How does it complement the main series?
One of the recurring messages in My Hero Academia is that civilians need heroes. Despite having Quirks, they’re often unable or unwilling to defend themselves, partly due to strict laws prohibiting them from using their powers. This mindset becomes a point of contention in the story’s universe, especially among the villains.
There’s a memorable scene — which I vaguely remember — that illustrates this well: when the main villain, Tomura Shigaraki, threatens to carry out a massacre in a shopping mall and claims that, even if the people there had the ability to stop him, no one would dare do anything until a hero arrived. People had simply grown used to relying on heroes.
Later on, the story starts to build the idea that people should be more self-reliant and depend less on heroes. But this shift is quite abrupt — a sudden change in the status quo. This is where I believe Vigilantes works as a true complement to the main narrative of My Hero Academia.
The story centers on people with less powerful Quirks who still try to protect others and themselves — not as professional heroes, but as individuals who take responsibility for their community. It’s as if this series is showing that the societal shift in My Hero Academia was already happening in the background.
Ignoring this expanded universe aspect, as a standalone work, Vigilantes is average — it doesn’t particularly stand out in a good or bad way. The characters are likable and serve their purpose, but they’re not especially memorable. The plot is also functional and follows a familiar formula. The production is similarly average: it doesn’t reach the best seasons of My Hero Academia, but it’s far from the worst.
For those who have followed or are currently following My Hero Academia, this anime adds to the overall experience. For those who didn’t care for the original series, it’s a generic but competent battle shounen.
