The latest episode of My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 2 dropped on February 16, 2026, and it is packed with major moments for fans of the prequel series. Episode 7 splits its time between two very different storylines that both add something special to the My Hero Academia universe. Viewers get to see a younger Shota Aizawa (Eraser Head) during his school days, plus a wild chase scene featuring a soccer-themed villain that has anime fans comparing it to Blue Lock .
This episode, titled Crystal Sky in some regions, continues building the world that fans already love while introducing fresh characters and giving more screen time to familiar faces from the main series . Whether you are here for the U.A. High School flashbacks or the present-day vigilante action in Naruhata, this episode delivers on multiple fronts.
Aizawa and Shirakumo Begin Their Hero Agency Internship
One of the biggest highlights of My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 2 Episode 7 takes viewers back in time to when Shota Aizawa, Oboro Shirakumo, and Hizashi Yamada (Present Mic) were still students at U.A. High School. Thanks to help from their classmate Nemuri Kayama (Midnight), the trio secures internships at the Purple Revolution Office, a hero agency run by a pro hero named His Purple Highness .
For Aizawa, this internship is not just about gaining experience. It is a chance to understand his own Quirk better and figure out its weaknesses. Unlike many heroes with flashy, powerful abilities, Aizawa’s Erasure Quirk only works when he maintains eye contact, and it does not physically harm villains. During the internship, he gets to see how other heroes fight and begins questioning whether his Quirk is truly useful in real combat situations .
Shirakumo, on the other hand, brings his usual positive energy to the team. His Cloud Quirk allows him to create solid clouds that he can ride and use for transportation and rescue. The episode shows how well the two complement each other during their early missions, with Shirakumo’s mobility and cheerful attitude balancing Aizawa’s serious and tactical approach .
For fans who already know what happens to Shirakumo in the main series—his tragic death during a training accident that later connects to the villain Kurogiri—these scenes carry extra emotional weight. Watching him laugh and joke with his friends while they discuss their futures on the school rooftop hits differently when you know how his story ends .
Makoto Tsukauchi Joins the Cast in the Present-Day Storyline
While the past storyline focuses on Aizawa and his friends, the present-day plot in Episode 7 introduces a brand new character who is already making waves in the My Hero Academia community. Makoto Tsukauchi, the younger sister of Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi (the police detective who often works with All Might), shows up as Koichi’s senior at the university .
Makoto is working on her thesis about vigilantes and the blurred lines between heroes, vigilantes, and villains. She asks Koichi to help her with field research in the Naruhata neighborhood, where the vigilante trio operates. Of course, she does not know that Koichi is actually The Crawler .
What makes Makoto stand out is her approach to heroism. She is not a fighter. Instead, she uses her intelligence and her unique Quirk called Polygraph, which lets her tell if someone is lying when she makes physical contact with them. This ability makes her dangerous for Koichi and his friends because she is actively investigating vigilantes while getting closer to their secret identity .
Her Quirk does not work perfectly in this episode, though. When she shakes Koichi’s hand and asks if he is “The Cruller” (the name locals mistakenly call him), his denial registers as the truth because he believes his name is The Crawler. This small mistake protects his identity, but Makoto remains suspicious .
Emperor Yotsuura Steals the Show with a Soccer Chase
If you have been on social media since the episode aired, you have probably seen people talking about one scene in particular. Emperor Yotsuura, a thief with a Soccer Quirk, steals Makoto’s laptop during her investigation, leading to a chase sequence that has fans comparing it to Blue Lock .
The villain shows off some seriously impressive dribbling skills as Koichi chases him through the streets. The animation from Bones Studio B goes all out during this minute-long sequence, with vibrant colors, comic book-style sound effects like “Bam!” and “Pow!” popping up on screen, and fluid movement that makes Yotsuura look like a professional soccer player .
Fans could not help but notice how good this scene looks compared to some other recent anime. Many pointed out that a single scene in a superhero spin-off outshone entire matches in Blue Lock Season 2, which faced criticism for its stiff CGI animation. The contrast shows just how much effort Kenichi Suzuki and his team are putting into Vigilantes .
Despite his cool moves, Yotsuura does not get away. Koichi gets help from his friends Ichimoku and Juubee (the Samazu and Namimaru brothers) to recover the laptop and return it to Makoto, though he claims one of the local vigilantes saved it .
Marvel Comic Artist Contributes Special Frames to the Episode
Another surprise in My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 2 Episode 7 came from the world of Western comics. The episode features special illustration frames drawn by R.B. Silva, a Brazilian comic artist known for his work on Marvel titles like X-Men: Hellfire Gala and Superior Avengers .
These frames appear during Makoto’s lecture about the history of vigilantes. She explains how the first heroes in America were actually vigilantes who later received official licenses, and the visuals for these American heroes have a distinctly different art style from the rest of the anime. The Western comic book influence fits perfectly with Vigilantes overall aesthetic, which already draws inspiration from that style with its sound effects and panel layouts .
The official Vigilantes anime account on Twitter confirmed Silva’s participation, sharing a comment from the artist about his work on the episode. This collaboration adds a special touch that fans did not see coming .
Pop Step Faces Harsh Public Opinion
The episode also takes a hard look at how the public views the Naruhata vigilantes. During their research, Makoto and Koichi interview local residents about their opinions of the three heroes operating in the area. The results are eye-opening and not always positive .
Knuckleduster comes across as scary and dangerous. The Crawler (or Cruller, as most people call him) is seen as helpful but kind of creepy and weird. And Pop Step? Most comments focus on her appearance rather than her hero work. People describe her as cute with a nice butt, with some even saying she should show more .
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This revelation hits hard because Pop Step is right there listening. She follows Koichi and Makoto during their research, hiding nearby, and hears exactly what people think of her. For a character who puts herself out there as both an idol and a vigilante, realizing that people mostly care about her body is a painful moment .
Some fans have criticized the show for taking this direction with Pop Step’s character. They argue that reducing her to a body part undermines her complexity and turns her into a shallow stereotype. Others see it as a realistic portrayal of how society often views female heroes and idols, which fits with Vigilantes grittier, more grounded take on the hero world compared to the main series .
What This Episode Means for the Bigger My Hero Academia Universe
Beyond the immediate action and character moments, Episode 7 of My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 2 adds something valuable to the franchise as a whole. Through Makoto’s research, the show explores questions that the main series only touches on lightly .
What really separates a hero from a villain? Where do vigilantes fit in a society that only recognizes government-approved heroes? Makoto’s theory suggests that the distinction might come down to nothing more than public perception. The vigilantes who became official heroes were simply the ones the public liked. Those who fell out of favor got labeled as villains .
This gray area is exactly where Koichi and his friends operate. They help people and stop crimes, but they do it without licenses. By the strict definition of the law, they are breaking the rules every time they go out in costume. Yet viewers see them as heroes because of their intentions and actions .
The episode does not provide easy answers to these questions, and that is probably for the best. Instead, it sets up tensions that will likely play out as the series continues. Makoto is smart and determined, and now that she suspects Koichi might be connected to the vigilantes, she is not going to drop the investigation easily .
My Hero Academia Vigilantes Season 2 Episode 7 is now streaming on Crunchyroll for viewers in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Fans in India can also watch the episode with English subtitles through the platform. The episode became available on February 16, 2026, with release times varying by region—typically 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time for US audiences and late afternoon or evening for international viewers .
With its mix of past and present storylines, exciting animation, and thoughtful world-building, this episode shows why Vigilantes has earned its own dedicated fanbase separate from the main My Hero Academia series.
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