Volume 5 (Vigilantes)/Extras

Master and Koichi
The so-called Team Vigilantes trio (Master, Koichi and Pop) struck a really nice balance, but that balance had to be rocked if Koichi was ever going to grow. With Master gone, there's no one to explain things, deal the finishing blow to enemies, etc. so while it feels like a big inconvenience plotwise, it also broadens the range of decisions that Koichi has to make.

-Furuhashi

Master's private side
I posted this sketch of Master on Twitter. At the time, didn't know much about his background, so this was the image I had of what he looked like, during his free time.

He seems kind of solitary. Solitary? Like the sad Keanu Reeves meme. (LOL) Showing somed eating and drinking always feels like a glimpse of their private side

Koichi's civilian clothes are the epitome of inoffensive. (LOL)

Pop doesn't exactly have bad style, but she's not sophisticated either. I struggle with her.

-Betten

Praying mantis Villain
The rough draft

Praying mantis Villian

really shouldn’t use a design that’s so hard to draw

too grotesque…?

Behind the scenes
Another bio engineered villain, like Teruo the eel boy. The defining characteristics for this guy were “extremely mutated”, “Pretty big” and "Body is black because of the drugs coursing through him (when not on drugs, he's white)."

He’s just convenient cannon fodder at first, but He turns out to be friends with the Hotta Brothers and gets some character development later

-Furuhashi

The concept art felt a little lacking, so I added more details for his actual appearance in the story, Of course, adding details amounts to digging my own grave. Striking that balance is tough. (LOL)

-Betten

Casual Midnight and the little sisters
Midnight on her day off

fur like beret

knit one-piece underneath

military coat

long boots

st. lila’s girls

Behind the scenes
In private, Ms. Kayama keeps her sexy hero side subdued and comes off as more of an ordinary woman. Almost motherly even.

The three little girls are cute and inoffensive, making them easy additions to any scene. By the way-they're in middle school, making them teenagers, just like Pop and the twins. -Furuhashi

For Midnight's casual look, I referenced her "house clothes" profile page from the main series. I’m a big fan of knit one piece and boots, but sadly there weren't any really good angels of  the boots in the story (LOL)

In Furuhashi's rough draft, all three of the girls had the same face, but I decided to make one of  the three a little off, just like with the Sturm and Drum perv brothers, but becoming a trend Betten

Fat Gum
Fat Gum: Vigilantes version

Almost feels like a baddie

Real Name: Taishiro Toyomitsu

Birthday: 8/8

Height: 250 CM (?)

Favorite Thing: Takoyaki

Quirk: Fat Absorption

The rough design

Behind the scenes
I mostly had him conform to his image in the main story, but I made him a little more aggressive all around, since we learned that he used to be more of a brawler. This version also has those protectors on his arms.

-Furuhashi

I was more than a little nervous while drawing Fat Gum, since not only is he a popular character from the main series, he's also a personal favorite of Horikoshi's. (LOL)

-Betten

Kaniko & Crab mech
Monika Kaniyashiki

the rough design

grrr

kanidoge mascot suit?

Real Name: Monika Kaniyashiki

Birthday: 6/22

Height: 160 CM

Favorite Thing: Kani Miso

Quirk: Snip Clip

Behind the scenes
between hammy variety act and cute girl,

The Osaka arc needed native Osakan, another idol to interact with Pop and a law enforcement type working with Fat Gum. All those elements combined into this single character. She's a little absurd, but she really helped move the story along. Design-Wise, she straddles the line between hammy variety act and cute girl, which is quite delicate balance. Also, the mech suit! Can't forget that crab mech.

-Furuhashi

When I saw Kaniko in Furuhashi's rough draft, I thought, "How'm I supposed to make her look cute…? I was really concerned at first, but as I started drawing (and reading her dialogue), she began to exude this mysterious charm She may look like that on the outside, but there's something deliciously savory about her on the inside. Just like a crab (LOL)

-Betten

Ichiro Hotta & Giro Hotta
The Rough Design

Hotta Brothers

Same design for both

Behind the scenes
These are some gray-zone types Aizawa interrogates. My thought process was as follows: crooked pawnshop (battaya in Japanese; batta also means“grasshopper”) -> grasshopper monsters -> knockoff Kamen Rider. They’re always together, and even their friends call them the Hotta Brothers, which contributes to that fun sense a tight-knit community

-Furuhashi

There are already so many bad Kamen Rider knockoff designs out there, so this was hard to pull off. The inspiration is clear at a glance, but the subtle differences in the insect elements are... Nah. Never mind, forget it. They're grasshoppers. It's fine. (LOL)

-Betten

Vigilantes volume 5!! THANKS FOR GIVING FAT GUM SOME ACTION! -HORIKOSHI