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In an era of superhero popularity and rising appreciation for the stylized anime genre, there are few stories that combine the two as seamlessly or as colorfully as My Hero Academia. The long-running manga sparked a corresponding anime series, with years of love and investment from fans and a sixth season airing this October.
My Hero Academia did all the right things at just the right time (even working in a school-life style of storytelling), making it one of the most popular anime in recent memory. After all, it’s one of a handful of anime shows known by the general pop culture community instead of only being nestled in the anime niche. But My Hero Academia’s success as a story stems not just from its love for superheroes and the conventions of shonen anime, but also because of its protagonist: Izuku Midoriya (Daiki Yamashita).
As one of the very few citizens without a superpower, Izuku’s dreams of becoming a hero are crushed – until he meets his idol All Might (Kenta Miyake), and with his support enrolls in UA, the school for heroes. Just as he is an outcast among the quirky superpowered people he finds there, Izuku is also very different, not just from his fellow heroes, but from his fellow shonen protagonists, from the classic Goku and Naruto to the modern-day Eren Jaeger.
Anime comes in many forms, one of which is the shonen category; in its most basic sense, shonen anime is marketed toward young boys (usually around 12–18 years old). As such, shonen anime is generally filled with tropes and structures that teen and preteen boys would enjoy – for example, drawn-out action sequences that can sometimes span an entire episode (or more). One of the most prominent shonen tropes is the passionate and determined young male protagonist. They yell, they punch, and they win.
Modern anime has begun to play with this type of protagonist in new and interesting ways. For instance, 2019 anime The Promised Neverland introduced the very first female shonen protagonist. But My Hero Academia also retains the core elements of your typical shonen protagonist: a young boy who is passionate about his interests and almost scarily determined to become stronger, both physically and mentally. The difference between your classic shonen protagonist and Izuku Midoriya lies in attitude.
Izuku is, by nature and upbringing, an extremely sensitive person. This is shown from a comical angle by the running joke that Izuku cries often and wholeheartedly (the sudden, forceful fountain of tears shooting straight up into the air could easily be confused with an undiscovered superpower in and of itself). Izuku interacts with the world through wide-eyed wonder and gushes about his interests endlessly. His passion (everything that has to do with superheroes) is often a point of admiration (and amusement) from the people around him. This, paired with his tendency to jump into action and protect people even though he has no power himself, makes Izuku incredibly likable. Other instances highlight Izuku’s almost too-good-for-this-world wholesome attitude by contrasting his behavior and actions with his character foil, Katsuki Bakugou (Nobuhiko Okamoto). While Izuku is clearly the protagonist (he all but says as much during his narration of the first two episodes), he is an interesting choice.
My Hero Academia is a world full of protagonist-type characters, and there are more than a few who could easily take up the mantle. Shoto Todoroki (Yuki Kaji) is even equipped with a traditionally tragic backstory. If this were a typical shonen anime, Bakugou would most likely be the number one choice: he is extremely vocal and dedicated to growing stronger, displaying the scream-worthy aggressive rage that isn’t hard to find among shonen protagonists. For years, Bakugou bullies and belittles Izuku mercilessly, using all the bullying tactics from name-calling to physical aggression. These attacks take an emotional toll on Izuku, but he never lets Bakugou block him from achieving his dream; at the same time, Izuku looks out for Bakugou’s well-being, even at the bully’s worst moments. This behavior shows off Izuku’s heroic qualities, even as the tears fall.
The very existence of Bakugou is one of My Hero Academia’s best qualities. Bakugou is vocal, aggressive, determined, smart, and physically imposing. In other words, any typical shonen anime would cast Bakugou as the protagonist instead of someone as sensitive as crybaby Izuku. However, the show chooses to highlight the worst qualities of Bakugou’s brand of toxicity and aggression with the purpose of contrasting these qualities with Izuku. They are very different characters, but they do mirror each other. Izuku is the opposite of what a proud, vocal, and aggressive shonen protagonist can often be perceived as.
While this may seem to be a critique of toxic masculinity, it is important to remember that there are different types of masculinity. Bakugou’s behavior makes others perceive him as villainous (something that various characters point out throughout the show), while Izuku, though seemingly soft upon first impression, usually walks away having earned the respect of others and the title of true hero. The ability to feel as deeply as Izuku does and to be honest enough to display these sensitivities in front of others (while still kicking butt as a hero) is a trait rarely found not just in anime series, but also in general. Nonetheless, Izuku’s brand of bravery is no less masculine than Bakugou’s – it’s just less loud.
The knowledge that there are different sorts of heroes (and they don’t all have to scream and blow things up to get stronger, or to prove strength) is essential when taking into consideration shonen anime’s target audience. It’s important that young boys know how to handle their feelings, whether they tend to behave more vocally and aggressively as Bakugou (who learns to control himself through the course of the show) or they tend to let their vulnerabilities show like Izuku does (and he also works on not bursting into tears as often). There’s a balance to be reached in terms of shonen anime’s displaying of masculinity; both Izuku and Bakugou are heroes, even if they deal with struggles in different ways.
Izuku is certainly a refreshingly sensitive and wholesome protagonist. His tendency to cry, gush about his favorite heroes, and be vulnerable with others make him a positive role model for younger male viewers who are shown through Izuku’s personality and his own particular brand of determination that strong heroes can also display strong emotions – ones that are not just perceived as anger, frustration, or obsession, but rather a vast variety of feelings, all of which (from rage to sadness) are valid. As such, My Hero Academia displays a variety of masculinity types, but the show simply wouldn’t be the same without its unique protagonist. The tone of the show matches Izuku’s personality. His positive and sensitive qualities play a large part in making My Hero Academia a light-hearted and inspirational anime.
My Hero Academia Season 6 is set to premiere on October 1 and will also be available to stream on Crunchyroll.
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