My Hero Academia: Vigilantes will show fans something Horikoshi never could

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is proof that sometimes a concept just needs a new pair of hands to bring freshness to it. My Hero Academia and My Hero Academia: Vigilantes are set in the same world, but they feel wholly different. This difference can be attributed to the fact that two mangakas are handling the two series.

Most manga have a dip in quality when there is a spin-off or when the series changes hands from one mangaka to another. There is a clear example in the Narutoverse, as fans of Naruto will notice a change in storytelling from Naruto Shippuuden to Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. This is due to Mikio Ikemoto taking over the reins from Masashi Kishimoto.

However, in the My Hero Academia universe, it is the opposite. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is almost as good as My Hero Academia, but has differences in feel and tone. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes feels very intimate and it shows viewers the underbelly of a quirk-filled world.

While Horikoshi did a fine job in MHA, Hideyuki Furuhashi, the mangaka of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes brought viewers closer to the lives of heroes and vigilantes. One way he did it was through his locations. The most famous in the series is the Hopper's Cafe. Here is how the Hopper's Cafe elevates My Hero Academia: Vigilantes.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and may contain spoilers.

---

How does Hopper Cafe affect My Hero Academia: Vigilantes

Aizawa is a regular fixture at Hopper's Cafe (Image via Studio Bones)

A unique attribute of fiction is its shared spaces. This holds very true for fiction in the superhero genre. In DC Comics, there is the Iceberg Lounge, a bar in Gotham, where various characters meet. Even Batman is no stranger to the Iceberg Lounge as he goes there in his alter ego, Matches Malone. Marvel Comics also has its equivalent in a Bar With No Name. Various heroes and villains make this bar their home from the likes of Spider-Man to the Hobgoblin.

Hideyuki Furuhashi gives the My Hero Academia universe its own third space with the Hopper's Cafe. The Hopper's Cafe is a cat cafe shop that is run by two brothers named Ichiro Hotta and Jiro Hotta with their friend, Kirihito Kamachi. It is located in Naruhata, the ward most of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is set in.

The staff of the Cafe consists mostly of former criminals; this helps most of these criminals to leave their past lives. The reformed villains also add an extra layer of safety to the bar, as villains won’t be eager to attack the establishment.

Another importance of the Hopper’s Cafe is how it serves as a tempo tool for the story. Inside the Hopper’s Cafe, time feels slower and this gives the plot some breathing room as viewers can take time to recant other aspects of the story.

Hopper's Cafe also serves as a time carousel. Due to My Hero Academia: Vigilantes being ten years in the past, viewers get to see how the world was and how the world is going to be. Viewers learn more about the life of Aizawa and how he had larger-than-life dreams once. The cafe is also an ode to dreams as some characters who go there use it as an escape.

---

Final thoughts

Apart from the superhero-themed fiction, shared spaces are also popular in other works. In Naruto, fans see Iruka, Kakashi, and Naruto frequent Ichiraku Ramen, and his restaurant helps viewers see how much Naruto has grown.

Shared spaces also bring various characters together and foster relationships. Anteiku in Tokyo Ghoul brings peace to Kaneki and teaches him how to survive in the world of ghouls.

---