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Summary

The easiest way to trigger Koichi's anger is to insult his All Might hoodie.
Koichi defends his All Might hoodie fiercely without fail.
Koichi believes his hoodie is cool, despite criticism.

As the title implies, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes centers on vigilantes as they fight evildoers outside the law. At the heart of My Hero Academia's spin-off series is Koichi Haimawari, an aspiring hero turned vigilante with a kind, considerate, and laid-back personality. While it seems Koichi isn’t someone with a short fuse, his mood can switch from calm to furious over the most unexpected thing in the series.

While sporting his All Might hoodie, the public recognizes Koichi as "Mr. Nice Guy" or "Mr. Kind Man" in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. Despite his nickname, Koichi is just like any ordinary guy who gets angry in the easiest and funniest ways ever. It’s not because Koichi is a simpleton, but because he takes things personally. And no, it’s not about the villains or the concerns of society but because of his hoodie. Yes, his All Might hoodie.

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By Laura Gassert

This article contains spoilers from the My Hero Academia: Vigilantes manga.

Koichi Haimawari’s Short Fuse

The All Might Hoodie Triggers Koichi’s Temper

He can't forgive anyone who badmouths his hoodie.
He thinks his hoodie is cool and not lame.

Unlike pro heroes with vibrant and cool costumes, Koichi wears nothing more than an All Might hoodie, unintentionally allowing his enemies and allies to make fun of him. While Koichi genuinely thinks the hoodie is superb, he looks lame to other people, especially those labeling him as All Might’s obsessed fan when they see him in person. Sure, his hoodie is an official All Might merch, but that doesn’t mean everyone appreciates his hero-wannabe appearance.

As a result, Koichi becomes surprisingly aggressive when someone insults his beloved hoodie, which is an unexpected reaction for a nice guy like him. It doesn’t matter who calls it lame; the moment his hoodie is disrespected, Koichi gets mad in an instant. Contrary to everyone’s comments about his hoodie, Koichi firmly thinks it's cool.

"This is official All Might merch!"—Koichi to Pop Step

After all, Koichi strives to imitate All Might and become useful to society even if others think so little of him. What matters to Koichi is the feeling he gets from wearing the hoodie, regardless of everyone’s opinions. At the end of the day, Koichi is not the type of guy who would change his looks just for society to accept him.

Even Pop Step Thinks His Hoodie Is Lame

Koichi is used to Pop Step’s constant criticisms about his poor lifestyle and laid-back personality, usually taking them as a joke and simply laughing them off. There’s hardly a day that goes by without Pop Step throwing some kind of insult his way, but that doesn’t mean he has no breaking point.

When Pop Step bluntly tells Koichi that his hoodie is lame without hesitation, his mood drastically switches from calm to furious, saying that he would never forgive anyone who badmouths his hoodie. Pop Step did not see his unusual reaction coming, as she expected to see his patient side again. Still, there’s more to this story, as Pop Step has a secret about the hoodie she refuses to reveal to Koichi.

"You've been stingy since the day I met you. Slaving away, fixing up that cheap, lame old hoodie of yours all the time."—Pop Step to Koichi

Koichi’s Hoodie Is His Holy Grail

It’s More Than Just a Hoodie

picture: pop step and koichi haimawari in my hero academia vigilantes.

Most of the time, heroes and vigilantes wear costumes that put them in the right mindset, and Koichi’s All Might hoodie is not an exception. Every time he dons the costume, Koichi feels an overwhelming amount of courage flowing through his body, motivating him to do his best to serve and protect people. The hoodie means everything to him, even if it looks like a hastily thrown-together costume to everyone else.

Make no mistake, though, as Koichi’s hoodie is not cheap at all. As a huge fan of All Might, Koichi believes the number one hero’s merchandise is worth every penny he earns at the convenience store. At first glance, the hoodie looks like a cheap All Might cosplay, but it’s actually a specialty merchandise made for fanatics and maniacs like him. In fact, Koichi buys every All Might hoodie there is, collecting limited-edition releases every year, except for the certified silver age color version.

"Leave everything else aside! I won't forgive anyone who bad-mouths my hoodie!"—Koichi to Pop-Step

The Story Behind the Missing Hoodie

mha vigilantes episode 1 pop star and nice guy

According to Koichi, he once owned a silver-age colored version of the hoodie, but he gave it away to a child he rescued years ago. Since then, Koichi has never gotten his hands on the same version, though he remains hopeful he will be able to buy one someday. Unbeknownst to Koichi, someone close to him had the hoodie all that time and was already waiting for the perfect opportunity to return it to him.

In conclusion, Koichi is not the type of guy who would let anyone take away his simple joys in life, even if it’s just a hoodie. Because of this, fans could resonate with him, as everyone has a hobby or possession that someone else might not understand. And to Koichi, it’s his All Might hoodie in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes.

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