Izuku Midoriya

Izuku Midoriya, also known as Deku, is the main protagonist of the My Hero Academia manga and anime series.

Even though Izuku was born Quirkless, he manages to catch the attention of the legendary hero All Might due to his innate heroism and a strong sense of justice, and has since become his close pupil, as well as a student in Class 1-A at U.A. High School. All Might passed on his transferable Quirk to Izuku, making him the ninth holder of One For All.

Following the Paranormal Liberation War, with Tomura Shigaraki and All For One actively targeting Izuku for his Quirk, he decided to leave U.A. before finishing his first year to keep his classmates out of harm's way. He is still continuing to fight villains.

## Personality

Izuku is a very timid, reserved, and polite boy, frequently overreacting to abnormal situations with exaggerated expressions. Due to yeаrs of being looked down on by Katsuki for lacking a Quirk, he is initially portrayed as insecure, tearful, vulnerable, and non-expressive. These traits are especially present around Katsuki, who also constantly harangued him for his aspirations to become a hero. However, after being accepted into U.A., making new friends, and facing Katsuki during the Battle Trial Arc, Izuku gradually matures into a more confident and brave person who's always eager to prove his worth as a hero, eventually developing strong leadership skills, which combined with his passion and strategic abilities, have turned him into a central figure within Class 1-A alongside Katsuki.

Izuku is a quite diligent and strong-willed student, being extremely (and sometimes scarily) enthusiastic about topics related to heroes. His dream drives him to write down notes about everything he learns in regards to heroes' Quirks and fighting capabilities. Thanks to this practice, Izuku has developed a great analytical mind and can form complex battle plans in a few seconds, factoring in the best ways he can utilize the Quirks of allies and enemies alike for his own advantage.

Izuku externalizes his observations through endless mumbling, a habit that annoys or creeps out his peers. Izuku often writes down his observations in a variety of notebooks he titles as Hero Analysis for the Future, checking on them regularly during school activities or at night.

Izuku is caring and emotional, never hesitating to help or rescue someone in danger, even if he knows that he might not be strong or qualified enough to do it. Often, he does this on instinct, taking a more careless approach than the usual overthinking he goes through and putting himself in peril in order to protect someone.

Izuku is known to help or lecture people with personal and emotional problems, regardless if it's his business or not, claiming that a hero should meddle in other people's lives. This audacious spirit, while initially viewed as perplexing or even insane by others, is also recognized by many, and has earned the loyalty and gratitude of characters that were previously antagonistic to him such as Tenya Ida, Shoto Todoroki, Hitoshi Shinso, Kota Izumi, Sir Nighteye and even the Hero Killer: Stain.

He has a strong fascination with heroes and is shown well-versed in their history, sometimes surprising the heroes with his vast knowledge. Of all heroes, the Symbol of Peace, All Might, has impacted and modeled Izuku's life the most. Many of Izuku's decisions and actions result from his desire to become a Pro Hero similar to All Might, and thus he has a great devotion to him.

Izuku is an avid collector of All Might merchandise, has knowledge of his several feats (no matter how minor), and emulates many of his traits. Having inherited his Quirk, one of Izuku's current priorities is to be able to live up to his idol's legacy, as he is always looking for ways to improve his usage of One For All, being aware of the immense pressure that comes with succeeding the greatest Hero of all time. The unwavering trust and approval Izuku receives from All Might has been vital to his development as a hero, especially when feelings of self-doubt and unworthiness plague his mind.

Izuku appears to have a more brash and abrasive side to him, which typically shows up when he finds himself in combat. This side of him makes him act more like Katsuki, being rather loud and unwavering, and also with a strong drive towards victory. He claims that this is because he sees Katsuki as the embodiment of what someone who strives for victory should be. He has also admitted that he doesn't like this side of him very much and tends to keep it in check. He does, however, find himself giving in to this almost feral rage when in dire situations and faced against opponents who had brutally hurt people he cares for, like in his battles against Overhaul and Tomura Shigaraki.

Izuku also possesses an empathetic side and has developed a desire to want to understand the villains he has faced, and potentially save them from themselves, even when others around him feel it is unrealistic. Initially believing Tomura to be a madman who just wants to meaninglessly hurt others, after learning about his tragic history and sensing the pain in his heart through their connection between One For All and All For One, this re-invigorates his belief that a great Hero is someone who saves others, not kills, and because of this, desires to learn how they became villains and see if there is any way to prevent a fight.

Following the conclusion of the Paranormal Liberation War, Izuku has begun to drastically change his behavior. After suffering from the trauma brought in by the War, seeing countless innocent people have their lives ruined by society, having All For One relentlessly target him for his Quirk, and bearing the responsibility of protecting his friends, Izuku becomes more cold and distant towards others. The overwhelming stress and burden results in him rushing into fights and leaving behind All Might and the other Heroes looking after him so no one else will get hurt. This increasingly driven, serious side of him has even caused civilians to note that he doesn't look like a hero.