An often-overlooked part of the cast of most anime, tragically, are the family members of the main character. For some reason, even if they don't have an incredibly tragic past that causes the protagonist to lose both or one of them at a young age — like Naruto's titular protagonist — they aren't given much focus. This is seen in other characters such as Sakura, who supposedly has a supportive home life with both parents alive and well, but they're seen less than a handful of times throughout its several-decade run.
This is a problem that My Hero Academia also suffers from, though not to quite the same extent. Inko Midoriya, Izuku's mother, is at least given more screen time than most protagonists' mothers, and there are enough details about her in the series to make her feel less like a lifeless mother figure and more like her own, complex character.
9 Inko's Husband Has Been Confirmed To Make An Appearance At Some Point
Izuku's father has never been seen in the My Hero Academia anime or manga as of yet, but it's not a result of anything tragic. He was simply deployed abroad for work and hasn't had an opportunity to return home.
Inko's husband is named Hisashi Midoriya, and for any My Hero Academia fans hoping to see him, they thankfully don't have to hold their breath. Kohei Horikoshi has already stated during a 2018 Comic-Con panel that he will be fully revealed at some point.
8 Inko's Birthday Is July 4th, Making Her Zodiac Sign Cancer
Inko's birthday is July 4th, which makes her Zodiac sign Cancer. Cancers are known for being loving and highly emotional, though not always negatively. They simply have a lot of love to give — they prefer deep, emotional connections with a small group of people.
The traits of a Cancer all fit Inko quite well; she's a loving mother who wants the best for Izuku, but she can be a bit overemotional and overprotective at times. Since he developed a quirk and was thrust into dangerous situations so suddenly, though, it makes sense why she acts how she does.
7 Inko's Weight Gain Is A Result Of The Guilt She Feels Towards Izuku
Inko is initially portrayed as a slim woman, but she ends up putting on a lot of weight as My Hero Academia goes on. It's hinted that the reason why Inko gains weight is because of the immense guilt she felt for Izuku being born quirkless.
Inko's weight gain could also be due to how stressed she is after Izuku becomes the next holder of One For All. He's constantly seen getting himself hurt, breaking bones, or being targeted by villains, and it's no wonder that the stress starts to get to Inko over time.
6 Inko Is Proficient At Sewing
Inko is proficient at a variety of household tasks, with the most obvious being cooking, as she's able to follow the meal plans that All Might initially makes for Izuku without trouble. Inko is also a relatively adept tailor, as she's able to create Izuku's first hero costume for him.
Inko make's Izuku's hero costume in a relatively short amount of time, using only a few sketches that Izuku had in his notebook of potential hero costumes. It would be great to see this hobby expanded upon, giving her more to do in her free time than simply worry for Izuku.
5 Inko Isn't The Only Well-Known Anime Mother Her English VA Has Voiced
Inko's English voice actress is Jessica Cavanagh. Cavanagh is actually known for voicing quite a few other anime mothers, as well. These include Kisa's mother from Fruits Basket and Chika's mother from Love Live: Sunshine!.
Anime moms have a notorious reputation for tragic backstories. However, the most notable of all of Cavanagh's roles — and perhaps tragic anime moms in general — is that of Carla Jaeger from Attack On Titan. Though Inko struggles with worrying about her son's safety, at least everyone in her family is still alive and well.
4 Not Including Flashbacks, Inko Has Only Appeared In A Dozen Episodes
There are a total of 113 episodes of My Hero Academia that have been released. Not including flashbacks, Inko has only made an appearance in a dozen of these episodes.
Inko appears twice in Season 1, seven times in Season 3, twice in Season 3, and once in Season 5. As far as flashback appearances go, she has three in Season 1, two in Season 2, four in Season 3, and two in Season 4. Fans hope to see more of her as My Hero Academia moves forward.
3 The Kanji For Inko's Name Actually References Her Quirk
Inko's name can have two very different meanings depending on how it is read, with the first one not really relating to her character. Inko is the Japanese word for parrot, and more specifically, smaller parrots such as the parakeet and conure.
However, if fans take a look at the actual kanji for Ink's name, it actually references her Attraction Quirk. Her name contains the kanji for pull, which is a reference to her quirk, which allows her to gravitationally pull small objects towards her.
2 Inko Gets Similarly Starstruck Around All Might
Inko and Izuku have a ton of similarities when it comes to their personalities, which makes sense, given their relation to one another. Both are incredibly caring and kind-hearted, with the tendency to be easily moved to tears.
One surprising similarity between Inko and Izuku is their tendency to get starstruck around All Might. While this wears off for Izuku over time, since All Might becomes his mentor, both Izuku and Inko are incredibly shocked when All Might enters their home for the first time.
1 All Might States That Inko Reminds Him Of Nana
Inko and All Might have their first in-depth interaction with one another when All Might visits their home. He does so in order to attempt to convince Inko to allow Izuku to move into the U.A. Dorms, despite all of the danger he'd recently been placed in.
Inko is originally opposed, but after seeing All Might's resolve to keep Izuku safe, she has a change of heart — although she makes him promise to keep Izuku alive and relatively healthy. This interaction actually reminds All Might of Nana, who was All Might's mentor and former holder of One For All.