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WhileMy Hero Academiawon’t return for season 8 until the fall, fans will still have plenty to be excited about withMy Hero Academia: Vigilantes.Vigilantesis a prequel to the main story and follows a trio of new characters who act as vigilantes instead of legitimate heroes, all of them saving the day in their own way while occasionally interacting with characters from the original series, as well.
My Hero Academia: Vigilanteswill be a great addition to theMy Hero Academiafranchise, and the latest trailer perfectly shows why.A new trailer forMy Hero Academia: Vigilanteshas recently been released, and in addition to showing off the great artwork and animation that’s on par with the main series,My Hero Academia: Vigilantes’ new trailer does a perfect job of showing off the closest thing the series has to Batman. Said character is also one of the best characters in the manga, and he’s bound to be just as big a hit in the anime, as well.
Knuckleduster, My Hero Academia’s Batman, Explained
Everything To Know About My Hero Academia’s New Hero
The main characters ofMy Hero Academia: Vigilantesare a trio of vigilantes known as the Naruhata Vigilantes who deal with the problems the heroes and police can’t handle, and their leader is the vigilante Knuckleduster. Similar to All Might’s meeting with Izuku, Knuckleduster takes Koichi under his wing after witnessing an act of heroism from him, but while All Might gives Izuku the powerful Quirk One For All, all Knuckleduster can give Koichi is training and advice asKnuckleduster fights as a vigilante while being Quirkless.
While Knuckleduster may be Quirkless, he’s no less capable than regular heroes thanks to a combination of raw fighting ability, an assortment of gadgets, and a willingness to work in the shadows and get rough with people to get what he wants when most heroes try to play things by the book. Add in his surprising level of intelligence and resources, andKnuckleduster’s rough personality and fighting style, combined with being Quirkless, make him the closest thingMy Hero Academiahas to Batman, albeit one that leans closer to the grittier versions of Batman from the 80s and 90s.
Knuckleduster’s Batman Is The Perfect Foil To All Might’s Superman
The similarities between Knuckleduster and Batmanbecome even better when taking All Might into account. With All Might being the world’s strongest hero and the person people always look to for help, even being referred to in-universe as the Symbol of Peace, he’s the closest thingMy Hero Academiahas to Superman, something that’s been brought up by fans and critics alike for years. That’s important because one of the most iconic parts of DCis the dichotomy between Batman and Superman, soKnuckleduster being analogous to Batman works even better thanks to All Might being analogous to Superman.
All of that can also be seen in the wayVigilantesis structured. WhileMy Hero Academiatypically has its heroes acting out in the open and being admired by everyone,Vigilantesis built around characters acting in the shadows and not always doing things that earn them respect, so it makes sense for a Batman-type character to be part of that.My Hero Academia: Vigilantesmaking Knuckleduster a Batman-type figure is vital to selling its story and its contrast to the original series, and that should be just as much of the anime’s charm as it was the manga’s.
Why Knuckleduster Will Be One Of The Best Characters In The Vigilantes Anime
A big part ofVigilantes’ appeal comes from how much it contrasts with the original series to offer a different take on its world, something especially welcome afterMy Hero Academiastarted being criticized for its often repetitive story arcs, soKnuckleduster’s actions will make him popular because he’ll be one of the biggest reasons whyMy Hero Academia: Vigilantesis different fromMy Hero Academia. People burnt out by the original series will naturally be drawn toVigilantes, and that will make Knuckleduster, who’s so at odds with what people are familiar with, a great character to watch.
Even better is how Knuckleduster is a great character beyond his contrast to the original series. The gritty and violent nature of his character is one thing, but not only is Knuckleduster a great mentor figure to Koichi even after they eventually separate, butonceMy Hero Academia: Vigilantesbegins delving into Knuckleduster’s backstory and motivations, he becomes one of the most developed and best-written characters in the entire franchise. Even beyond the obvious Batman comparisons, there’s plenty to love about Knuckleduster, and all of that will be on full display whenMy Hero Academia: Vigilantesfinally premieres this spring.
My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia is a multimedia franchise that follows a young boy named Izuku Midoriya, who dreams of becoming a hero despite being born without superpowers. These superpowers, known as “Quirks” are found in most people after birth, but Izuku wasn’t so lucky - until a fateful encounter with All Might, Japan’s greatest hero, Izuku inherits his Quirk and enrolls in U.A. High School to learn the true meaning of heroism. Alongside his classmates, each endowed with unique abilities, Izuku faces rigorous training and lethal threats from villainous forces.
