Kohichi Begins His Vigilante Journey in My Hero Academia

The story kicks off in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes with chaos erupting in the streets as a man suddenly loses control and begins to devour a motorbike, terrifying the nearby citizens. Just when panic peaks, the legendary number one hero All Might swoops in and knocks the man out with a single punch, earning cheers from the crowd. Watching from the sidelines is a young university student named Kohichi, completely in awe of All Might’s power and presence.

In this world, 80% of the population is born with superhuman abilities called quirks, but this led to global disorder until professional heroes were formally established to maintain peace. However, not everyone can—or does—play by the rules. Some, like vigilantes, operate without government sanction.

Realizing he’s late for class, Kohichi dashes off using his modest Slide and Glide quirk, which allows him to move swiftly along the ground using three points of contact. Though useful, it’s not particularly flashy—he can’t go faster than a bicycle, and people often find his ground-skimming style strange.

Later, he encounters a street performer named Pop Step. Her act isn’t especially memorable, but Kohichi notices her beaming smile and assumes she must have a jumping quirk to move so energetically. As he slides away again, he muses about how unfair life is, only to crash into a puddle and wipe out completely.

Working at a convenience store later that day, Kohichi runs into the same bullies from earlier, who mock him mercilessly and beat him up. Frustrated by the lack of police intervention, he begins his Kohichi vigilante journey, deciding to take justice into his own hands.

As he patrols the city, he helps people with small tasks—returning dropped phones, picking up trash—and earns the nickname “Nice Guy.” During one such act, he meets Pop again, who teases him and calls him the “cockroach guy” for scurrying around in a hoodie that resembles All Might. She nearly slaps him for mocking her idol persona, but ends up hitting the thugs instead, leading to a dangerous confrontation.

When the thugs try to attack them, Kohichi attempts to protect Pop, but he’s overwhelmed. Just then, a mysterious man crashes in and single-handedly takes down the bullies. He introduces himself as Knuckle Duster—a crime-fighting vigilante with no quirk, only raw strength and experience. He offers to train Kohichi, believing the young man wants to be a hero like All Might.

Kohichi denies this, insisting he’s not hero material, but Knuckle Duster sees through his facade. As they walk home, Knuckle Duster raids Kohichi’s fridge and drinks his beer, acting like an uninvited house guest. Meanwhile, the thugs seek revenge and take a drug called Trigger from a mysterious figure, which enhances their quirks while making them mentally unstable.

Knuckle Duster explains that he’s on a mission to stop the distribution of Trigger, which causes villains to appear unpredictably. He recruits Kohichi to help identify users by checking for the drug’s telltale symptom—blackened tongues. Kohichi reluctantly agrees, trying to temper Knuckle Duster’s violent approach with more thoughtful methods, like gathering online intel with Pop’s help.

Their activities attract the attention of Eraser Head, a pro hero. Mistaking them for criminals, he fights Knuckle Duster but eventually realizes the older man has no quirk. Meanwhile, one of the drug-enhanced thugs transforms into a monster and captures Pop. Kohichi saves her by using his quirk in a clever way, showing his desire to protect others despite his limitations.

Eraser Head defeats the monster and acknowledges that while vigilantes like Knuckle Duster act unlawfully, they can sometimes do things heroes can’t. Still, he warns them that attacking people without proof is illegal. Knuckle Duster doesn’t care—he believes in taking action.

Pop thanks Kohichi for saving her, even though she finds his self-deprecating attitude irritating. Knuckle Duster compliments Kohichi for imitating his reckless move and falling into a pile of garbage, but reminds him there’s still much to learn. Kohichi denies being his apprentice, but Knuckle Duster knows better—the young man called him “master” by accident, revealing his true feelings.

Soon after, Pop spots some middle schoolers misusing their quirks and calls Kohichi. Now donning protective gear gifted by Knuckle Duster, Kohichi speeds to the scene and introduces himself as “The Crawler”—his new vigilante name. The kids still mock him and use their quirks on him until Knuckle Duster intervenes, threatening to beat them up. Kohichi stops him, insisting violence isn’t always the answer.

Through all the chaos and missteps, one thing is clear: Kohichi’s vigilante journey has truly begun.