The story and preview stills for Episode 8 of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, which begins airing on May 26, 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 8: “MAJOR”

A top-ranked American pro hero, Captain “Trouble-Maker” Celebrity, arrives in Japan. Koichi is rescued at the last second by Celebrity, but finds the hero’s selfish, glory-hogging combat style and scandal-ridden love life far from heroic. To make things worse, Celebrity starts acting overly friendly with Makoto…

Official Interview with Toshiyuki Morikawa, Voice of Captain Celebrity

— What was your first impression when you encountered the story of Vigilante?
Reading the script gave me a good grasp of the world and setting, but once I saw the completed visuals and responded to the performances of the other cast members during recording, I realized the tone was far more pop than I had imagined. Since I joined partway through the series, keeping up with that vibe was tough. And Captain Celebrity is already a high-energy character to begin with! (laughs) I had to push my performance several notches higher than what I had prepared, so I really had to fire up my adrenaline! (laughs)

— As you said, Captain Celebrity is quite energetic and his flashy appearance is also memorable. What was your first impression of him?
His appearance just screams “The American.” He’s cheerful and lives entirely in the moment with his vibe and energy (laughs). He’s the embodiment of a stereotypical American hero—his fighting style is slick and stylish, which made him a joy to perform. But that’s only his public face. As the story progresses, we get a glimpse into his background and see a more human side. That duality makes him a very rewarding character to portray.

— You mentioned raising your energy beyond what you had prepared. What kind of direction did you receive at the recording sessions?
At first, I assumed, “If they cast me in this role, they probably want something like a dubbed Hollywood-style performance.” So I initially aimed for realism. But once I saw the visuals and heard the other actors, I instantly realized, “Nope, that won’t work!” I switched gears immediately. Apparently, that performance fit the role perfectly, because I didn’t receive any specific direction after that.

— What would you say is Captain Celebrity’s biggest charm?
His humanity. His desire to be admired, his messy love life—he’s a prime example of how people ultimately live for themselves (laughs). That flawed, self-centered nature is part of his charm. That’s all I can say for now, but like I mentioned earlier, his backstory is revealed as the story unfolds. That’s where his true appeal lies, so keep an eye on Captain Celebrity as things progress.

— You said playing him was fun—was there anything particularly challenging?
The English lines! The script is printed vertically, which makes reading English a nightmare. Timing the lines correctly was also tough. I sincerely hope there won’t be any more English lines! (laughs)

— What should viewers look out for in Episode 8?
Finally, Captain Celebrity makes his grand entrance from America! He’ll go above and beyond expectations—not just as a “hero,” but in other ways too… (laughs) You might be into a different character right now, but after watching Episode 8, I bet you’ll be hooked on Captain Celebrity. Please look forward to his performance. We’re also recruiting cheerleaders!

🔗 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