Not every protagonist is made equal. Even in shonen anime, where main characters always have a lot a common, there are those who stand out. My Hero Academia's Izuku Midoriya may just be one of them. The warm-hearted boy with green fluffy hair and a big smile doesn't manage to earn the top spot on the list of MHA favorite characters, but maybe that's precisely because he's a little different from a regular protagonist.

RELATED: My Hero Academia: Top 15 Fan-Favorite Characters, According To MyAnimeList

It's not unusual for characters in shonen series to be outsiders with tremendous, unlikely powers. In some ways, Izuku shows similarities to Naruto or Black Clover's Asta. But there are other factors that make Izuku quite different from them, that make him unique even among all the other notable shonen protagonists.

9 He's Not Afraid To Show Emotion

My Hero Academia Deku Crying

If there's one personality trait that characterizes Izuku, it's the fact that he feels so strongly. In battle, this manifests through his fierce determination and unbridled willpower to save people. Even when he isn't fighting, Izuku often gets emotional, starting to cry in situations that don't always warrant it.

Notable examples include his rescue of Katsuki Bakugou, the numerous times he cries when All Might comforts him, the moment he finds out his team has passed in the second stage of the U.A. Sports Festival, or many separate instances when he is praised for small things. This has made him unpopular with many fans of the series, but it's actually very important. Deku breaks the stereotype of 'boys don't cry,' which is something more people should realize and accept.

8 He Has A Loving If Not Always Supportive Parental Figure

Izuku and Inko Midoriya from My Hero Academia looking nervous

Many protagonists in shonen anime have traumatic family backgrounds. Izuku isn't a complete exception, as his father is missing from the picture. Hisashi Midoriya's suspicious absence has even made fans speculate he may be the villainous All for One.

Whether her husband is a villain or not, Inko Midoriya genuinely loves her son. She isn't always supportive, and she can't completely understand his desire to be a hero, but she tries. It's more than other protagonists in anime have.

7 He Earns The One Powerful Gift He Receives

Deku And All Might Stand Proud In My Hero Academia

Many fans of MHA take issue with Izuku being All Might's successor. They feel Izuku hasn't earned his Quirk. Born Quirkless, he isn't the best match for one of the most powerful Quirks in the show. In fact, the situation is quite the reverse. Most Quirks in the series aren't earned at all, as they are a genetic inheritance people are simply born with.

RELATED: My Hero Academia: 10 Ways Deku Is The Best Successor For One For All

Izuku just drew the short straw. If he is chosen as One for All's next user, it is precisely because All Might sees potential in him, a true heroic heart that can turn him into the next Number One hero. He doesn't magically receive his gift out of the blue. He earns it by trying to save his former friend-turned bully Katsuki Bakugou, and by training hard to prepare his body.

6 He Makes A Lot Of Mistakes But Shows Huge Growth

Mad Lad Deku

Izuku may be a great successor for All Might, but he's not naturally talented at wielding the powerful Quirk. In the beginning, he keeps breaking himself over and over, unable to control or properly understand One for All. It doesn't help that All Might isn't the best teacher, and the advice he gives Izuku is often counter-productive.

Izuku reaches a point where he does permanent damage to himself while wielding his power, which is unusual in anime where wounds often heal by magic. Despite all of Izuku's mistakes, he gradually shows growth, to the point that he becomes capable of wielding the Quirks of previous users of One for All. This is something not even All Might was capable of doing.

5 The Series Isn't Just About His Journey As A Hero

Class Of 1-A In My Hero Academia GeT Ready For Battle

An important and interesting part of My Hero Academia is that the series doesn't solely rotate around its protagonist. There are many other fascinating characters who get their own arcs. Their personalities and growth are shown in just as much detail. Shoto Todoroki and Katsuki Bakugou are perhaps the best examples, but so is the villain Tomura Shigaraki, who has recently received a lot of development.

4 Even His Friends And Allies Call Izuku Plain And Unimpressive

izuku

In a world where it's not uncommon for people to have extra limbs or wield powerful elemental magic, it stands to reason that someone like Izuku would be seen as unimpressive. Even Ochako Uraraka dubs him plain-looking after he rescues her from the giant robot.

Some fans have argued that it's not necessarily true, as Izuku is cute in his own wholesome way. Regardless, this impression of averageness is repeated by more than one character. Sir Nighteye, All Might's former sidekick, sees him as hugely inferior to the successor he'd had in mind for All Might's Quirk, Mirio Togata, and he's not the only one who feels this way.

3 He's An Awkward Hero Otaku And Mumbles A Lot

izuku all might collection

One of the most important parts of Izuku's character is his absolute obsession with heroes and All Might in particular. He has written thirteen of his notorious analysis notebooks and has an All Might collection that probably rivals Sir Nighteye's. He's basically a hero otaku.

While that isn't necessarily unusual in the world of MHA, Izuku's personality is made even more awkward by his tendency to mutter a lot about his passions. Several characters – including his classmates – have commented on it being a creepy personality trait, and it visibly irritates Katsuki Bakugou.

2 He Lacks The Appeal Of Flashier Characters

izuku vs bakugou

Considering how different he is, it stands to reason that Izuku lacks the appeal of flashier characters. It's why so many fans prefer Katsuki Bakugou over Izuku. In a way, Izuku is a dark horse among other shonen characters who are so much 'cooler' than he is, but a person doesn't have to be traditionally cool to be important, heroic, or amazing. That is the message Izuku's heroism sends, and it's one that many fans appreciate.

1 His Kindness And Heroism Hide A Past Of Spite And Potential For Villainy

Deku flies through the air

Despite all of Izuku's heroic actions, fans haven't overlooked one other part of his character that is important. He has real potential for villainy. The abuse he has experienced his whole life could have pushed him into that direction if things had been just slightly different.

Gentle Criminal's inability to become a hero has been compared a lot with the original impossibility of Izuku's dream, but as a villain, Izuku may have been far more dangerous than Gentle. He is so determined that nothing can stand in his way.

NEXT: My Hero Academia: Deku's 10 Biggest Accomplishments So Far, Ranked