Ever since its debut in 2016, My Hero Academia has been one of the most popular anime series on the air, carving out its own place alongside Dragon Ball, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Hunter x Hunter in the annals of shonen history. Combining the tried and true tropes of battle shonen series with the style and themes of the superhero genre, the anime manages to resonate with countless fans thanks to its story and characters.
My Hero Academiahas no shortage of beloved, well-written characters, from the bombastic paragon hero All Might to the tragic evil mastermind Tomura Shigaraki. But one of the most compelling characters in the entire series is, of course, the central protagonist Izuku Midoriya, better known by his hero name Deku. While many series — anime and otherwise — are saddled with a protagonist who comes off as bland and uninteresting compared to more striking supporting characters, Deku has such a likable, well-developed personality that he manages to hold his own among other fan favorites as one of the standout characters of the series.
RELATED: My Hero Academia: The 15 Best Battles In The Series, Ranked
Much of the reasoning behind Deku’s appeal as a protagonist can be found within the first episodes of the series. Every superhero’s origin story serves to establish what defines them as a character, and Deku is no exception. Young Midoriya is first introduced as the world’s biggest superhero fanboy, with entire notebooks filled front to back with notes on his favorite pro heroes. Deku’s wide-eyed passion for superheroes is infectious, and likely relatable for viewers who are fans of the genre. But despite his admiration for heroes, Deku’s lack of superpowers makes it impossible for him to follow his dream of becoming a hero himself. At the start of the series, Izuku Midoriya is both literally and figuratively powerless.
Yet despite that powerlessness, Deku still doesn’t hesitate to rush headlong into danger to save his childhood friend (and future rival) Bakugou from a villain attack. His desire to help those in need proves to be stronger than his fear and doubt, proving to All Might that Deku has the heart of a true hero. This single moment defines not only Deku’s entire character, but the true nature of heroism itself in My Hero Academia. Being a true hero means conquering fear to protect others, even when faced with impossible odds. The selflessness, courage, and determination that Deku shows during his origin story is what makes him such a great hero — both within the story and outside of it.
Since then, the series has followed Deku's journey to become a hero as the successor of One For All: the mysterious power once wielded by All Might. But that journey has naturally been a hard one — not just because of the numerous villains he’s gone up against, but because of his own self-doubt. While All Might has always had faith in his protege, other heroes like Eraserhead and Sir Nighteye have had their doubts about Deku’s potential over the course of the series. And of course, Deku has no shortage of his own insecurities thanks to the immense weight of One For All’s legacy. Throughout the series, Deku has struggled with his internal doubt over whether he’s worthy of One For All’s power, forcing him to prove his worth as a hero not just to others, but to himself.
Underdog heroes who are underestimated by those around them are hardly a rarity in shonen anime. But Deku manages to stand out from other shonen heroes thanks to his distinct personality. The archetypical shonen protagonist is brash, energetic, and usually none too bright — think of characters like Goku, Luffy, Naruto, or even Jujutsu Kaisen’s Yuji Itadori, to name a more recent example. By contrast, Deku is nervous, timid, and analytical. He isn’t brimming with self-confidence, but constantly struggling with his own anxieties. Instead of relying on brute force to win every battle, he prefers to study his enemies’ powers to outsmart them. But while Deku may not fit the mold of the standard shonen lead, he’s very reminiscent of one other iconic hero.
My Hero Academia creator Kohei Horikoshi has made no secret of the fact that Spider-Man is his favorite superhero — not only has he expressed his love for the character in interviews, he’s also homaged iconic Spider-Man art in volume covers for the manga, and even drawn his own fan art of the web-slinger alongside other Marvel heroes. And when one compares the character of Peter Parker to Deku himself, it becomes easy to see the similarities. They’re both awkward teenage everymen who unexpectedly receive superpowers and become burdened with a great responsibility.
In a way, it’s inevitable that the character of Deku resonates with so many fans considering his similarities to one of the most beloved superheroes of all time. Midoriya shares many of Peter Parker’s defining traits — not just his nerdy, insecure personality, but his determination to help others as well. Like Spider-Man, Deku is driven by a responsibility to save lives and stand up to injustice, overcoming his own doubts and fears to fight for what’s right. And because of that, Deku has managed to earn his place as one of the most iconic heroes in modern shonen.
Since Deku’s character arc is still ongoing in the manga, the anime still has yet to fully explore the depths of Deku’s internal conflict. But even so, it’s clear by now that his down-to-earth, relatable personality, humanizing flaws, and genuine drive to do good have cemented Deku as a true hero. If My Hero Academia continues to maintain its course as one of the best mainstream shonen series, then Deku will no doubt go down in history as one of the greatest heroes in all of anime.
MORE: 10 Iconic Shonen Anime Protagonists, Ranked By Their Power
