Jun 2, 2022
Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia Illegals is everything I ask of a good shonen and superhero story. In this review, I will not only defend why this is the case, but also explain why, in many aspects, it feels like a more accomplished and focused narrative.
It’s hard to put into words how moving and inspiring this manga is, but I’m going to do my best to convince you to give it a try.
Starting with the characters, the story does not try to focus on too many at once. Instead, it commits to deeply exploring its three protagonists and their interactions with the inhabitants of the
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Naruhata neighborhood. This simple premise highlights one of the key strengths of VIGS: its reduced, everyday-scale approach makes the story feel more intimate, relatable, and human, allowing us to truly understand its characters.
There’s the magic of Koichi, a character you’ve probably heard everyone praise. He’s an everyman: someone who could never take the hero exam (for saving someone’s life) and who, realistically, wouldn’t have passed anyway due to his seemingly useless quirk. When Koichi gets hurt or finds himself in danger, it hurts us. When he grows as a person and improves his quirk, we feel happy. When someone finally recognizes his worth, we feel proud. He has the heart of a hero, but because of the society he lives in, he cannot officially become one. In many ways, he strongly echoes the spirit of characters like Spider-Man.
On the other hand, we have the beloved Knuckleduster, the mentor figure: a complex, unorthodox character who drives the plot and is far from what he seems at first glance. Saying more about the beauty of these characters would only ruin the experience, so it’s better to leave it at that. They are truly the heart of the series.
One of the most noticeable weaknesses of the main continuity, at least for me, has always been its world-building. How does society actually work? What rules govern it? Why are extremely unstable individuals not only accepted as heroes, but also repeatedly excused for behavior that clearly endangers others? Why does a society with superpowers function almost exactly like ours? Much of this is presented in an inorganic way, and we’re often deprived of seeing everyday life, resulting in a simplistic and one-directional depiction.
VIGS, on the other hand, doesn’t just expand the lore, it improves it. Customs, laws, and social norms are introduced naturally and diegetically thanks to the more grounded setting. We see the history, consequences, and structural problems that arise from a society built around heroes. This has real narrative weight and becomes one of the central pillars of the manga: the so-called “sociology of the hero.”
The series goes even further by brilliantly exploring characters like Aizawa, while also giving meaningful screen time to figures who previously lacked narrative weight, such as Midnight (at least at the time of publication).
Another aspect where this story shines is its treatment of the superhero genre itself. Rather than relying on superficial aesthetics or familiar structures, it embraces a more urban tone that fits perfectly, drawing heavily from classic superhero comics and fully committing to the idea of a superhero manga. This influence is even visible in the cover art.
Although this series will always be a 10 in my heart, my objective side won’t let me rate it higher than an 8/10, which is still an excellent score. This is due to some inconsistencies, a few overly simple sections, and several asspulls during the final arc (some justified, others not). Additionally, All Might, despite being a character I like a lot, often disrupts tension more than he should.
There’s still a lot more to mention, such as the excellent villain and the artwork, but going any further would be redundant. I don’t want to spoil the extremely satisfying experience that is reading this short manga.
Highly recommended, and a must-read for shonen fans!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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