Five Original Cast Members Confirmed to Return for My Hero Academia
Fans of My Hero Academia can look forward to hearing familiar voices in the upcoming spin-off, Vigilantes, set to premiere this April.
The anticipation for My Hero Academia: Vigilantes continues to build, as more exciting details surface ahead of its April 7th, 2025 premiere. As part of the Spring Anime Season, this new series promises to delve deeper into the world of My Hero Academia, offering a mix of familiar faces and fresh characters. But the latest news is sure to excite long-time fans: five original cast members will be returning to reprise their roles in Vigilantes.
Five Original Voice Actors Confirmed for Vigilantes
In an announcement released on Wednesday, the official Vigilantes website, alongside Japanese news outlet Comic Natalie, confirmed that five key voice actors from the original My Hero Academia series will return in the spin-off. These actors include:
Kenta Miyake as All Might/Toshinori Yagi
Junichi Suwabe as Eraser Head/Shota Aizawa
Hiroyuki Yoshino as Present Mic/Hizashi Yamada
Akeno Watanabe as Midnight/Nemuri Kayama
Kaito Ishikawa as Ingenium/Tensei Iida
These beloved characters will be making their appearances in Vigilantes, adding an exciting sense of continuity to the new series. While the main protagonist of Vigilantes, Kouichi Haimawari, is a new character, the return of these iconic voices will surely provide comfort to fans who are eager to see how the familiar heroes fit into the prequel storyline.
Voice Actors Share Their Excitement
In their respective comments, the voice actors expressed their enthusiasm about returning to their characters. Junichi Suwabe, who voices the ever-popular Eraser Head, shared that he had eagerly checked the manga for any sign of his character’s involvement in the spin-off. Upon learning that his character would be returning, he couldn’t contain his excitement. Akeno Watanabe, the voice of Midnight, was also thrilled to revisit her character, particularly the younger version of Midnight that will appear in Vigilantes.
While the Japanese cast has been officially confirmed, there has been no word yet on whether the English dub actors will reprise their roles as well. Fans of the English dub will be hoping for similar news, as many of the original voice actors in the dub are just as beloved as their Japanese counterparts.
What Is Vigilantes?
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes (known as Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia Illegals in Japan) is both a spin-off and a prequel to the original My Hero Academia series. Set five years before the events of the main series, Vigilantes introduces a new cast of characters while also showcasing familiar ones. The story revolves around Kouichi Haimawari, an aspiring hero with a Quirk that seems far from heroic—his Quirk, called "sliding," allows him to only move along the ground.
Despite this, Kouichi finds contentment in performing small, good deeds. However, his quiet life takes a dramatic turn when he is rescued by Knuckleduster, a vigilante who enlists his help in stopping a dangerous drug called Trigger. This drug enhances Quirks, but at the cost of the user’s sanity. Kouichi's journey into the world of illegal heroes marks the beginning of his transformation into the titular vigilante.
While Vigilantes introduces new faces and stories, it also offers fans a chance to see some of their favorite My Hero Academia characters in action again, albeit in a different context and timeline.
Excitement Builds for Vigilantes Premiere
As My Hero Academia: Vigilantes gears up for its April 7th release, fans of the original series are eagerly awaiting to see how the spin-off will unfold. With the return of beloved characters and the addition of exciting new ones, the series promises to be a thrilling addition to the My Hero Academia universe.
Until then, fans can revisit the original series, available now on Crunchyroll, to prepare for the upcoming prequel's debut.