My Hero Academia Final Season makes Vigilantes officially canon

The My Hero Academia Final Season is a huge deal for fans of the series. After many debates on whether or not My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is canon, with this episode, the answer is definitely yes.

Chapter 424 of the manga saw Koichi Haimawari, a major character from My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, appear for the first time in the main storyline. While this was only a small moment in the story, Koichi's appearance was significant enough to confirm that My Hero Academia: Vigilantes events are definitely part of the official canon. Now, it's been confirmed that Koichi became canon in the anime adaptation of My Hero Academia Final Season.

During the cleanup after the war in My Hero Academia Final Season Episode 9, we see Koichi alongside other international heroes who came to Japan to help with reconstruction and recovery efforts. Koichi appears in his final hero costume: the professional hero known as The Skycrawler, which he began using after he put his vigilante title to rest.

This cameo is a huge deal for the franchise. The spinoff manga ran for 126 chapters and finished in 2022. Throughout that lengthy series, there were always questions about whether the manga should have been considered part of the main storyline or canon. While Kohei Horikoshi (the creator of My Hero Academia) put some input into Vigilantes, he didn't write the actual story. Therefore, all the speculative hype surrounding Vigilantes continued without any confirmation.

Well, now the cameo clears that all up. In fact, it primarily validates everything that has happened story-wise in the three-plus years of writing that Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court have done. All character progression, all story development, and all connections back to the main storyline are now considered part of this universe's Canon.

Why This Matters for the My Hero Academia Final Season

Koichi's role in the narrative demonstrates that being a hero isn't a title limited to people who possess a hero's license. His transformation is a mirror of the points that the anime previously made, which is also to illustrate that there is an international element to Hero Society and how the world comes together in times of hardship or recovery.

When the Vigilantes anime debuted on April 23, 2025, it opened Koichi's story up to new audiences who may not have previously read the manga, allowing them to watch anime-only until the very end of My Hero Academia Final Season in December 2025. By that time, anime-only followers will know the origins of the mysterious hero assisting in the reconstruction of Japan.

Studio Bones produced both series simultaneously. This parallel production enabled seamless integration between the properties. Both Deku and Koichi were shown as part of the marketing materials, creating anticipation from fans regarding their eventual connections.

The Canonical Evidence Beyond the Cameo

Both series have shown some proof that they are connected in meaningful ways. One of those pieces of proof was the drug called Trigger, which is a drug that makes you even greater, but it does have the con of messing with your critical faculty. Trigger was first introduced in Vigilantes Chapter 1 back in August of 2016, then it showed up in Chapter 133 of My Hero Academia's Manga back in April of 2017. This chronological precedence demonstrates coordinated storytelling.

Vigilantes expands on events from the main series, including Aizawa's past with Shirakumo and Present Mic. These backstories don't contradict anything established in the main timeline. They just give fans who love these characters even more insight into their characters' lives.

While Koichi doesn't speak or receive mention by name in the manga panels, his visual appearance in costume confirms his identity. The My Hero Academia Final Season anime could expand this moment. Previous seasons have added original scenes to enhance manga content. A more substantial sequence showing Koichi's arrival would satisfy fans hoping to see him interact with Deku or All Might.

What Happens to Koichi After the Vigilantes

After Vigilantes was finished, Koichi became Captain Celebrity's sidekick and moved to America. The fact that he had legal issues as a vigilante caused him to leave Japan. He had to pick up and move because of all the lawsuits and property damages. In America, he started a new superhero career as Skycrawler.

That's why he was absent from the final war; he didn't arrive in Japan until the Paranormal Liberation Front had attacked. When international travel was allowed to resume, Koichi joined in on the rebuilding effort right away. Koichi is a testament to the Hero that he will always be there to help anyone, no matter how far away he is from home.

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There are only three episodes left of the My Hero Academia Final Season after episode 9 of the final season, and Koichi's cameo is more than just a way to get some fans' attention. Koichi's cameo acknowledges and pays tribute to everyone who worked on Vigilantes.

The return of Koichi serves as a reminder that every hero makes a difference, no matter how small their role is. This has been the message of My Hero Academia since the beginning, and with Koichi's return, it will be one of the most significant events in the My Hero Academia Final Season.

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