Among the countless new-gen anime series, the ones that reign over their competitors are Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and My Hero Academia. Fans of My Hero Academia and Demon Slayer often debate who the better protagonist is between Deku and Tanjiro.
Although they both are well-written characters, a few of Izuku Midoriya’s traits will always help him reign over Tanjiro while proving why Deku is a better protagonist than him. The traits are his perseverance and ability to crawl back up despite how difficult life is and how many odds are against him. Deku would always bounce back, not giving up.
My Hero Academia protagonist, Izuku Midoriya, is different from other MCs
In the world of Shonen, where protagonists are always born with exceptional talent or innate powers, we have Izuku Midoriya, who was born without powers in a world where everything depends on your quirks.
The author of My Hero Academia took a unique approach while writing Izuku Midoriya; one of the few characters in anime with whom fans can relate. He wasn’t born the strongest, and life was not easy for him while growing up.
Targeted for constant bullying and hatred by Bakugo and his friends for being quirkless, Deku didn’t give up on his dream of becoming the world’s number one hero. No matter how impossible it seemed, he always believed in himself.
Deku’s attitude towards facing and overcoming his problems without any god-gifted talent has made his character immensely popular among fans. In a 2019 interview with Cinema Today Japan, Kohei Horikoshi, said,
“I really like stories where the [main] character still tries to move on forward even if it means they will need to crawl desperately on the ground and go through hell. I really wanted to draw a protagonist who would act like that.”
Tanjiro, though a very well-versed main character, fauls to make the same impact as Deku. The latter’s journey from being the weakest person in the world to the hope of the villains and its savior, his development has been comparatively more complex, and fans saw more character development in Deku than they did in Tanjiro.
More on My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia’s seventh season has been announced, scheduled for May 2024. It will re-ignite the fierce battles with Shigaraki, who has set his sights on destroying the hero society, pitting him against Deku and his classmates.
If done correctly, the upcoming season could surpass all the previous seasons, as it has some very iconic moments, such as the introduction of Stars and Stripes, America’s number one hero, who will make her grand appearance in season seven of the series.
A fourth film, My Hero Academia: You’re Next, has also been announced with the Japanese premiere of the film is set for August 2, 2024. The exact plot details of the movie have not been disclosed yet but are expected to be revealed soon.
It would be the fourth film in the franchise, and just like the previous ones, it will be an anime original film that takes place similarly to the manga timeline.
Watch the journey of Izuku Midoriya, becoming the world’s number one hero on Crunchyroll.
