My Hero Academia: Vigilantes continues to carve its own path within the broader My Hero Academia universe, and Episode 10, titled “Event Announcement!,” is a testament to its unique strengths. Aired on June 9, 2025, this episode masterfully balances rising tension with key plot progression, offering viewers a deeper look into Knuckleduster’s past while setting the stage for future conflicts. It is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
A Gripping Blend of Suspense and Emotion
Episode 10 of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes delivers a gripping and well-crafted installment that skillfully balances rising tension with key plot progression. The episode sheds light on Knuckleduster’s past, revealing his history and enmity with Kuin, thus adding significant depth to his character. At the same time, Pop receives an invitation for her first live performance, while Knuckleduster finally tracks down Kuin, setting the stage for a major confrontation.
Unveiling Knuckleduster’s Tragic History
One of the most compelling aspects of Episode 10 is the deeper insight into Knuckleduster’s character. The episode opens with Knuckleduster visiting his hospitalized wife, who is in a catatonic state and wears an eyepatch. This scene is followed by a flashback that reveals Kuin as the cause of her condition, adding significant emotional weight to Knuckleduster’s mission. The reveal of his hospitalized wife and missing daughter adds emotional weight to his motivations, enriching his backstory.
Knuckleduster’s backstory is revealed, showing his connection to Hachisuka. The flashback shows Knuckleduster walking into his home to find his wife lying on the ground surrounded by bees, with Hachisuka standing at the end of the hall smiling. This episode gives us a lot of Knuckleduster content, especially considering that he has very much been in the background for the past handful of episodes. It seems like he is specifically tracking down bee girl because of something that happened with his wife, who appears to be ill and confined to a hospital without a lot of chance for recovery.
Pop Step’s Big Break
In contrast to the dark revelations surrounding Knuckleduster, Episode 10 also features a lighter subplot focused on Pop Step. She receives an invitation to perform live at a department store rooftop event. Nervous about accepting, she gets encouragement from both Koichi and Knuckleduster, who tell her to go for it. To help her prepare, Koichi brings Makoto, who learned about their vigilante identities during the bus-jacking incident.
This contrast provides a breather from the growing darkness but also hints at future conflict, suggesting the performance may become a focal point for upcoming tension. Makoto spends a couple of minutes explaining everything about the event, from its target audience to the number of people that can attend. She creates a grand plan that might skyrocket Pop’s career. The event is more of a local karaoke than a real presentation, so she ups the game by making Captain Celebrity a participant. That way, it becomes something like an indie festival, giving Pop a stage to shine. They also prepare a song for her to sing, which will impress the whole crowd.
The Looming Threat of Kuin Hachisuka
The episode also delves into the unsettling character of Kuin Hachisuka. It is revealed that Kuin murdered her parents and has been secretly living with their corpses. Now, she decides it’s time to move on. She finds out about the event and Captain Celebrity’s participation, which makes her think it’ll be fun to ruin the whole thing.
One of Kuin’s friends reached out to Soga to learn why he was looking for her. Kuin’s able to control human beings, making them walk around and release bees whenever Kuin pleased. Another disturbing scene involved Kuin entering an apartment and talking to the dead bodies of two adults on the couch while watching TV. Kuin is not above using humans as her puppets, even though controlling humans (seemingly) meant they were going to die soon.
Knuckleduster Closes In
The episode’s cliffhanger ending shows Knuckleduster closing in on Hachisuka after the revealing flashback. Knuckleduster is about to do something, and it promises to be worth watching. The intriguing link between Knuckleduster and Hachisuka adds exciting tension to the narrative that this My Hero Academia spin-off would be wise to stretch for a few episodes.
It becomes evident that Knuckleduster is using Koichi and Pop as bait to lure Kuin out. As Knuckleduster finally finds Kuin by the episode’s end, the setup for a likely showdown is in place, raising the hype. Kuin’s unsettling background, living with her deceased parents, deepens her eerie villain character and reinforces her disturbing presence.
Production and Animation
Studio Bones Film once again produces a captivating entry with My Hero Academia: Vigilantes episode 10, continuing the impressive production that offers polished visuals, immersive sound design, and standout voice performances. The animation remains dramatic and expressive, with dynamic framing and fluid character movement that bring all scenes to life. The signature comic book-inspired visual style continues to shine, giving the show its distinctive flair.
Themes of Heroism and Vigilantism
Episode 10 continues to explore the themes of heroism and vigilantism that are central to the series. It delves into the motivations and personal sacrifices of those who operate outside the law to protect others. Vigilantes offers a grittier and more realistic hero story. A setup like this exposes the hero system’s shortcomings and proves the need to have a vigilante hero society that is completely different from the clean and idealized pro heroes. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is definitely much more emotionally mature and focused compared to the parent story.
Final Thoughts
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Episode 10 sustains the show’s momentum while deepening the narrative intrigue surrounding the villain plot further, proving once again why Vigilantes has become such a compelling addition to the My Hero Academia universe. As the season approaches its end with just two episodes left, viewers can anticipate a surge in tension and action, with the developments in episode 10 setting the stage for heightened confrontations and pivotal moments ahead.
