festival was so successful that the department store has decided to make it a regular event, with POP☆STEP and the others recurring performers!

As for Koichi, he has been continuing his work as a vigilante. Given how what he’s doing is technically illegal, it can seem weird that he’s now doing it so openly in the public eye. However, it feels like the Pro Heroes give him leeway because he’s proven capable in situations, and they know he means well. It also helps that he knows when to leave things to the professionals. Case in point, when a certain bat-villain returns to get revenge on him, Koichi lets himself be saved by Captain Celebrity. It just so happens that this helps Pop keep a promise to bring a Pro Hero to the next Narufest. Needless to say, this helps the performance remain a success.

At the same time, though, the fact that the bat villian reappeared is a worrying sign. One would think that the fall of Queen Bee would help make Naruhata safer. Instead, things are only getting worse.

But Knuckleduster is Nowhere to Be Found

Despite Queen Bee no longer able to distribute Trigger, the Instant Villains aren’t going away. In fact, they’re only getting stronger. In the aftermath of Pop’s Eel fan, Teruo, going on another rampage, he didn’t turn back to normal. He’s stuck in his more monstrous form, meaning the change is permanent. The authorities are already calling these new Villains “Next-Level Villains,” and they are on a wholly different level from what the Naruhata Vigilantes have been facing. So it would seem that All for One’s experiments with Trigger haven’t been slowed down at all.

Things are going to get more dangerous for Koichi and Pop from here on out, and if they want to continue being vigilantes, then they’ll have to step up their game. However, they’re going to have to do it without relying on their mentor, because Knuckleduster is nowhere to be found.

After saving his daughter’s life, Knuckleduster rushed her to the hospital where his wife was being treated. During his earlier pursuit, he had gotten a call saying that his wife’s condition had gotten worse, but he had managed to keep that out of his mind long enough to save Tamao. Tragically, by the time he makes it to the hospital, his wife is already at death’s door. He only has enough time to let her know that Tamao is safe before she…goes.

This is a genuinely sad moment for the story. Knuckleduster had fought so hard to try and put his family back together, and now he’ll never have the chance. His daughter will never have the chance to say goodbye to her mom. He doesn’t even have the heart to directly tell her that her mom is Dad, yet you can tell that she already knows.

Time to Go it Alone

Not long afterwards, Knuckleduster disappears altogether. He leaves behind his mask and knuckles at Koichi’s place. Presumably, he’s gone off to continue fighting the people behind the Instant and Next-Level Villains on his own. As for Koichi and Pop, they plan on continuing to live their lives.

Thus, the first season of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes comes to an end. I’m sorry that it took so long for me to watch the season, but once I got started, I was reminded why I fell in love with MHA in the first place. No matter how old I get, I love superheroes and what they represent. And while the main series is ending this fall, I can rest easy knowing that Vigilantes will return next year to keep the fire going. Going Beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!!

I Give “What a Man Takes With Him” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 12 Review

When you’re a dad, you want to be a good dad to your kid. And since there’s no universal manual for being a parent, that means most of them are going to make mistakes. But no matter what, a good dad will do whatever it takes to make sure their kid is safe. And for Knuckleduster, that means pulling out all the stops to save his daughter from Queen Bee!

Narufest Lives!

Thanks to Queen Bee hopping Pop’s Eel-fan on more Trigger, there’s a blackout in Naruhata, putting Narufest in danger of being shut down. And since the heroes have to prioritize the crowd’s safety, there’s not much they can do to fix things. Thankfully, Koichi manages to come in clutch for everyone by grabbing Pop’s mic. If Pop can keep everyone calm until they get the backup generators (thanks, Captain Celebrity), they can salvage Narufest.

Pop Step's song "My Hero" was so very good #heroaca_a #MHAVigilantes#Anime #ヴィジランテ #ヒロアカ pic.twitter.com/kHhw7vtGJf

— W9AHEE8D (@WAHEE8D_88) June 23, 2025

Its actually a pretty gutsy move having Koichi openly call himself by his vigilante name in front of Mic and Midnight. Then again, they probably know by now that he’s capable and well-meaning. Whats even gutsier is the fact that Pop fights to overcome her stagefright to get in front of such a big crowd. But once she gets past her initial fears, she gets to show off how good she is at working a crowd. And once she starts singing…the magic begins.

Pop☆Step’s singing has always been a highlight of Vigilantes, but in this case, it’s even more special than normal. Koichi and the audience may not understand it, but viewers should know right away that her new song is about how Koichi inspired her as a kid. It’s almost like her love song to him. It’s really sweet, and its only the opening act. The remix of the Marukane Department Store’s theme song turns really good! Who would have thought? Guess J-Pop can make anything awesome!

The real focus of the episode, though, is on the fight between Queen Bee and Knuckleduster. Or rather, the fight between Tamao and her Dad.

Knuckleduster Fullfills his Dad Role

As the last episode revealed, Queen Bee’s true identity is Tamao Oguro, Knuckleduster’s daughter. Or rather, Tamao is the person who Queen Bee is using as a host. Queen Bee is actually a parasitic Quirk that jumps from body to body, turning it into a hive for her bees. She possessed Tamao after the latter stormed off following a heated argument with her dad. Being the good dad he is, Knuckleduster won’t let his daughter stay the puppet of a villainous bee, and he pulls out all the stops to rip it out of her. He was even willing to stop their hearts to make sure that they could make it back together!

👊Knuckleduster Vs Kuin Hachisuka🐝 Pt. 3#MHAVigilantes #MhaVigilanteSeason1 #MyHeroAcademiaVigilantes #bokunoheroillegals #MyHeroAcadamiaIllegals pic.twitter.com/f3ngNnznqT

— PaTTWorks #ReleaseByeByeBunny (@Branion7651) June 24, 2025

Knuckleduster might act tough, but he’s a big softie at heart. He’s a good dad. When his kid was in danger, he did whatever it took to save her. He did have to stop her heart to force Queen Bee out, but he started it right afterward. And the resulting parasite was disgusting to look at! Thankfully, Queen Bee is not going to bother anyone for a long time. And I only say that because a mysterious man manages to capture a single bee and take it away to places unknown.

For now, though, it seems the threat of the Instant Villains has been stopped. Naruhata should become a more peaceful place from now on, but that does beg the question: what will the Naruhata Vigilantes do now? Because it looks as though Knuckleduster might not be sticking around. Only time will tell, as apparently, next week is the final episode of the season, not this week.

I Give “Goodbye to Dad” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

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”

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 9

For most people, getting a visit from their mom would be a cause for celebration. After all, people should normally have a good relationship with their parents. However, there are also the parents that are, simply put, the worst. There are women like Cersei Lannister and Odalia Blight, who see their kids as extensions of themselves. There’s women like Lois Griffin, who belittle their children and spouses to feed their egos. Then we have the overbearing parent that never supports your dreams and always criticizes you for everything you do. And unfortunately for Koichi, his visiting Mom is very much that kind of parent. Just…awful.

Koichi has a Terrible Mom…

Picking up where the post-credits scene for the last episode left off, Koichi’s mom drops in for an unexpected visit, much to his dismay. His mom is…not a good mom, to be honest. When she sees right through his attempts to claim Makoto is his girlfriend, she uses her Quirk to slap him multiple times. Then she denigrates Koichi further by saying that someone like Makoto is out of his league, all the while saying that his dream of being a hero is a foolish notion.

To recap, Koichi has a mother who is physically and verbally abusive with him, has no confidence in his ability to do anything right, and doesn’t even have the courtesy of supporting his wants and needs. It’s sad to think that there are parents out there who act like this and genuinely think that they’re doing their kids a favor. In truth, all this does is hinder the amazing potential that they might have deep inside them. Sadder still, though, is the fact that Koichi doesn’t even try to defend himself to his mom. Instead, it’s Pop in her civilian identity that tries to stand up.

Emphasis on tries, as she gets so flustered she storms off, and Koichi drops the ball by unintentionally insulting her attire.

On a lighter note, though, this episode officially gives us the real names of Pop☆Step and Knuckleduster: Kazuho Haneyama and Iwao Oguro. Bonus points for Knuckle managing to pass off their vigilantism as community service to Makoto and Koichi’s mom.

Thankfully, though, Koichi gets a chance to put his Mom in his place and show his true potential.

But he Puts her in her Place

While Koichi, his Mom, and Makoto are on a tour of Tokyo, their bus turns into a cat monster thanks to an Instant Villain. Ingenium arrives and manages to get almost everyone off in time, but Makoto is stuck on the bus as it’s careening to a broken bridge. With the Hero running low on fuel, his team begs someone to help, and Koichi happily steps up…only for his mom to try to browbeat him into quit “playing hero.” And while he doesn’t say the exact words, his rebuttal has the same meaning as “SHUT THE HECK UP, MOM, AND LET ME LIVE MY LIFE!”  

What happens next pretty much proves that Koichi’s mom was a bad parent. When push comes to shove, Koichi forces himself to move through the air…by pressing on it. He flies!

As it turns out, Koichi could do this the whole time, doing it regularly as a baby. However, his mom overreacted and kept swatting him to keep him on the ground.

You see the issue? Koichi has always had the potential to be an amazing hero, but his Mom’s paranoia has left him with low self-esteem and helped to surpress his natural talent. That’s called bad parenting, and it’s something no parent should ever do to their kid. Thankfully, Koichi standing up to her is enough to make her realize her mistakes. It’s not a parent’s place to keep their kid tied down forever.

May we Never See His Mom Again

In the end, Koichi saves Makoto (and exposes his secret identity), and his Mom leaves. Good riddance, if you ask me. If she had done better, Koichi could’ve gotten his hero license by now. At least now he knows that his Quirk is cooler than others give him credit for, though.

I Give “Mom Descends” a 4.5/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 8

America and Japan have had a long and complicated history. At one point, they were deadly enemies. Today, they’re formally allies and friends, leading to a great deal of cultural exchange. My Hero Academia is the product of said exchange, as it takes most of its inspiration from American superhero comics. As much as the heroes might be inspired by greats like Batman, Superman, and Spider-man, though, what’s even more interesting is getting to see an American superhero play an important role in the story. The main series has Stars and Stripes, but Vigilantes has someone even more interesting: Captain Celebrity.

And he’s…something.

Say Hello to Captain Celebrity

One day while Koichi and Pop☆Step are trying to stop a speeding biker, Koichi almost gets by Truck-Kun. Instead of getting isekaied, though, he gets saved by a man in a classic cape and spandex. His savior then proceeds to brag about his greatness, autographs Koichi’s official All Might hoodie, and then tells him to quit while he’s ahead before leaving.

This man is Captain Celebrity, a hero visiting from America and a physical embodiment of some of the country’s more negative aspects.  He’s arrogant, flashy, thinks highly of himself, and is enough of a womanizer to make Sanji from One Piece cringe. And while he is skilled at being a hero, able to take down a Kaiju-sized villain, he waited to do so until he could make himself look good. To make matters worse, his takedown caused unnecessary damage to a building, forcing Koichi to step in and save trapped civilians.

Wait, he’s Voiced by GOKU!?!?

In essence, Captain Celebrity feels like a lighter, softer version of Homelander, if Homelander weren’t a murderous psychopath and just an arrogant blowhard. He rubs Koichi the wrong way several times, and even Knuckleduster comments on how much trouble he causes. And much to Koichi’s dismay, the womanizing hero sets his sights on Makoto, who’s joined his support staff as one of his…cheerleaders.

Forget Homelander; Captain Celebrity feels like a blonde version of MCU Tony Stark before he underwent character development! What’s even crazier, though, is that he’s voiced by Sean Schemmel, AKA Goku. GOKU!!!

Captain Celebrity is very much a problem, to the point that he’s facing several lawsuits from women he dated. And he’s facing another lawsuit from his wife, to boot for cheating on her so often! Hilariously, though, it turns out Makoto only agreed to help CC because his wife wanted someone to keep an eye on him. The look on his face when he realizes this is priceless!

Koichi’s Mom is Coming to Visit? Oh nooooo….

Overall, this episode didn’t really do much to move the overarching plot along, but in this case, it didn’t need to. Captain Celebrity might be an arrogant blowhard, but there is no denying he has a flair for showmanship, and seeing him freak out over his wife is hilarious. It looks like the Captain is going to be here to stay, so we’ll probably see him more often. However, there’s a more immediate problem: Koichi’s mother comes to visit him! And in the short amount of time we have to learn about her, we learn she’s going to be a problem. Especially since Koichi lied to her about having a girlfriend.

Oh no.

I Give “Major” a 4.5/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 7 Review

When you’re a hero with a secret identity, its important to make sure only the people you trust know about it. Unfortunately, there’s always going to be that one reporter determined to bust the hero and expose their real identity. And worse, Koichi has found that person in the form of an intrepid college student who is determined to learn the truth about the Naruhata Vigilantes.

Uh-oh.

Koichi Meets a Pretty Girl…

Thanks to his double life (and part-time job), Koichi hasn’t had much time to devote to his college studies. And with a test in his hero sociology course coming up, he’s woefully underprepared. That’s when a seeming guardian angel comes in out of nowhere and offers to help him prepare. Enter Makoto, a fellow student whose college thesis is on the history of vigilantism. And with Naruhata being home for the titular vigilantes, Makoto thinks learning about them is the perfect subject for her research. Thus, she makes a deal to help Koichi study in exchange for protection as she gathers data on them.

Despite knowing how this could end up exposing them if things go wrong, Koichi finds himself unable to say no. Partly because she’s that persuasive, and…because she’s pretty. This second part doesn’t sit well with Pop, who’s hiding and watching the entire thing.

Is Hero and Villain Arbitrary?

As concerning as her goal is, Makoto does serve as an excellent means for shedding more background on the birth of the hero society. As expected, it came into being in America when one of the states passed a law to formally establish the first pro heroes. The problem is that out of the hundreds of vigilantes present, the number that got approval to be pro heroes numbered in the single digits. Worse, anyone who kept up their hero work without permission got automatically labeled villains.

This little bit of exposition helps to explain much of why so few people deserving of being called heroes get the role. The rules that were set in place can seem rather arbitrary and don’t always make sense. Especially since part of it has to do with the fact that it seems based on popularity alone. Granted, part of being a hero includes putting the public at ease, so popularity was always going to be a thing. However, it can also be disheartening to know that, despite you trying to do good, the public may not trust you.

The Pretty Girl is a Lie Detector

As Makoto and Koichi go around Naruhata, Koichi is forced to hear first-hand what the public thinks of him and his comrades. Most people think he’s either nice but creepy and can’t get his name right. Still, its better than Pop☆Step; most of the comments are about her butt. And everyone is scared of Knuckleduster for obvious reasons.

In the end, Pop☆Step’s fears prove well-founded. Not only is Makoto the younger sister of a police officer, her Quirk turns her into a living lie detector. She already guessed that Koichi was the Crawler! It was only thanks to people getting his name wrong that Koichi is able to dodge a bullet!

So, a crisis has been averted for now. Good for Koichi, but he’s going to have to be more careful from now on. Otherwise, bad things will happen.

I Give “Makoto/Truth” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 4 Review

In most comics, superheroes are considered vigilantes. They may help fight the bad guys and clean up crime, but they’re also taking the law into their own hands, which is itself a crime. When it comes to the big names like Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man, the police usually let them do as they wish. Mostly because they’re skilled enough to get the job done better, but also because they know fighting them would be pointless. But what happens in a world where heroes are legal, vigilantes aren’t, and they team up?

How Knuckleduster Got his Groove Back

Ever since the incident with the bees, Knuckleduster has been acting different, and Koichi and Pop have both noticed it. It’s as though he has lost his drive to do vigilante work. As the powerhouse and tank of their team, him losing his drive could be disastrous.

Things ultimately come to a head when the trio battles another Instant Villain who’s stronger than any of them. Yet Knuckleduster, in true Batman fashion, decides to fight the villain head-on. Despite every punch being enough to kill him, Knuckleduster isn’t fazed by it: he’s enjoying the thrill!!

As inspired by Batman as Knuckleduster is, there’s a big difference between the two, and it doesn’t have to do with their skills and resources; it’s their attitude. Batman takes everything seriously and never lets his guard down, or rarely shows any signs he’s enjoying the fight. Knuckleduster, meanwhile, not only enjoys the fight, but is the kind of adrenaline junkie who loves getting close to death. That kind of attitude could end up backfiring on him down the road!

Koichi almost got his big break!

Meanwhile, the show now confirms who Queen Bee is working for and the source of Trigger. It should come as no surprise that it’s none other than the ultimate big bad of the franchise, All for One. Keep in mind, this takes place five years before the events of the main series, so it’s likely before or around the time All for One and All Might’s big fight. Anything that All for One has to do with, though, is bad news. Queen Bee is going to be a problem.

In the second half of the episode, Koichi gets what might be his big break. While out jogging one morning, he winds up befriending Tensei Ida, AKA Tenya Ida’s older brother, AKA the speed hero Ingenium! He’s impressed by Koichi’s Quirk, enough to try and recruit him for his agency after he graduates! It could be Koichi’s chance to finally become a pro hero!

Alas, fate can be cruel sometimes. That same night, as Ingenium and his team are hunting down a bat villain that takes them through Naruhata, the Naruhata Vilgilantes end up intervening. They manage to help catch the speed demon, but it costs Koichi his big chance to be a pro hero. Needless to say, he’s sad about it. Thankfully, Ingenium is actually fine with what Koichi does. According to him, he’s already where he’s needed most.

So, in the end, heroes and vigilantes can work together, no matter what universe it might be. It depends on the mind of hero, but given how most of the heroes in MHA are fairly chill, it works out for them. So far, this show is doing well for me.

I Give “Top Runner” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 3 Review

It’s well-known by now amongst My Hero Academia fans that Horikoshi got much of his inspiration for Deku from Spider-Man. Both have a strong sense of justice, are adorkable, and get out through the wringer a lot. The one thing that separates Deku from Spider-Man, though, is that the former doesn’t need to live a double life as a hero. That must be why Koichi, the main hero of Vigilantes, takes after that aspect of Spider-Man. Because he’s doing hero work outside the law, that leads to some…stress.

Like a pair of freeloaders mooching off his house and home without his consent.

Poor Koichi

The episode opens up with a glimpse at Koichi’s life as a university student as the teacher is, ironically, discussing the origins of pro-heroes in vigilantism. In most comics, superheroes do operate outside the law. The only reason most don’t face charges is because they’re so capable that it would be a bad idea. More importantly, the episode shows how Koichi is miserable in his normal life. He has no college friends and works at a part-time job he doesn’t like. Is it any wonder he’s compelled to be a Good Samaritan in his off-time?

Unfortunately, his home life is no better, as Knuckleduster and Pop☆Step have turned it into their personal hangout with no regard for what he wants. Knuckleduster eats his food like a parasite, and Pop☆Step turns it into her dressing room. Much to his dismay, this is something that doesn’t look to be stopping anytime soon.

Then again, it’s not like Pop☆Step has it any easier. Besides the episode revealing how much effort she has to put into her look, her latest show gets crashed by an overzealous fan turned Instant Villain. And this one is a giant eel. The resulting experience is nothing short of cringe for Pop☆Step.

Thankfully, Koichi and Knuckleduster are able to save her before it gets out of hand. More importantly, after the eel guy (Teruro) calms down, the two delinquent fans (Ichimo and Namimaru) from the last episode get to know him and realize he was tricked into using Trigger. So, the three of them agree to meet Koichi and Pop☆Step.

Evil Death Bee

Before they do, though, they run into someone who ends up being more important than they realize: Kuin Hachisuka, AKA Queen Bee.

Thankfully, the pro heroes are able to stop things before the vigilantes have to get involved, which leads to a nice cavalcade of cameos from the main series.

The episode ends on a relatively high note, but Knuckleduster seems troubled by the appearance of the bees. It’s likely that he knows something that he’s not telling the others, but that will have to wait another day. This episode wasn’t that big on the action, but it made up for it by building up its characters, so it was a good one to watch. Good thing I’ve got plenty more to watch.

I Give “Bee” a 3.5/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.