My Hero Academia is an incredibly successful anime with four seasons and three movies under its belt. The series has plenty of characters for fans to root for, from a brash and loud Bakugou Katsuki to a timid and determined Midoriya Izuku. As a part of the new generation of Shonen protagonists, Midoriya has a lot to live up to.
Unsurprisingly, he is often compared to previous main characters like Naruto from Naruto/Naruto Shippuden and Luffy from One Piece. He may share some similarities with the main characters of other Shonen manga, but Kohei Horikoshi, the creator of My Hero Academia has also made a lot of changes to how protagonists act and develop making Midoriya incredibly different from other anime protagonists.
10 He's Not An Idiot
A very common trope in Shonen anime is that the protagonist is a bit of an idiot. The character often acts as a stand-in for the audience, asking questions so the audience can learn about the world. Instead of being ignorant to what's going on around him, Midoriya is often the one explaining everything. Midoriya is incredibly book smart. He is one of the top students in class 1-A, ranked 4th just after Bakugou Katsuki. He is also an amazing strategist and is able to understand Quirks on a completely different level than everyone else.
9 He Has A Crush on Someone
Shonen anime isn't really known for romance. Often times crushes are hinted at or saved for the end of the manga. Characters like Luffy don't even seem to understand the concept of having a crush. My Hero Academia, on the other hand, is open about crushes from the beginning. Midoriya seems to have a crush on Uraraka and acts like a typical teenage boy when he is around her. He's often speechless around her and blushes heavily. He even gets excited when he talks to her on the phone for the first time.
8 He's Not A Delinquent
In anime from the early 2000s, the protagonist is usually a bit of a troublemaker. Yusuke Urameshi from Yu Yu Hakusho and Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach often get into fights. While Ichigo is a good student Yusuke is known for skipping class. While Midoriya has broken a few rules, it's generally against his personality to act out.
When Bakugou tries to fight him in season 3, he is completely against it. It's only when Bakugou reveals his feelings that he's willing to go through with it. In general, Midoriya is only willing to break the rules to help someone in need. In all other instances, he is a bit of a goodie two shoes.
7 He Doesn't Try To Do Everything Himself
It makes sense for Shonen protagonist to take part in all the important fights. They're the main characters. However, sometimes this trope goes a little too far. In Naruto Shippuden Naruto is practically fighting the entire war on his own. My Hero Academia is a little more realistic.
When they first begin their training, dangerous villains are often left to the adults to handle. When the students face The Hero Killer Stain, Midoriya teams up with Todoroki and Iida to beat him. Midoriya creates the best strategies, but a majority of the time he incorporates his friend's strengths so they can beat their opponent together.
6 He's Quiet
It's normal for Shonen protagonists to be loud and boisterous. They're often leading their friends into all types of mischief with a happy-go-lucky attitude. Midoriya is nicknamed "sunshine boy" by many fans, but he is also incredibly timid and quiet. He still manages to take charge in dire situations, but that's usually because he comes up with the best plan of action. Out of all the characters in the series, Bakugou Katsuki encompasses this protagonist trope far more than Midoriya does.
5 He's Treated Like A Kid
Most Shonen protagonists are in their teens, which can make it hard to believe that all of them carry the weight of saving the world on their shoulders. In later seasons, Midoriya and the rest of class 1-A take on more hero work, but they're still treated like the children they are.
Aizawa and the other teachers often take on the tasks the students can't handle like when they defend the school against villains during the USJ attack. During the student's internships, Gran Torino tells Midoriya to stay out of the fight because he isn't ready yet. Of course, Midoriya doesn't listen, which is why Gran Torino is quick to reprimand him as soon as he sees him.
4 He Has A Parental Figure That's Active In His Life
It makes sense that parental figures don't often appear in Shonen anime. Characters would have less freedom if their mother or father were telling them what to do. Not only are both of Midoriya's parents alive, but his mother plays an active role in his life. She even makes his first hero costume for him. After the attack on the camp, she almost stops Midoriya from going back to UA, which is a situation most Shonen protagonists don't have to deal with. Luckily for Midoriya, All Might is able to change her mind.
3 He's Not The Best Fighter
Midoriya is incredibly skilled and smart. When everything is going wrong his classmates often look to him for support. That being said, he is far from the strongest fighter. In most Shonen anime, the protagonist is the one doing all the work. They easily take out nameless grunts and go toe-to-toe with the final boss. The only main villain Midoriya fights on his own is Overhaul and that's because he had Eri's help. All the other heroes and even some of his classmates are far more skilled than Deku when it comes to combat.
2 He's Open With His Emotions
Some fans of the series complain that Midoriya is too emotional. It's a running gag in the fandom that he is a bit of a crybaby. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. Midoriya only seems to be overly emotional because he actually shows his emotions. Most Shonen protagonists don't display sadness even in the worst of situations. Considering how much Midoriya has been through, it makes sense for him to give in to his emotions.
1 He's Self Sacrificing
While all Shonen protagonists are willing to risk their lives to save others, Midoriya takes it to the extreme. He repeatedly destroys himself in order to protect the people he cares about. During the sports festival, he broke his arms and all the bones in his hands to get through to Todoroki and he nearly ruins his arms in his fight against Muscular. His self-destructive tendencies are his worst habit.