My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is finally stepping back into the spotlight. The My Hero Academia spinoff returns with a brand-new season streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll starting January 5, 2026, bringing fans back to the darker, street-level side of hero society.
Instead of the bright classrooms and official hero rankings of the main series, Vigilantes dives into the shadows: unlicensed crimefighters, gray-area justice, and ordinary people trying to do the right thing in a world ruled by Quirks—but tightly controlled by the law.
What Is My Hero Academia: Vigilantes and Where Does It Fit in the Timeline?
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a direct prequel to the main My Hero Academia anime and manga. The story is set before Izuku Midoriya’s rise and explores an earlier chapter of hero society, when the system is already in place but still revealing its cracks.
Unlike the core series, this show doesn’t follow students groomed to become top-ranked, officially licensed heroes. Instead, it focuses on people who operate outside the system, offering a grounded, sometimes uncomfortable look at what happens when the desire to help others collides with legal restrictions.
A Street-Level Focus on Unsanctioned Heroes
At the center of Vigilantes is Koichi Haimawari, a seemingly average college student who once dreamed of becoming a pro hero but ultimately gave up on that path. In a world where close to 80% of the population has a Quirk, Koichi represents the many people who have abilities but never make it into the elite ranks.
His life takes a sharp turn when he meets Pop☆Step, an energetic street performer with her own sense of justice, and Knuckle Duster, a brutally efficient vigilante who doesn’t care about licenses or regulations. Together, they form an unlikely team that patrols the city’s back alleys, dealing with crimes and threats that don’t always make the news—or that the official heroes can’t (or won’t) touch.
The series leans into the moral tension at the core of its premise: these characters are breaking the law, yet they’re risking their lives to protect people who would otherwise fall through the cracks. Vigilantes asks what it really means to be a “hero” when the system itself might be part of the problem.
Vigilantes Season 2 on Crunchyroll: Release Date and Simulcast Details
The second season of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes premieres on Crunchyroll on January 5, 2026. Episodes will be released weekly in a simulcast schedule, streaming in the United States at the same time as in Japan and France, making it easy for international fans to watch together and avoid spoilers.
If you’re new to the series or need a refresher, every episode of season 1 is still available on Crunchyroll with both English dub and subtitled options (along with other languages), so you can jump in or catch up before the new season begins.
New Season, New Faces, and Higher Stakes
To celebrate the return of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, a fresh promotional visual and a new trailer have been released. They highlight new characters entering the story and hint at rising pressure on unlicensed heroes as authorities start taking the vigilante threat more seriously.
This season continues to emphasize the show’s distinct tone. While it shares the same universe as My Hero Academia, Vigilantes is more grounded and gritty, favoring cramped city streets over massive stadium battles. Fans can expect more intense confrontations, more exploration of hero regulations, and deeper connections to the broader My Hero Academia lore.
Watch the latest trailer here:
Where and How to Watch: Formats, Dubs, and Subtitles on Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is giving My Hero Academia: Vigilantes the same global treatment as its flagship series, with a wide range of audio tracks and subtitles so fans across the world can enjoy the show in their preferred language.
Available Audio Languages
Season 2 continues the multilingual support established with season 1. The anime is offered with the following dubbed audio options:
- Japanese
- French
- English
- German
- Spanish (Latin America and Spain)
- Italian
- Portuguese (Brazil)
Available Subtitle Options
For viewers who prefer watching in Japanese or another original audio track, Crunchyroll provides a wide subtitle selection:
- French
- English
- German
- Spanish
- Italian
- Portuguese
- Indonesian
- Malay
- Vietnamese
- Russian
- Arabic
- Simplified Chinese
- Traditional Chinese
- Thai
This broad accessibility underlines how central Vigilantes has become to the larger My Hero Academia franchise and makes it easier for U.S. fans to watch and discuss the show in sync with international audiences.
Why Vigilantes Matters for My Hero Academia Fans
Beyond being a standalone story about underground heroes, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes functions as a narrative counterpoint to the main anime. It fills in gaps in the worldbuilding, showing how ordinary citizens live with widespread Quirks and strict hero laws, and it gives context to the polished, public-facing hero society we see later with Deku and his classmates.
For longtime fans, Vigilantes offers extra layers of understanding about familiar institutions and themes—how regulations evolved, why hero licensing is so tightly monitored, and how the public perception of heroes can clash with reality. For newcomers, it’s a different, more down-to-earth gateway into the franchise, especially appealing if you like crime dramas, urban stories, and moral ambiguity.
With weekly episodes starting January 5, 2026, Crunchyroll is positioning My Hero Academia: Vigilantes as a must-watch companion series that expands the universe in a rougher, more realistic direction without losing the emotional core that made My Hero Academia a global hit.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes streams exclusively on Crunchyroll starting January 5, 2026.
FAQ
Is My Hero Academia: Vigilantes a direct continuation of My Hero Academia?
No. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a prequel set before the events of the main series. It shares the same universe but focuses on different characters and earlier moments in hero society.
Do I need to watch My Hero Academia before starting Vigilantes?
You can watch Vigilantes on its own, since it introduces its characters and setting clearly. However, if you’re already familiar with My Hero Academia, you’ll catch more references, connections, and worldbuilding details.
When will new episodes of Vigilantes Season 2 be available on Crunchyroll?
Season 2 begins streaming on January 5, 2026, with a new episode released every week as part of Crunchyroll’s simulcast schedule with Japan and other territories, including France.
Where can I stream previous episodes of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes?
All episodes from season 1 of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes are available on Crunchyroll with multiple audio and subtitle options, including English dub and English subtitles, so you can catch up before diving into season 2.
