The premiere of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 1 has ignited excitement among fans, revealing an intriguing spinoff prequel to Kohei Horikoshi’s acclaimed series, My Hero Academia.
Set in a time before Deku enrolls at U.A. High School, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes follows a group of would-be heroes striving to gain official recognition as true heroes. Surprisingly, the production studio Bones Film incorporated a familiar voice in an unexpected twist: Deku himself.
Unexpected Voiceover by Deku’s VA in Episode 1
As the inaugural episode of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes kicked off, viewers anticipated hearing the prologue narrated by new protagonist Koichi Haimawari’s voice actor, Shuuichirou Umeda. Instead, they were greeted by the familiar voice of Daiki Yamashita, who portrays Izuku Midoriya.
In line with the original anime’s narrative style, Yamashita elaborated on the origin of Quirks and the societal roles heroes play. During this introduction, he also familiarized fans with the concept of vigilantes, often referred to as the “illegal heroes.”
Given that Daiki Yamashita has been the consistent narrator for the main series, his involvement in this spinoff feels fitting, even as it surprised many viewers.
Audience Reactions to Deku’s Surprise Cameo
The reaction from the fanbase has been largely positive, with many delighted to hear Deku’s voice in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 1. However, some fans expressed initial confusion, mistakenly believing that the prologue was narrated by Koichi Haimawari’s actor, Shuuichirou Umeda.
“That gave me chills,”one viewer expressed.
“Isn’t Koichi’s voice?,”another fan wondered.
“This ep got me SO HOOKED,”a different fan shared.
“Deku from the future, narrating a story from the past. lol,”observed another viewer.
While many viewers were drawn in by the captivating storytelling, some found humor in the notion of Deku—from the future—narrating events set before his journey began, before attending U.A. High School or meeting All Might. This twist added an amusing layer to the April 2023 release, suggesting that My Hero Academia: Vigilantes could very well follow in the successful footsteps of its predecessor.
- Fans embraced the unique narrative approach.
- Expectations for future episodes are high.
In summary, only time will reveal how this new anime adaptation is ultimately received, but the initial buzz indicates a favorable reception among loyal fans of the franchise.