With My Hero Academia: Vigilantes now airing its long-awaited anime adaptation (premiered April 7, 2025, on Crunchyroll), many fans have started asking a natural question: Where is Deku during all of this?
The series, which takes place several years before Izuku Midoriya’s story begins, focuses on a different cast of characters. But given how connected the universe is, people are wondering if Deku might appear at some point, even briefly.
Here’s a full breakdown of Deku’s timeline, his status in the manga, and whether or not the anime might sneak in a cameo.
When Does Vigilantes Take Place?
First things first, Vigilantes is 100% a prequel. It’s set well before the events of My Hero Academia begin.
Vigilantes starts about five to six years before Deku enrolls at U.A. High. The story kicks off around the year 195 AQ, while Deku’s birth year is estimated to be around 200 AQ. He doesn’t begin his journey at U.A. until roughly 214 AQ.
That means when Vigilantes is happening, Deku is either a toddler or in early elementary school. He’s nowhere near becoming a hero at this stage.
Deku Isn’t in the Manga
In terms of the original manga, Deku is not involved in Vigilantes at all. The focus stays tightly on Koichi Haimawari (The Crawler), Pop☆Step, and Knuckleduster.
There was one early manga chapter where Class 1-A is briefly shown, but that was just a non-canon intro meant to connect readers to the spinoff. It doesn’t reflect the actual timeline or storyline of the series.
So, no, Deku never appears in the Vigilantes manga as a character involved in the plot.
The Anime Gave Fans a Small Nod
While Deku himself doesn’t show up in the manga, the anime includes a small Easter egg in episode one.
There’s a quick scene where a younger Inko Midoriya (Deku’s mom) appears as a pedestrian. Koichi, in his pre-vigilante phase, helps her out. It’s a small moment, but it firmly places the story within the right timeline, when Deku would be a child.
Also, the opening narration in episode one is done by Daiki Yamashita, the Japanese voice actor for Deku. It’s a quiet but meaningful way of tying the spin-off back to the main series.
Some of the promotional art before the anime aired showed Deku and Koichi together, which led to a lot of speculation.
But that image is believed to be purely promotional, meant to link Vigilantes to the main My Hero Academia series and build interest across both shows. There’s no real indication that the two characters meet or even exist in the same space in this story.
Could Deku Make a Cameo Later?
There’s no official confirmation from Studio Bones or any of the creators that Deku will show up in the anime. But there’s a chance he might appear in an anime-original scene, just a small one.
Here’s why:
- The final season of My Hero Academia is coming soon.
- Vigilantes is airing right now, giving both shows a chance to cross-promote.
- Horikoshi, the creator of My Hero Academia, has supported Vigilantes and called Koichi a kind of “prototype” for Deku.
- Studio Bones has a history of adding anime-original moments to enhance character development or connect stories.
So even though it’s not part of the manga, it’s possible they’ll insert a brief scene, maybe just a young Deku watching All Might on TV, or walking by in the background.
