“My Hero Academia” Spin-off Anime ‘Vigilantes’ Episode 1 Synopsis and Preview Released! Shuichiro Umeda, who plays Koichi, says, "I can't see him as a stranger."

■ Koichi Role - Shuichiro Umeda Official Comment

―― Can you tell us about the aspects of the 'Vigilantes' world that you find appealing?
"In the title 'Vigilantes', it refers to people who aren't professional heroes as highlighted in 'My Hero Academia', but those who have the desire to help others without having any official recognition. While the heroes in 'My Hero Academia' are gloriously portrayed, there are people who lead lives not unlike ours, who hold their own sense of justice and try to protect their city. I found it most appealing that I could realistically enjoy imagining myself living that kind of life if I were in the 'My Hero Academia' world."

―― Please share your impression of Koichi, the character you play.
"My first impression was that Koichi, despite being the protagonist, is quite an unremarkable kid (laughs). That unremarkable side of him resonates with me, as there are many similarities in our personalities, making it hard to see him as a stranger. Watching Koichi's actions and his growth through interactions with others reminds me of my past self. Just like Koichi's feelings towards being a hero, for me, it's towards being an actor. I love anime and have the aspiration to become a voice actor, yet I used to convince myself 'someone like me could never make it' without even trying. Meeting the right person gave me the push to take the first step toward my dream... It brought back a lot of memories."

――Just like "My Hero Academia", this work features a series of heated scenes and memorable lines. In the story of the first episode, which scene made you feel "This is intense!"?
"All of them were intense, so it's hard to choose, but maybe the scene where All Might appears right at the beginning? There was a line by Koichi, who has admired All Might since he was little, saying, 'All Might is amazing in person~!' I also thought 'All Might is so cool~!' when I was aspiring to be an actor and watching "My Hero Academia", so that line was a moment when I and Koichi were in sync. The narration starting from Deku also excites us as "My Hero Academia" fans, doesn't it? And of course, the scene where Koichi meets Knuckle and takes the first step towards becoming a vigilante really warmed my heart."

――(For pre-broadcast release) Please tell us the highlights and points of interest in the first episode.
"Although it is a spin-off of "My Hero Academia", it is a work that can be enjoyed even by those who have not seen "My Hero Academia". Although it is a unique setting where about 80% of the total population has "quirks", it focuses on the daily lives of people who could not become heroes, people who are not interested in being heroes and just want to live peacefully, which is not depicted in "My Hero Academia", and these parts that link to our daily lives are realistically depicted. Please pay attention to such a story."

The full text of the interview is available on the official website.

(C)古橋秀之・別天荒人・堀越耕平／集英社・ヴィジランテ製作委員会