Is ‘My Hero Academia: Vigilantes’ Canon? Explained

The ‘My Hero Academia’ universe has grown into something massive, with its main series capturing hearts worldwide. Alongside it, there’s a spin-off called ‘My Hero Academia: Vigilantes’ that’s been making noise since it first hit the scene in 2016.

Written by Hideyuki Furuhashi and drawn by Betten Court, this manga dives into a different corner of the same world, set five years before Deku’s journey kicks off. With an anime adaptation now airing, produced by Bones Film, it’s got people talking again about how it fits into the bigger picture.

This spin-off follows Koichi Haimawari, a college kid who didn’t make it as a pro hero but still uses his Quirk to help out around town. He teams up with a tough vigilante named Knuckleduster and a street performer, Kazuho Haneyama, to tackle crime outside the law. It’s a grittier take on heroism, showing what happens when people step up without a license.

The manga wrapped up in 2022 after 15 volumes, and now with the anime bringing Koichi’s story to life, I can’t help but wonder how it connects to the main show we all know.

Here’s the big reveal—‘My Hero Academia: Vigilantes’ is canon. That’s right, it’s part of the official storyline, and there’s solid proof to back it up. Kohei Horikoshi, the guy who created ‘My Hero Academia’, didn’t write this one himself, but he’s given it his stamp of approval.

He’s even had a hand in shaping it, suggesting ideas to Furuhashi and Court along the way. Plus, characters and details from ‘Vigilantes’ pop up in the main series, tying the two together in a way that feels real.

Take the Quirk-boosting drug Trigger, for example. It first showed up in ‘Vigilantes’ as a major plot point, then crossed over into the main series during the Shie Hassaikai arc. We also see familiar faces like All Might, Eraserhead, and Ingenium in their earlier days, giving us a peek at their lives before Deku’s time.

And if that’s not enough, Koichi himself makes a cameo in the final chapter of the main manga, showing up as a pro hero helping rebuild Japan after the big war. That little moment seals the deal for me.

The connections don’t stop there. ‘Vigilantes’ digs into the backstory of characters like Stain, showing his days as a vigilante named Stendhal before he became the Hero Killer. It also introduces Oboro Shirakumo, a friend of Eraserhead and Present Mic, whose tragic fate ties into the main series’ Nomu storyline.

These threads weave the two stories into one shared world, making it clear that what happens in ‘Vigilantes’ matters to the bigger narrative.

Now, it’s not all perfect. The main series doesn’t always shout out ‘Vigilantes’ loudly—references can feel sparse outside of those key moments. Some argue it’s more like extra flavor than a must-read, since Deku’s tale stands fine on its own. But for me, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s part of the same universe. Horikoshi has said it’s canon, and the overlap in characters and events backs him up.

The anime’s arrival only makes this clearer. With Bones Film bringing the same energy they gave the ‘My Hero Academia’ movies, it’s a chance to see Koichi’s world in action. It’s airing weekly on Sundays, and I’m betting it’ll pull in more folks who want to see how it all fits together.

So, if you’re wondering whether to dive into ‘Vigilantes’, I say go for it. It’s not just some side story—it’s a real piece of the ‘My Hero Academia’ puzzle. It adds depth to the world, fleshes out heroes we love, and shows a side of heroism that’s messy and raw. Whether you’re reading the manga or watching the anime, you’re getting more of the universe Horikoshi built, and that’s a win in my book.

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