My Hero Academia’s Replacement Achieves Something the Original Never Did

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Currently airing its second season, Vigilantes, a spin-off of My Hero Academia, is showcasing what many consider the franchise’s greatest hero – a character the original series surprisingly overlooked. While expected to be a simple prequel, Vigilantes has delivered a more realistic and down-to-earth story by exploring themes rarely touched upon in the main series. In fact, it’s fulfilling an early promise of the original: the story of a powerless hero striving in a world of superpowers. Koichi’s journey as a vigilante is what many fans initially envisioned for Deku before he gained his powerful ability.

Now that the main series has finished, Vigilantes has stepped in to take its place, and it’s actually a step forward. While it’s at its best as a crime thriller, the series also deepens our understanding of familiar characters, making their stories more impactful. The latest episode brought back the franchise’s most popular hero, All Might, and showed him in a surprisingly realistic and compelling new light – something the original series never explored.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Sheds New Light on Its Greatest Hero in Ways the Original Never Did

In the third episode of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Season 2, titled “Public and Private,” All Might demonstrates his iconic role as a symbol of hope and a rescuer of citizens. The episode then reveals a more personal side to the hero through a conversation with Naomasa Tsukauchi, further developing this contrast. When All Might learns Tsukauchi was hurt, he offers to have intervened, but Tsukauchi explains he deliberately didn’t ask for help. He points out that if it became known All Might favored certain people, it would harm his carefully constructed public image. This emphasizes that All Might’s position as the greatest hero is also a political one, and that his success relies on the support of many individuals working behind the scenes, like Tsukauchi.

Tsukauchi points out that if villains knew All Might favored certain people, they could use that knowledge to set traps for him, increasing the danger he faces. The original My Hero Academia series didn’t often delve into these kinds of realistic details, and their omission now feels like a missed opportunity. Exploring these nuances makes All Might seem more relatable and human, rather than an infallible icon. Moments like these demonstrate how My Hero Academia: Vigilantes successfully adds a layer of realism that the main series sometimes lacked, making it a satisfying read for fans who are craving more of the My Hero Academia world.

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2026-01-22 16:10