Patterns emerge over the course of a series’ first cour. The first of at least two and what I hope will be many, in Illegals‘ case. For a spinoff it comes down to identity, more or less. The identity of Vigilante is pretty clear at this point. And that identity is closely tied in to the dichotomy we saw in this episode. This is a series that balances light and dark (or perhaps it might be better to say light and heavy) tones with great dexterity. It transitions between modes at will, with no sense of disorientation or inauthenticity. That’s simply because both are intrinsic to what it is. They’re each as natural and as vital as the other.
The side of the show we see in the A-part this week comes very close to a Boku no Hero Academia slice-of-life. As overused as that term is in anime discussion (very) it can’t be avoided here, because it fits. Mostly Pop and Kouichi are normal kids living normal lives – which places them in stark contrast to the roughly age-consistent kids in the parent series. For the Yuuei yutes the craziness and conflict is the meat of their existence (increasingly as the series progresses), and the idyll of adolescence the change of pace. For Pop and The Cruller it’s just the opposite, and that’s essential to the way in which the two series differ.
The upcoming shindig at Marukane Department Store is not, by any obvious measure, a world-shaking event. But for Kazuho it’s a massive deal, and Kouichi finds himself stepping into the role of her manager. Not in any real business sense – he knows nothing about that (or indeed about complimenting girls, as he seems intent on proving at every opportunity). He’s there as moral support because Pop really is a kid, barely a high-schooler (and not even that in the manga) and a neurotic at that. This scenario really finds Makoto in her element – though to be fair, I don’t think we’ve ever seen her look or act as if she was out of it. She confidently moves the pieces around the board. The Marukane event is a big deal for her too.
Makoto is basically still a kid too (she’s still in college) for all her brash assuredness. And she does make mistakes, as we see here. For now she has to figure out how to deploy Pop alongside the idol due FeatherS, as the backbone of the evening set. Pop in the center makes the most sense aesthetically, though she’s not much of a singer (as Makoto rather tactlessly observes). FeatherS are better singers but lack Kazuho’s dynamic movement, and are unused to large, outdoor venues. For now Makoto dispatches Pop to learn the Marukane theme song while FeatherS get dance lessons from the Naruhata South High School dance team – whose drill sergeant president has caught the eye of the leader of Mad HATTERS, the rock band assigned to perform the song. It’s freckled love at first sight.
We knew Captain Celebrity was going to involved, of course. But a lot of heroes are involved here, including Present Mic (whose persona and quirk obviously fit) and Midnight, even if All Might is too big to attend, Endeavor is too much of a prick, and Aizawa is desperately looking for an off-ramp. And he gets one when Teruo – the electric eel kid in love with Pop – gets powered up by Hachisuka and sent out to cause trouble. Hachisuka is intent on doing that, even as she gets lectured for it by All For One.
As we know but Hachisuka as yet does not, she’s attracted some unwanted attention. Oguro-san has tracked her down, and it’s pretty obvious there’s a direct, personal connection (at least in his mind). And it’s very strongly hinted that she’s his daughter Tamao, though he puzzlingly refers to Tamao and Kuin as if they were two different people. The true nature of this relationship is not yet clear, but there’s no doubt that Hachisuka has no interest whatsoever in a family reunion. They do get one of sorts, though, which gives the gang at Bones the chance to remind us this is still HeroAca, and they’re still the masters of battle shounen anime. Long may they both roll.
