My Hero Academia: Vigilanteshad a lot of expectations riding on it as a successor and prequel, but thefirst episode debuted on April 7 for Crunchyrollknocked it out of the park, starting strong with a stylish intro. While an opener is not the make-all be-all for an anime, it does set a strong precedence for the art direction and themes that the anime will carry forward throughout the rest of the season. With an upbeat and hopeful tune accompanying this Western comic book-inspired series,My Hero Academia: Vigilanteskicks off with an exceptional beginning.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantesfollows a young man attending college and working part-time at a few odd jobs to help get him by and pay for his small piece of real estate atop an apartment building. Although he’s come to terms with the idea that he’d never break out as an amazing hero like All Might, he does what he can at night by helping the streets stay clean and people get home safely after a tipsy night. That all changes when he gets involved with an unlicensed hero, attempting to uncover a string of drug-related incidents that turn ordinary people into super-powered villains.
MHA: Vigilantes Has a Gorgeous OP And Its Anime Isn’t Anything To Scoff At Either
The First Episode’s Animation Proves to be Stylistic and Fluid
My Hero Academiawas always meant to show inspiration from Western-styled comic book heroes, butVigilantestakes it to a whole other degree.As represented by the opener, Vigilantes pays creed to many common traits often seen in comics with its wide-spread paneling, vibrant colors, and newspaper homage. This is further represented in the anime’s first episode too, often using dynamic motion lines to capture movement even with an animated cast, using every little chance to highlight sound effects off to the side whether Knuckleduster is falling into a pile of garbage or gulping from a can of beer.
Finally! My Hero Academia’s Creator Just Granted a Big Wish to Welcome Its Prequel Anime
My Hero Academia creator Kohei Horikoshi has finally done what fans have long hoped he would, offering his own drawing of Vigilantes' Koichi.
Vigilantesis taking the opportunity to express its stylein a way that separates it from its origins, telling a tale of a completely different side to the heroes that fans have known to grow and love. Now it’s time to look at the murkier side of hero work, when pros can’t always be around to save the day, so it’s up to volunteers operating a little outside the legal lines.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ending Sets Up Interesting Themes
Soft and Hopeful, Diving Into Character’s Upbringing
There’s a lot to look forward to forMy Hero Academia: Vigilantes,starting first with the characters themselves and why they choose to still impact their community for the better, even if their Quirks are less than suited for it by the law’s standards. The closing song highlights their beginning and where they are now, with the most mysterious being Knuckleduster. Each of them has a flame ignited, showcasing a passion or drive for why they do what they do.
