There are nearly hundreds of shonen anime that properly represent why the action-heavy genre has become so popular and series frequently turn into phenomena. Shonen series are often where the next big hits are found and My Hero Academia is an example that’s stood out ever since its debut.

RELATED: My Hero Academia: 5 Times Deku Proved To Be The Best Shonen Protagonist (5 Times He Fell Short)

The series has continued to evolve, and Izuku “Deku” Midoriya’s journey to grow as a professional hero has been deeply satisfying. As the series’ protagonist, Deku's biggest moments and accomplishments have been showcased for everyone to witness. However, despite being very much an open book, Deku is by no means bereft of any secrets.

10 His Nickname, Deku, Is An Insult Turned Into A Positive

Anime My Hero Academia Izuku Uraraka Surprise

Izuku Midoriya is the star of My Hero Academia, but some may be confused why he's frequently called Deku. This is his nickname, but it has a complicated history. Bakugo originally said it to Izuku when they were children as an insult. The English dub even goes so far to say that it's shorthand for Defenseless Izuku. However, Uraraka turns the insult around and decides that it should be an empowering nickname. She says it makes her get the feeling that she can do anything, which is the positive meaning that Izuku embraces.

9 He’s The 9th User To Possess One For All

Anime My Hero Academia Izuku Former One For All Users

Deku is such a special character because he begins the series with no Quirk, only to inherit All Might's powerful One For All Quirk. This Quirk is specifically an ability that passes on from one successor to the next. Midoriya is actually the ninth person in the series to inherit the power of One For All, and the end of the fourth season of the anime hints towards Deku's mental connection to the past users of his Quirk who are now gone. The future of the series explores Midoriya's bond with his predecessors and how he can literally inherit their skills.

8 He’s 16 Years Old

Anime My Hero Academia Izuku Face Worried

One of the aspects of My Hero Academia that helps make it so relatable is that it features characters who are on the cusp of adolescence and their personalities are still very malleable.

RELATED: My Hero Academia: 5 Challenges Deku Faces Going Forward (& 5 He's Already Overcome)

Izuku Midoriya has aspirations to be one of the greatest heroes and likely retire with that status, but he starts the series in a young place of inexperience. Deku is 14 when the series starts, turns 15 during the Provisional License Exam, and has since turned 16. Whether he’ll reach 18 and beyond in the series remains to be seen.

7 He Has Close-Range And Long-Range Combat Styles

Anime My Hero Academia Izuku Shoot Style Quirk

Plenty of characters in My Hero Academia show development and growth with their Quirks, but in the case of Midoriya, it’s as if he’s mastered an entirely different ability. At the start of the series, Izuku specializes in melee combat with his fists, which is where he channels his Quirk. Over time, Deku learns how to shift to Shoot Style, which allows him to become skilled in long-distance projectile attacks. Midoriya also transfers his energy to his feet and develops a whole new combat style through that, too. He carries a lot of versatility in his combat.

6 He’s Trained Under Multiple Mentors

Anime My Hero Academia Izuku Fights Gran Torino

At the start of My Hero Academia there’s a very clear mentor and student relationship in place between Midoriya and All Might. To the series’ credit, My Hero Academia evolves and puts Deku together with new mentors and teachers who allow him to develop an eclectic group of skills and perfect different parts of himself. Midoriya’s time with Gran Torino allows him to develop One For All: Full Cowl and prepare against Stain, but Sir Nighteye is also a crucial voice for Deku later on, too.

5 He’s Perfected One For All To 45%

Anime My Hero Academia Izuku Full Cowl 45 Percent

One For All is a coveted Quirk, but it’s also a double-edged sword of Deku. Many Quirks allow their users to run wild with their abilities without any restrictions. Midoriya finds himself in the situation where his Quirk is so powerful that he’s only allowed to use small percentages of it. Otherwise, his body will be destroyed.

RELATED: My Hero Academia: 5 Duos Stronger Than Bakugo and Deku (& 5 Weaker)

With the assistance of Eri, Midoriya has been able to reach 100% of his Quirk, but otherwise, he can go as high as 45% without breaking all of the bones in his body. He typically operates at 30% power, though.

4 He Works At The Nighteye Hero Agency

Anime My Hero Academia Midoriya Lunges At Nighteye

There are plenty of series that keep their characters in a degree of stasis and are actually able to benefit from the lack of lasting change. My Hero Academia definitely features a slowed-down timeline, but time indeed passes and it markedly shows the development of these characters as heroes. Season 4 sees a lot of characters go into internships and work-study programs. Midoriya finds himself working for Nighteye’s investigative agency alongside Miro Togata. It’s a positive use of Deku’s talents and he’s able to incorporate Nighteye’s work ethic and principles as he moves on.

3 His Costume Regulates His Strength

Izuku's upgraded costume in My Hero Academia.

Obviously, the actual power and values behind a hero are what really matter, but a little style can go a long way and there are definitely heroes who are considerably more popular because of their costumes and apparel. Midoriya actually experiences various upgrades to his hero costume over time, all of which help maintain and better regulate the growing strength of his Quirk. The iron soles on his shoes absorb kinetic energy and his gloves help focus and release pressurized air through his Quirk, with Mei Hatsume's help being fundamental in both cases.

2 He's Ranked 18th In Class 1-A

Anime My Hero Academia Izuku Momo Class 1-A Nervous

It takes a lot to be a hero and My Hero Academia does an excellent job to demonstrate that. Some characters focus purely on power, but strength is merely one area of a hero. Midoriya has been involved with some of the biggest takedowns of villains and accomplished some incredible things, but when it comes to stats and rankings, he’s positioned as largely normal. Midoriya is ranked 18th in his class and scored a 71 on his Provisional Hero License Exam. To get more specific, Deku comes in 7th during the Entrance Exam and 4th in Class 1-A’s midterms.

1 He Has Several Quirks

Manga My Hero Academia Izuku Blackwhip Quirk

The longer that My Hero Academia goes on, the more it plays around with what are believed to be the fundamentals of how Quirks work. Several characters, both good and evil, possess multiple Quirks at once, which sets a whole new precedent for power in the series. Midoriya is a truly special situation where he’s an individual who goes from having zero Quirks to now three and counting. He has his One For All ability, but he’s also able to channel the Float and Blackwhip Quirks that belonged to the previous One For All holders.

NEXT: MHA: All The Characters Deku Lost To (& How)