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...