The story and preview stills for Episode 7 of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, which begins airing on May 19, have been released.

My Hero Academia Vigilantes Introduction

They couldn't become heroes... but they still want to save people!
A grounded coming-of-age story about Illegals—unlicensed heroes trying to make a difference!

Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia, serialized for over ten years in Weekly Shonen Jump, has become a global phenomenon.
Now, the official spinoff series My Hero Academia: Vigilantes – ILLEGALS is finally getting an anime adaptation!

Originally serialized on Shonen Jump+, with a story by Hideyuki Furuhashi and art by Betten Court, Vigilantes takes place a few years before the events of My Hero Academia.

In this world, around 80% of the global population possesses supernatural powers known as “Quirks.”
In such a chaotic superhuman society, a select few are licensed as professional heroes who protect civilians from accidents, disasters, and villains who exploit their powers.
But not everyone chosen to be a hero can ignore someone in need.
This is the story of the unlicensed heroes—Vigilantes—who act outside the law to protect the people in front of them.

Episode 7: “Makoto”

Koichi finds himself in serious trouble at university as his vigilante activities have put his credits at risk! Just when things seem hopeless, a lifeline appears in the form of a brilliant senior named Makoto. In exchange for her help, Koichi agrees to act as a bodyguard for her research… but the topic turns out to be none other than “The Vigilante of Naruhata”! Can Koichi protect her and keep his identity as The Crawler a secret?

Official Interview: Ikumi Hasegawa (Pop) & Asami Seto (Makoto Tsukauchi)

Q: What was your first impression of Vigilante, Seto-san?
Asami Seto (Makoto):
Since it’s set in the My Hero Academia universe, I imagined it would be a typical story about a protagonist’s growth into a hero. But as I read it, I was surprised by how gritty and grounded Koichi’s actions were. Even though he's saving people, there’s a dark tone running through the story—that was my first impression.

Q: Hasegawa-san, how did you feel about the character Makoto that Seto-san portrayed?
Ikumi Hasegawa (Pop):
Makoto is, so to speak, “Pop’s unexpected rival in love.” Depending on the viewer’s perspective, they might think, “What’s with this girl!?” But Seto-san portrayed her with such finesse—there’s not even a trace of unpleasantness. She’s of course attractive as a woman, but her competence and personality stand out more, giving the strong impression of a reliable big sister rather than just a romantic rival.

Q: Seto-san, what is your impression of Pop?
Seto:
Just one word: adorable! (laughs) She shines as an idol, yet in her daily life she’s modest and shy. The way she acts cold toward Koichi is also incredibly cute!

Q: How do you view the relationship between Koichi and Pop?
Seto:
Their relationship is simply heartwarming. It seems like both of them think they’re the more mature one in the duo. (laughs) Technically Koichi is older, but Pop often takes the lead when she senses his unreliability, actively gathering intel and stepping up. The fact that they both think they’re “taking care of the other” might be why they balance each other so well. But maybe that’s also why their romance hasn’t progressed…

Hasegawa:
Pop clearly has feelings for Koichi, but he doesn’t even have a romantic radar. And Pop isn’t the most honest with her feelings either, but Koichi is just too dense! (laughs) After everything they’ve been through together, you’d think something would spark.

Seto:
It’s just a nonstop suspension bridge effect, isn’t it? (laughs)

Hasegawa:
Exactly! It’s frustrating, but honestly, I kind of want to keep watching their relationship stay just like this. (laughs)

Q: What about Koichi and Makoto’s relationship?
Hasegawa:
Koichi suddenly starts acting all flustered around Makoto, and I was like, “Oh! So he can feel romantic attraction!” (laughs)

Seto:
Right? But that’s probably just how teenage boys react to a beautiful older woman. (laughs) Makoto likely sensed Koichi’s kindness and figured, “He won’t refuse if I ask for help,” which is why she approached him. Whether there’s romance brewing remains to be seen, but I hope people look forward to seeing how their relationship develops.

Q: In Episode 7, Pop expresses her emotions for the first time—what are your thoughts on that?
Hasegawa:
Despite feeling jealous over Makoto, Pop doesn’t interrupt their conversation—that restraint is very “her.” The way she happily reads out harsh comments from the “Voices of the City” segment as a form of passive-aggressive payback is both amusing and endearing. Pop, who’s usually reserved about her feelings, showing jealousy so openly was a refreshing change.

Q: Seto-san, you read Vigilante before My Hero Academia, right? Are there any characters you’re curious about?
Seto:
Yes! So I haven’t finished HeroAca yet, which makes every character interesting to me. Even in the recording booth, the cast already feels like a tight-knit group, even though this is a new anime. Since Vigilante is set in the past, the cast was directed to act with less polish and more rawness—“more reckless,” “less emotional control,” etc. That made me curious about Aizawa-san.

Hasegawa:
Totally! For HeroAca fans, Aizawa-sensei’s past in Vigilante is a big deal.

Seto:
Now that I’ve seen his backstory, I’m excited to watch him in HeroAca! I ended up enjoying things in reverse order—sorry! (laughs)

Q: What are the highlights of Episode 7?
Seto:
Makoto talks a lot. (laughs)

Hasegawa:
She really does! And it’s mostly expository dialogue. If I were in her place, my voice would’ve been shaking. (laughs)

Seto:
I didn’t sleep much the night before recording! (laughs) There’s a long scene where she explains the hero society—please pay attention to that!

Hasegawa:
Exposition lines are tough—you need to understand the content and deliver long, technical dialogue fluently. Pulling that off on your first major appearance? Truly impressive, Seto-san!

🔗 Full interview available at the official site: http://vigilante-anime.com/

Cast

Koichi Haimawari / The Crawler: Shūichirō Umeda
Kazuho Haneyama / Pop☆Step: Ikumi Hasegawa
Iwao Oguro / Knuckleduster: Yasuhiro Mamiya
Shota Aizawa / Eraser Head: Junichi Suwabe
Tenya Ida / Ingenium: Kaito Ishikawa
Soga Kugisaki: Kōsuke Toriumi
Kuin Hachisuka: Saika Senbongi

Staff

Original Work: My Hero Academia: Vigilantes by Hideyuki Furuhashi, Betten Court, and Kōhei Horikoshi (Shueisha Jump Comics)
Director: Kenichi Suzuki
Series Composition & Script: Yōsuke Kuroda
Character Design: Takahiko Yoshida
Art Director: Yukihiro Watanabe
Color Design: Haruko Nobori
Director of Photography: Yingying Zhang
3DCG Director: Mizuki Sasaki
Editor: Kiyoshi Hirose
Music: Yuki Hayashi, Shogo Yamashiro, Yūki Furuhashi
Sound Director: Masafumi Mima
Animation Production: BONES FILM
Opening Theme: "Kekka Orai" by Kocchi no Kento
Ending Theme: "Speed" by yutori

My Hero Academia Vigilantes Story

Koichi Haimawari is a mediocre college student who once dreamed of becoming a hero—but gave up on that path long ago.

His secret hobby? Dressing up like All Might and roaming the streets, pretending to be a hero while helping those in need.
Koichi’s ordinary life takes a dramatic turn when he encounters Pop☆Step, a self-proclaimed idol who performs unauthorized guerrilla concerts, and Knuckleduster, a mysterious masked man calling himself a “cleaner of scum.”

Drawn into their world, Koichi finds himself involved in underground hero activities.
Are they criminals disturbing public order? Or vigilantes fighting for justice?
The story of the Illegals—unlicensed heroes—begins now!

Global Streaming Details

Premiered on April 7, 2025, in Japan, with international streaming on Crunchyroll.

United States & Canada: Crunchyroll – Mondays, 8:15 AM (PDT) / 11:15 AM (EDT)
India: Crunchyroll – Mondays, 8:45 PM (IST)
Other Regions: Crunchyroll – Mondays

Check the official website for up-to-date release schedules.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Opening Theme: "Kekka Orai" by Kocchi no Kento

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Trailer

Source : My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Official