My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Anime Drops New Trailer—A Grittier Look at Hero Society
Koichi Takes Flight in the First Full Trailer for My Hero Academia: Vigilantes
The world of My Hero Academia is about to get darker and more grounded. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, the highly anticipated anime adaptation of the hit prequel manga, has just unveiled its official main trailer, setting the stage for a grittier, street-level take on hero society. Unlike the flashy, school-based battles of U.A., Vigilantes explores the underground world of unlicensed crimefighters—those who protect the innocent without the approval of the Hero Commission.
With an April 7, 2025 premiere date, streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll, this spinoff promises to be a refreshing departure from Deku’s story, diving into the darker corners of a world obsessed with heroes and Quirks.
Key Details: What We Know So Far
Title: My Hero Academia: Vigilantes
Premiere Date: April 7, 2025
Episodes: TBA
Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll
Studio: BONES (My Hero Academia, Mob Psycho 100)
Director: Kenji Nagasaki (MHA Season 1–3, Gundam: The Witch from Mercury)
Script: Yousuke Kuroda (MHA, Trigun, Hellsing Ultimate)
Character Designer: Yoshihiko Umakoshi (MHA, Casshern Sins)
Voice Cast:
Koichi Haimawari / The Crawler: Kensho Ono (Giorno Giovanna – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind)
Kazuho Haneyama / Pop Step: Yuki Aoi (Madoka Kaname – Madoka Magica)
Knuckleduster: Akio Otsuka (All for One – My Hero Academia, Batou – Ghost in the Shell)
The first full trailer, now live on Crunchyroll’s official YouTube channel, highlights Koichi’s early struggles as an underground vigilante, Pop Step’s unpredictable nature, and Knuckleduster’s brutal, no-nonsense approach to justice. The action sequences tease fluid, high-energy animation, while the color palette leans into a more noir-inspired aesthetic, setting Vigilantes apart from the main series.
Why Vigilantes Matters: A Look at Hero Society’s Shadows
Set several years before Izuku Midoriya inherits One For All, Vigilantes follows Koichi Haimawari, an unassuming college student with a low-tier Quirk called Slide & Glide. While not powerful enough to become a pro hero, Koichi teams up with the relentless, quirkless brawler Knuckleduster and the rebellious Pop Step to take down criminals operating beneath the Hero Commission’s radar.
Unlike MHA, which showcases the glamorous, highly regulated world of professional heroes, Vigilantes explores:
The corruption and flaws within the Hero Commission
The struggles of people with "weak" Quirks
The ethical gray areas of hero work
The rise of underground crime syndicates
With a more mature, street-level perspective, Vigilantes feels like MHA meets Daredevil—a hard-hitting, character-driven story that shines a light on the unseen casualties of hero society.
BONES’ Animation—Will It Maintain the Manga’s Grit?
Studio BONES, the same team behind the main MHA anime, is once again in charge, but the animation approach seems noticeably different. Instead of the bright, colorful hero aesthetics, Vigilantes leans into a more muted, shadow-heavy style, which aligns with the manga’s grittier, more realistic tone.
The action sequences in the trailer showcase smooth choreography, especially in Knuckleduster’s brutal hand-to-hand combat, which promises to be a major highlight. With fewer Quirk-based battles and more raw, visceral fights, the series is set to deliver a new kind of tension that MHA fans haven’t seen before.
How Will Vigilantes Connect to My Hero Academia?
While Vigilantes can stand on its own, there are plenty of connections to the main series that longtime MHA fans will recognize:
A younger Eraser Head (Shota Aizawa) plays a key role
The story expands on the origins of All for One’s underground network
Fan-favorite pro heroes like Fat Gum and Ingenium make appearances
Hints of the Nomu experiments appear early in the plot
For manga readers, one of the biggest questions is whether the anime will adapt the entire series (which ran for 126 chapters) or stick to a single cour (12–13 episodes). The pacing will be crucial in determining how much of Koichi’s arc gets animated.
Could This Be the Best MHA Spinoff Yet?
With a compelling lead, a darker tone, and fresh insight into hero society, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes has the potential to be one of the best anime adaptations of the year. If BONES can maintain the quality of the main series while embracing a more mature, grounded atmosphere, Vigilantes could become the perfect companion piece to MHA—and maybe even surpass it in storytelling depth.
Will Vigilantes capture the raw emotion and stakes that made the manga so beloved? Or will it be overshadowed by the main series? Let us know your thoughts!