October 1st brought the first episode of My Hero Academia season 6, and fans quickly took to the internet to share their thoughts on the opener and the series protagonist Deku.
Midoriya Izuki has grown from a scrappy underdog to one of the most powerful characters in the series throughout the years. However, he still shows flashes of being the same nerdy Deku. The “crybaby” part of Midoriya’s character may have led some to critique the character as a hero, but others love the development that Deku has had and the emotion he’s shown throughout the years.
10/10 He’s Just Like Tanjiro
Kamado Tanjiro, the beloved protagonist of Demon Slayer, seems to have a lot in common with Deku. One of the funniest qualities they share is the bizarre dichotomy between having baby faces and being ridiculously muscular.
While both are two of the strongest Shonen Jump protagonists out there, Deku arguably has the potential to be even greater in his universe than Tanjiro was in Demon Slayer. Both are protagonists who use their heads in battle, a welcome trait in the newer generations of shonen anime. They also, of course, have a very green color scheme.
9/10 He’s Goofy
While My Hero Academia doesn’t quite have the animation quality of a Mappa or Ufotable anime, it usually has serviceable enough animation that can shine in big fights. However, sometimes the freeze frames aren’t generous to the characters involved
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Even when Deku isn’t in a low-quality look, he’s certainly one of the sillier members of the My Hero Academia cast. Deku’s high quality animations can also include some funny faces and goofy moments that are fitting for the nerdy protagonist. Part of what makes My Hero so fun is that its protagonist isn’t always super serious.
8/10 He Loves Being A Hero
Regardless of the medium, watching characters finally achieve a goal they’ve set themselves toward for most of the series is always cathartic. For Deku, getting his hero license was a huge step towards his ultimate goal.
So far, Midoriya’s actions as an amateur hero have already rivaled the works of many pro heroes. He stopped the monstrous Overhaul, helped save Endeavor’s oldest son, and saved the U.A. Sports Festival. Very few characters have the resume that Deku has so far, and he seems set to make even more magic happen in season 6.
7/10 He Discovered How To Use His Legs
Midoriya was infamous for breaking his arms multiple times in the first season. To prevent this, he switched to his more stable legs as his main fighting style with One For All.
While One For All is one of the strongest quirks in My Hero Academia, it also has a severe drawback. Midoriya finding a way to hedge around the drawback was treated as a big moment for him in the anime, but some fans on social media thought the revelation was funny. Using legs, after all, seems like a natural part of martial arts.
6/10 He’s Part Of The Dysfunctional Three Musketers
From Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke to Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke, anime trios have always been a huge part of the genre. My Hero Academia‘s main trio is, unfortunately, more dysfunctional than most.
Bakugo seems to hate Deku and Todoroki, while Deku and Torodoki are friendly but equally awkward around one another. While Todoroki is under the impression that he and Bakugo are good friends, Midoriya at least has a more realistic understanding of where his “friendship” with Bakugo stands. The three at least make great rivals.
5/10 His Training Gets Intense
While Midoriya figured out how to lessen the damage from One For All in later seasons, the first few seasons of the show were brutal to the protagonist’s body.
Midoriya constantly suffered from the power of his own quirk. No characters other than possibly Denki had to deal with such brutal side effects from their quirk. However, Todoroki and Tenya also helped show that young heroes can struggle with their quirk. At least Deku didn’t have to suffer alone due to My Hero Academia’s skill in showing the growing pains of mastering any quirk.
4/10 He Always Angers Bakugo
Despite being Midoriya’s “childhood friend” (AKA bully,) Bakugo still has an odd complex when it comes to his rivalry with the previously quirkless Deku. Some of it has been explicitly stated by Bakugo as being related to Deku’s relationship with Bakugo’s hero: All Might.
Still, it seems like there isn’t any hostility for Bakugo on Midoriya’s end. This makes it even more comedic and ridiculous when Bakugo attacks Midoriya for the smallest things. Despite his anger issues and aggressive nature, Bakugo seems to be even more popular than Midoriya on many websites, including MyAnimeList and several fan polls.
3/10 All Might’s Secret Love Child
Todoroki’s infamous quote “are you All Might’s secret love child or something?” weaved its way into the My Hero Academia fandom’s regular vernacular. However, Midoriya isn’t the only student who looks exactly like his mentor.
Shinso and Aizawa’s similarities were a key plot point towards the beginning of season 5 and made for one of the most enjoyable mini-arcs before the iconic “My Villain Academia” arc. Oddly, the student that’s the least like a mini-me of their primary teacher is Todoroki, who has recently primarily been taught by his father Endeavor.
2/10 He’s No Batman
The first episode of My Hero Academia made it seem to many fans like the message was going to be another “you don’t need powers to be a hero” story. However, the story quickly made it very clear that Midoriya wouldn’t have succeeded without One For All.
While it’s no slight on Midoriya that he couldn’t have succeeded in becoming a hero without a quirk, it does make fans question the purpose of him being quirkless in the first place. Midoriya being quirkless in the beginning is even funnier considering the big reveal in season 5 that he’d receive the former quirks of every previous One For All holder.
1/10 He’s Always Nervous
Midoriya has certainly become one of the strongest characters in My Hero Academia. He’s also gained great confidence on the battlefield. However, Midoriya is still the same lovable anxious nerd off the battlefield.
While some fans don’t like how socially awkward Midoriya can be, other fans find it to be one of his most endearing qualities. The U.A student will panic just from being asked a question by Mount Lady or by being alone with Ochaco for more than five minutes. Regardless of his nervousness, Deku can be one of the coolest characters in My Hero.