My Hero Academia'sspin-off series titled My Hero Academia: Vigilantesis receiving an anime very soon, giving fans more of the superhero world they love since the main manga just ended. Vigilantes is a prequel to the main series, showing a different side of the hero world Deku grew up in through the eyes of a new protagonist.
As the Vigilantes April 2025 release date creeps closer, fans are beginning to notice fascinating details included in the promotional materials and trailers for the series. One such cameo was pointed out by @aratata46 on X, and includes an appearance of a crucial character from the main My Hero Academia series.
Inko Midoriya Makes a Cameo in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes
Deku's Mother Encounters the Vigilantes Protagonist, Koichi Haimawari
Deku's mother, Inko Midoriya, showed up briefly in a clip of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes that was posted on the @vigilante_mha account. The video introduces the protagonist of Vigilantes, Koichi Haimawari. Koichi is, as the series' title suggests, a vigilante hero who rescues others and fights crime, but he is not a licensed Pro Hero. During one of his missions, he runs across Deku's mother, Inko, and, in the video posted, she wears an expression of shock when the vigilante hero bolts in front of her, wearing a very similar All Might costume to the one her own son wore.
In the image, Inko is holding a shopping bag and grabbing the side of her face in surprise. In a lot of ways, Koichi is similar to her son, Deku, so she was likely pleasantly caught off guard by the boy who is a lot like her own child. As can be seen in the My Hero Academia: Vigilantes manga, Koichi's story follows a very different path than Deku's, but they do share the same core values of justice and heroism, and both idolize the Pro Hero, All Might. Even the All Might costume Koichi wears makes him look strikingly similar to a young Deku.
Other Familiar Favorites Will Make Appearances in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes
Present Mic, Midnight, Shota Aizawa, and Tensei Ida Are Among the Characters Who Will Show Up
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a completely different prequel story, set before the events of My Hero Academia, so it contains a lot of new characters that audiences will be unfamiliar with. However, some old favorites from the main series will return, not just Inko Midoriya. For example, Shota Aizawa, Midnight, and Present Mic, some of Deku's Pro Hero teachers at U.A. High, will all make appearances, as well as Tensei Ida, Tenya's brother. The brief glimpse of Inko and these other characters' appearances are not just clever cameos though, they effectively connect the two series together.
All Might may well be the Superman of My Hero Academia's world, but the universe's counterpart to Batman is only just now getting introduced.
Although the events of Vigilantes occurred long before Deku ever entered U.A. High, the main anime and the prequel are still inextricably linked, and a series like Vigilantes was definitely necessary to expand upon the extensive existing lore of My Hero Academia. Even though the manga was over 400 chapters, the complex world of Hero Society and the compelling cast of characters still needed more time to be fully developed, making Vigilantes a perfect solution to expand My Hero Academia, while also telling a unique standalone story that blends never before seen heroes with familiar favorites.