My Hero Academia Vigilantes: Who Were They And What Happened To Them
My Hero Academia is one of the most popular manga and anime series in the world right now, but did you know that there is actually a prequel manga sub-titled Vigilantes? Fans of the original manga may already be up to date with this story, but anime-only fans may have missed out on this interesting introduction to the world of MHA. So, who are the Vigilantes, and where are they now?
There is a manga series acting as prequel to the popular My Hero Academia – My Hero Academia: Vigilantes.
One of the most interesting things about My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is that it shows how the Pro Hero system was established. When Quirks first began to show up in society, there were no systems in place, and anyone working to take on bad guys would have been doing so outside of government or law enforcement, leading these people to be dubbed vigilantes.
Eventually, the Pro Hero system and Hero licenses would make vigilantism illegal, and very few vigilantes are still active in the world of MHA.
One of the most interesting things about My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is that it shows how the Pro Hero system was established.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes primarily follows the vigilantism and actions of the characters Koichi Haimawari aka the Crawler, Iwao Oguro aka Knuckleduster, and Kazuho Haneyama aka Pop Step.
The team was initially formed by Knuckleduster to stop the trafficking of the drug Trigger in the Naruhata region. Knuckleduster is the original lead of the group and specifically has a vendetta against the Villain Factory, who took his Quirk and turned his daughter into a villain.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Vol. 15
Knuckleduster is Quirkless in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, yet he uses his knowledge and fighting prowess, along with any means necessary, to beat up villains and take them down. You can think of him as sort of a Batman figure, which is befitting the darker tone of this manga compared to the flagship series. He uses this experience to train the Crawler and Pop Step to become more proficient vigilantes and improve their skills.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes takes place not long before the original series, and vigilantism is fully outlawed when these three are operating.
Meanwhile, Koichi Haimawari and Kazuho Haneyama’s Quirks aren’t all that powerful either, though Haimawari’s power specifically would become vastly more versatile through his training in the manga. Haimawari’s Quirk is Slide and Glide, which allows him to project an attractive or repulsive force through his feet and hands, allowing him to move and maneuver quickly. Haneyama’s Quirk is Leap which, as implies, allows her to Leap extremely high.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes takes place not long before the original series, and vigilantism is fully outlawed when these three are operating. However, each has their own distinct reasons for being vigilantes, such as Knuckleduster losing his Quirk and wanting to seek revenge for his family. Haimawari’s reason is missing his entrance exams for Hero School due to being too busy saving someone.
The Fates Of The Vigilantes
While the trio did good work during their time as Vigilantes, their group eventually disbanded, and each member went on their own path.
Haimawari finally achieved his dream of being a hero by becoming a Sidekick to a Pro Hero and renaming himself Skycrawler, while Haneyama decided to live her own life happily and make amends after she was used as a tool of the villains. Knuckleduster, meanwhile, still operates from the shadows as a vigilante.
