The Koichi Haimawari has a cool Quirk, a determined resolve to do good in the world, and a story fans can root for, but some viewers find themselves comparing him to Deku.
Deku is one of the best shonen protagonists of all-time, and he is one of the main reasons My Hero Academia's popularity has skyrocketed to the level of fame it is currently at. Rather than measuring Koichi and Deku against one another though, it would be more beneficial for My Hero Academia lovers to appreciate each of them separately, while still recognizing the many similarities that connect them.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Proved Koichi is Shockingly Similar to Deku
After Just One Episode of Vigilantes, Deku and Koichi’s Stark Similarities Were Illuminated for the Audience
It makes sense that fans miss Deku, since My Hero Academia's manga ended in August 2024, drawing his story to a close after a decades-long run. Readers became deeply attached to Deku in that time, celebrating his wins and bemoaning his failures along with him for a span of ten years. Understandably, some people are hesitant to give a new character a chance, but Koichi's story is also worth tuning in to. Although they are not carbon copies of one another, the two characters do share a lot of common traits, and even after one episode, it is difficult to miss these resemblances.
When Does My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Take Place? We Finally Have an Idea
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is an official prequel to the My Hero Academia anime, and here's a breakdown of its specific place in the timeline.
Koichi differs from Deku in a number of ways. For example, he’s older, he was born with a Quirk while Deku was not, and he leads a very different life overall. However, the two protagonists are actually more alike than anyone may initially realize. Looking past the differences between the two aspiring young heroes, their most important characteristics are shared. One such likeness between Koichi and Deku that shapes both of their lives is their love for All Might. All Might has impacted both of their lives positively, and thus, acts as a common thread between them, even though they never met one another.
Both Young Men Adore All Might and Are Guided by an Unwavering Moral Code
Koichi and Deku Both ire All Might More Than Anyone and Devote Themselves to Saving Others as a Career
Vigilantes. Koichi and Deku make their iration of All Might clear from the beginning. Both animes feature a scene of the protagonist watching All Might perform a daring rescue, and as they watch in wonder, this cements their resolve to be the next #1 Pro Hero like him. Koichi and Deku may pursue becoming a hero through different avenues, but their interactions with All Might guide them both.
Holy Crap, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Has a Genius Cameo for Deku In Case You Missed It
My Hero Academia Vigilantes may not have a role for Deku to appear in physically, but the main series hero still manages to cameo in Vigilantes.
Even smaller details of their All Might obsessions are shared between Koichi and Deku, such as perhaps the most conspicuous sign of their affection for All Might, the red, white, and blue All Might hoodies that they wear. Koichi and Deku do not make the same choices in life, but although they follow different roads, their end goal is the same: saving others. Deku keeps others out of harm's way through his work in U.A. High's Hero Course, while Koichi guards the streets from danger as a vigilante hero, but at the end of the day, their objective is exactly the same.
The Two Protagonists Still Share Enough Differences to Not be Copies of Each Other
Deku Attended U.A. High To Become a Pro Hero, While Koichi Chose to Work as a Vigilante
Deku and Koichi are two of the most moral characters in the My Hero Academia franchise, and they both strive to always do what is right, even when it is difficult or dangerous. Although they are certainly not identical, it is easy to draw parallels between the two heroes. Thankfully though, Koichi is his own person and different enough from Deku that he feels distinctive. It would be an issue if the two students were indistinguishable, but parts of Koichi's character arc and demeanor are fully unique to him, making Vigilantes a fresh, My Hero Academia.
Meet the Batman of My Hero Academia: Knuckleduster's Anime Debut Proves He's One of the Series' Best Heroes
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes has debuted its equivalent of All Might, the unpowered hero known as Knuckleduster, who ranks among the franchise's best.
Koichi was born with a Quirk, Slide and Glide, so he never struggled with not having a Quirk in the way Deku did. Koichi's challenges are more focused on the weak nature of his Quirk, since he would not be accepted into any Hero Programs with a Quirk that is largely considered unimpressive compared to others' Quirks. To combat this problem, Koichi becomes a vigilante instead and fights villains without being ed as a Pro Hero. Conversely, Deku's entire time in My Hero Academia is devoted to becoming a Pro Hero like All Might, so this is one major way in which they differ.
Koichi and the Vigilantes Anime Will Deepen Fans’ Appreciation of the Original Series
By Expanding Upon Backstories and Building a Foundation, Vigilantes Will Make Watching the Original Even Better
Vigilantes focuses on behind-the-scenes heroes, like Koichi, Pop Step, and Knuckleduster, whereas the original series highlighted primarily Pro Heroes. This simple shift in the premise of the story already makes Vigilantes stand alone, and that is fortunate, because Vigilantes expands upon topics the original series did not cover, including the fact that My Hero Academia's society neglects those with "weaker" Quirks, and the uncomfortable truth that the Pro Heroes are unable to reach every single person who needs their help, so vigilante heroes must step up to fill in the gaps.
My Hero Academia Somehow Set Up Its Prequel Anime Years Ago Without Anyone Noticing
On the surface, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is largely removed from the main series, but its story was secretly being set up for years.
Some viewers might have seen Vigilantes and worried that the anime is trying to replace the My Hero Academia and Deku that they love, but that could not be further from the truth. Vigilantes is a prequel, it will only deepen viewers' connection with the series by building the foundation for the original anime. In the same vein, Koichi and Deku's extensive similarities should be acknowledged, but each character also possesses traits that are not shared between them, so there is something distinctive to appreciate about each of them.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes
- Release Date
- April 7, 2025
- Network
- Tokyo MX, BS Nippon TV
Cast
Shuichiro UmedaKoichi Haimawari / The Crawler (voice)-
Ikumi HasegawaKazuho Haneyama / Pop☆Step (voice)
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