My Hero Academia: Vigilantes has unveiled a first look at some of its characters, particularly highlighting Shota Aizawa, future teacher of Class 1-A, and his early career as a hero. The images are the first hint at how large a role Aizawa has to play in the prequel/spinoff.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes' anime adaptation was announced on December 22, 2024, and since then, information on the new series has begun to trickle in. Based on the spinoff manga of the same name, which ran from August 2016 to May 2022, Vigilantes presents the world of My Hero Academia a few years before the start of the series, and features many returning characters, such as Aizawa himself. While the main cast consists primarily of new characters who have no ties to UA, Aizawa represents an important connection to the rest of the franchise, and much of his past will be revealed in the series.
My Hero Academia Vigilantes Highlights Aizawa in New Still
The Image Shows Eraser Head in Action
The new images, shared by @Oricon_anime_ on X (formerly Twitter), show new protagonist Koichi Haimawari, AKA The Crawler, fellow new character Kazuho Haneyama, AKA Pop Step, All Might, and finally Aizawa. Aizawa appears to be in action, using his capture weapon to restrain someone. His design remains much the same as it was in My Hero Academia, although he may be a little less tired-looking than he typically is in that series. Fans may be surprised to learn that Aizawa is only in his mid-20s here, not too much older than the vigilantes he'll be dealing with in the series.
While the images don't reveal too much, it's exciting to get a first look at returning characters from the main series, especially for a character like Aizawa, who has suffered substantial injuries throughout the series. Fans will get to see Aizawa at the height of his abilities once more, which is a fantastic prospect for the character's fanbase.
Aizawa Fans Will Get Their Fill From Vigilantes
Shota Aizawa Has a Major Role in the Spinoff
Of all the returning characters that appear in Vigilantes' manga, Aizawa plays the biggest role by a large margin. Although not a teacher yet, Aizawa takes responsibility for the young vigilantes, helping to guide them in their journey towards becoming heroes, even if they're technically operating illegally. Significant aspects of Aizawa's past are also revealed in the series, including the story of his connection to Kurogiri, which was disappointingly glossed over in the main series.
In many ways, Vigilantes is as much about Aizawa as it is about Koichi, and shows how he grows to be the teacher that Deku and friends will someday look up to. It's no surprise that first looks at the series would highlight his character alongside the new heroes, and fans can expect to see a lot more of him in the coming months, as My Hero Academia: Vigilantes will debut on April 7, 2025, helping tide fans over during the wait for season 8 of the main series.
- Movie(s)
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission (2021)
- First Film
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
- Cast
- Daiki Yamashita, Kenta Miyake, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Ayane Sakura, Yûki Kaji, Aoi Yuki, Kaito Ishikawa, Toshiki Masuda, Marina Inoue, Yoshimasa Hosoya
- TV Show(s)
- My Hero Academia
- Video Game(s)
- My Hero Academia: Battle for All, My Hero One's Justice, My Hero One's Justice 2
- Character(s)
- Izuku Midoriya, All Might, Katsuki Bakugo, Ochaco Uraraka, Shoto Todoroki, Tsuyu Asui, Tenya Iida, Eijiro Kirishima, Momo Yaoyorozu, Fumikage Tokoyami
My Hero Academia is a multimedia franchise that follows a young boy named Izuku Midoriya, who dreams of becoming a hero despite being born without superpowers. These superpowers, known as "Quirks" are found in most people after birth, but Izuku wasn't so lucky - until a fateful encounter with All Might, Japan's greatest hero, Izuku inherits his Quirk and enrolls in U.A. High School to learn the true meaning of heroism. Alongside his classmates, each endowed with unique abilities, Izuku faces rigorous training and lethal threats from villainous forces.
