My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7 review: Makoto Tsukauchi’s introduction enhances intrigue amid a lighthearted narrative

Aired on Monday, May 19, 2025, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7 offers a lighthearted yet resonant installment that also introduces an important new character, Makoto Tsukauchi, sister of Detective Tsukauchi. The episode follows Koichi and Makoto forming a casual bond as she offers to help him study in exchange for insights into the Naruhata vigilante trio.

However, Makoto is already suspicious of Koichi’s true identity. After an unexpected incident during their investigation, she attempts to confirm her suspicions using her Quirk, but Koichi’s vigilante persona, The Crawler, remains undiscovered, possibly thanks to the recurring mispronunciations of his alias as "The Cruller."

While the tone remains more relaxed and character-driven, Makoto’s debut adds intrigue to the story. Her presence brings a fresh perspective and enriches the narrative by also revealing deeper background on vigilantes and their complicated role and dynamic with the Hero System.

The production remains consistently stable, with smooth animation, great sound design, and expressive voice acting, all working together to make this episode an easygoing yet compelling watch.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7 review: A relaxed and fun entry that expands character arcs and the lore framework

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7: A narrative review

Makoto Tsukauchi in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7 (Image via Bones Film)

Under the direction of Kenichi Suzuki and Yōsuke Kuroda’s scripts, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7 offers another engaging and well-balanced entry in the spin-off prequel to Kohei Horikoshi’s popular series. With Studio Bones continuing to build narrative momentum, this episode strikes a compelling blend of character development, a new character debut, and world-building.

Titled Makoto/Truth, the episode kicks off with Koichi meeting a senior in college, Makoto Tsukauchi, who asks for his help exploring the Naruhata neighborhood in exchange for tutoring. When she visits his home, Pop quickly hides, as she is there without Koichi's knowledge.

Their conversation focuses on vigilantes and the Hero Licensing System, which Makoto reveals originated from vigilante activity. The key distinction between the two, she says, remains a mystery, one she’s determined to uncover in her independent research, which is why she’s focusing on studying the Naruhata vigilante trio, the team of Koichi, Knuckleduster, and Pop.

Makoto reveals her interest in the vigilante trio (Image via Bones Film)

Though Koichi tries to discourage her, citing safety concerns, Makoto insists that he act as her bodyguard during her field research, and he eventually agrees. Pop, however, is clearly upset with Makoto’s entrance.

The narrative briefly reveals that Makoto is the younger sister of Detective Tsukauchi. Knuckleduster warns Koichi of the danger this connection poses for them and asks him to handle her with caution.

On the day of their outing, Pop covertly tails them as they gather public opinions on the vigilante trio. Interestingly, Kuin appears among the interviewees. The general perception places Pop as attractive and likable, Knuckleduster as scary and dangerous, and "the Cruller" (a frequent mispronunciation of "the Crawler") as helpful but creepy and weird.

Makoto confronts Koichi (Image via Bones Film)

Their research is interrupted when the soccer thief, Emperor Yotsuura, steals Makoto’s laptop. When Koichi goes after the thief, Pop suggests letting it go to stop Makoto’s investigation, but Koichi insists on helping. He changes into the Crawler and, with help from Samazu and Namimaru, successfully recovers the laptop.

Later, back in civilian clothes, Koichi returns the laptop and claims one of the vigilantes saved it. However, Makoto suspiciously shakes his hand and uses her Quirk, Polygraph, which detects lies via physical contact. When she asks if he is the Cruller, Koichi denies it, and surprisingly, the Quirk confirms he’s telling the truth. Confused, Makoto wonders where her reasoning went wrong.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7 closes with Koichi and Pop bickering over their unflattering public image, with Koichi particularly frustrated by being misnamed as the Cruller. However, this mishap seems to have ironically protected his identity.

Pop tails Koichi and Makoto (Image via Bones Film)

In My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7, Studio Bones delivers a lighthearted yet well-rounded installment that effectively blends story progression, emotional undertones, character focus, dramatic tension, humor, and lore buildup while offering a lighthearted but impactful installment.

The episode stands out for its deeper dive into the history and evolving role of vigilantes within the framework of the Hero System, offering valuable world expansion that enriches the vigilante side of the My Hero Academia universe.

Makoto Tsukauchi’s introduction serves as a pivotal point for the narrative. Her growing suspicion that Koichi might be the Crawler introduces subtle tension, and although her theory remains unconfirmed for now, her proximity to both Koichi and her brother, Detective Tsukauchi, sets the stage for potentially major developments.

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Her thesis on the blurred line between heroes and vigilantes could also have significant implications for the protagonists down the line. Alongside these story developments, episode 7 also thoughtfully explores Pop’s emotional state, particularly her jealousy and frustration over Koichi’s budding connection with Makoto.

These moments offer both touching and amusing beats, adding emotional complexity and humor to the character dynamics. Despite the episode being light on action, its charm lies in its character-driven storytelling and worldbuilding.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7: An overall production criticism

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Studio Bones Film delivers another engaging installment with My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7, sustaining the series' consistent production values and narrative rhythm. The episode blends a lighthearted yet interesting storyline with polished visual and auditory execution.

While the tone leans more toward the comedic and character-driven, the animation remains solid throughout, featuring expressive character work, emotionally resonant moments, and visually striking frames that enhance both humor and tension.

Action is limited to a brief thief-chasing sequence and a quick sparring session between Koichi and Knuckleduster, but these scenes retain the show’s signature fluid animation and dynamic choreography. The comic book-inspired visual effects continue to emphasize the series’ unique aesthetic.

Koichi seeing the comments about Crawler creates a humorous moment (Image via Bones Film)

The standout moment arrives near the end, as Makoto confronts Koichi about his identity, creating a suspenseful sequence that punctuates the episode with a dramatic edge.

Voice acting remains top-tier across the board, with the cast delivering nuanced performances that heighten both comedic and dramatic beats. The music and sound design, crafted by Yuki Hayashi, Shogo Yamashiro, and Yuki Furuhashi, further elevate the atmosphere, enhancing the narrative’s overall impact.

To sum up, episode 7 is a well-executed entry that maintains the series' engaging style and momentum.

Final thoughts

Koichi and Makoto in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7 (Image via Bones Film)

In summary, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7 offers a lighthearted yet fun breather following the intense events surrounding Stain’s emergence. Makoto’s introduction is handled with clever storytelling, adding subtle tension, and meaningful character and thematic development. Meanwhile, Pop’s jealousy introduces a subtle romantic atmosphere.

Though My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 7 maintains an amusing and light tone, it also plants key narrative seeds that foreshadow significant developments ahead. Alongside consistent production quality and a polished visual and auditory presentation, this episode stands out as another enjoyable entry in the Spring 2025 spinoff.