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Though My Hero Academia‘s manga has concluded and the final season of the anime is yet to be released, the series isn’t entirely off the radar. The spin-off series, My Hero Academia: Vigilantesis currently airing. As a prequel, it carries a distinct yet familiar tone to the original. While it retains the foundational elements of heroes and villains, it focuses on individuals operating outside official supervision, true to its title. The story centers around an unusual trio: a college student, a high school girl who shines as a freelance idol, and an older man with a devastatingly powerful punch.
This premise offers a fresh take on the My Hero Academia universe. Considering the original series ran for over 400 chapters, the absence of such unsupervised figures feels like a notable oversight. After all, in a world where people have powers, it’s inevitable that some would act independently or for personal gain. The latter idea is exactly what takes center stage in Episode 8 of My Hero Academia: Vigilanteswhich introduces Captain Celebrity, a self-serving American hero working in Japan. He makes it clear that, despite his powers to make change, he only acts when it benefits his fame, channeling a hint of what made Homelander a chilling “hero.”
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My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Sheds a Distinct and Realistic Light on Heroes That the Main Story Overlooks
One of the notable oversights in the original series is its consistent portrayal of heroes as morally upright, rarely straying from their intended path. While the main story attempts to challenge this notion through Stain and his ideology, it ultimately falls short, as Stain’s villainous presence overshadows the core message, leaving little room to explore the idea that heroes themselves can be corrupt. In contrast, Vigilantes doesn’t shy away from exposing the flaws in its heroes. Captain Celebrity, for instance, is shown entangled in scandals involving women and is depicted as selfish, refusing to help unless his PR team is present to document it.
The fact that C.C. is even in Japan to escape the backlash from his scandals highlights his self-serving nature. Episode 8 further emphasizes his flaws, showing that he ignores crimes happening nearby if he’s on a date. While Captain Celebrity is a character fans are likely to dislike, his portrayal is fitting, as it reflects the reality that not all heroes act out of altruism — some are driven by personal gain. However, it seems that My Hero Academia: Vigilantes will not fully commit to portraying the dark side of the heroes and push them to a level like Homelander, as C.C. is being positioned to join the vigilantes and undergo a redemption arc, softening the critique of heroism.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
