10 anime main characters more heroic than Deku

Anime main characters can come in a lot of different shapes and forms, but heroism is a trait that defines most of them in the shonen demographic. In that regard, My Hero Academia's Deku is known for his selfless nature and his willingness to help others through thick and thin, but there is no denying that there are other protagonists who surpass him in terms of heroism.

These anime main characters have had to deal with universal threats, building themselves from the ground up, and even going as far as sacrificing their lives for a greater cause. All of this makes them quite unique and heroic, to the point that some of them have defined what a protagonist can be in the anime industry, which is something that a lot of characters cannot boast about.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series mentioned here. Any opinion expressed in this piece belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

10 anime main characters who are proven to be more heroic than Deku and why

1. Naofumi Iwatani (Rising of the Shield Hero)

Naofumi, a unique case as far as anime main characters go (Image via Kinema Citrus)

Isekai anime main characters are usually taken to another world to serve a grand quest, get a lot of allies, and manage to save the day while most people love them. While it is true that Naofumi Iwatani is taken to another world to serve as the Shield Hero, his job to become one of the Legendary Heroes came with a lot of difficulties.

Even though Naofumi was chosen to serve as the Shield Hero, he was initially framed by who was supposed to be his partner in his journey, Malty S Melromarc, the princess of Melromarc, accusing him of abuse and stealing from her. This tarnished Naofumi's image and he became bitter about it, taking a lot of time to overcome these trust issues.

Despite all of this, Naofumi still manages to fulfill his role as the Shield Hero and begins to develop more trust in his allies, particularly fueled by his friendship and kinship with Raphtalia. The ability to help others despite the hatred of everyone around him is a prime example of heroism.

2. Seiya (Saint Seiya)

Seiya, one of the most iconic anime main characters (Image via Toei Animation)

Seiya was forced to train in Greece as a young boy to become a Saint and fight for the goddess Athena, which is something that he came to learn throughout the series. This included facing the manipulation of the Gemini Saga within the Sanctuary, their own organization, and later facing other deities such as Poseidon and Hades in major wars.

When it comes to those conflicts, Seiya always put his body on the line and never had a problem being the main fighter for a lot of these wars. When they were in the last battle against Hades, he sacrificed himself, getting hit by the god's sword, and staying in a coma for a considerable time, showing how selfless and heroic he could be as far as anime main characters go.

3. Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)

Ichigo, one of the most heroic anime main characters (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Ichigo Kurosaki might be one of the most heroic anime main characters because he was a protector long before getting his Shinigami powers from Rukia Kuchiki. Whether he was helping Chad when the latter was bullied, or simply protecting his own sisters, Ichigo was always there to help others during their time of need, which is a constant throughout Bleach.

It has been mentioned in a lot of circles that Ichigo doesn't have a goal like most anime main characters and only wants to protect his loved ones. However, he has often intervened to save Soul Society and even places that have been hostile to him, such as Hueco Mundo, which shows how heroic he can be.

4. Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)

Luffy as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

There are a lot of One Piece fans who claim that Luffy isn't a hero but rather a liberator, although that won't make his actions any less heroic. While he is not actively searching to help people, the Straw Hat captain has always been there to protect the weak and has also become a major source of freedom for a lot of people who are abused by tyrants.

A running theme throughout One Piece is that Luffy and his crew land on islands that are controlled and manipulated by evil rulers, and they end up being the ones who set these citizens free. Moreover, Luffy often times serves as a source of inspiration and change for most, which leads to a lot of change throughout the universe of this series.

While Deku saved a lot of people, Luffy has instigated a lot more change in his own story and has managed to change the world greatly. That is something that can't be understated, even if the Straw Hat captain never claims to be a hero.

5. Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star)

Kenshiro, one of the most influential anime main characters (Image via TMS Entertainment)

There are times when the threats a hero is facing are too evil and cruel, and they have to take extreme measures to put an end to that chaos. That is something that Fist of the North Star shows, and Kenshiro's way of doing things might be considered too violent for some, but it makes sense when considering the world he is a part of.

This is a world ravaged by nuclear warfare and the landscape is mostly dominated by ruins and desert, with bandits constantly stealing and murdering any innocent person across their way. The last heir of Hokuto Shinken, Kenshiro, walks through these wastelands, looking for his kidnapped beloved, Yuria, and saves as many people as possible.

Kenshiro might be quiet and stoic but has always shown kindness to the weak and innocent while being ruthless to the evil ones. Few modern anime main characters have this approach to things, and makes sense that the Hokuto Shinken user wouldn't give those evildoers a second chance.

6. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)

Naruto, one of the most heroic anime main characters of all time (Image via Studio Pierrot)

My Hero Academia's Deku takes a lot of influences from Naruto— they are both capable of heavy empathy and also put their bodies on the line to help others. However, Naruto's case is a lot more inspiring because of the difficulties he had to go through, and how he never allowed that to make him a worse person.

Due to being the vessel of Kurama, he was constantly mistreated and rejected by people in the Hidden Leaf Village. Despite all of that, he never became bitter about it and rose to the moment whenever someone needed help. He helped a lot of people get redeemed along the way, such as Gaara, Neji Hyuga, and even Sasuke Uchiha, which is something most anime main characters cannot achieve.

7. Kenshin Himura (Rurouni Kenshin)

Kenshin. one of the most selfless anime main characters (Image via Liden Films)

Deku has a positive trajectory throughout My Hero Academia, starting as a normal civilian and eventually becoming a capable hero who saves the world time and time again. However, there is something powerful in committing a lot of mistakes during times of war, and learning from said errors, to become a better and more heroic person, such as Rurouni Kenshin's Kenshin Himura.

Kenshin served for years as a murderer for the Japanese rulers of his time and eventually chose to leave this life behind him, wandering for years as a ronin. As he settles with a woman named Kaoru in a small dojo, there are different threats Kenshi has to deal with, and he tries to do so in a positive manner while maintaining his vow of never taking a life.

The story of Rurouni Kenshin is centered around the protagonist dealing with his own past and his new life philosophy being challenged time and time again. However, his actions are constantly heroic— he saved the country from a major terrorist named Makoto Shishio— all after years of learning from his own mistakes, which is not common with anime main characters.

8. Jonathan Joestar (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Jonathan, one of the most heroic anime main characters (Image via David Production)

Jonathan Joestar might be one of the most obvious examples as far as heroic anime main characters go. As Dio Brando ruined his life and became a vampire who sought to conquer the world, Jonathan fought him without any training and managed to defeat him, which shows how far he was willing to go to do the right thing.

He also vowed to defeat his adoptive brother, Dio, because he didn't want to allow the latter's evil to be spread across the world. During his final moments in the series, he gave his life to save his wife, Erina, and also to protect a baby who would later become a major player in the next part of the franchise, Lisa Lisa.

9. Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon)

Usagi. one of the most iconic anime main characters of all time (Image via Toei Animation)

Having the faith of an entire kingdom and its legacy on your shoulders is not something for a weak will, and Usagi Tsukino certainly learned that throughout Sailor Moon. She is the reincarnation of Princess Serenity, the ruler of the Moon Kingdom, and is tasked with protecting the world from different threats.

Despite being the reincarnation of the Sailor Guardians, Usagi did not become a leader and a great warrior from the get-go. She has to learn the ropes of being Sailor Moon, often dealing with her own fears and insecurities, but still managing to follow through, because she has to fight these villains to protect humanity.

While it is true that Deku is a heroic person, few anime main characters have the responsibility that Usagi has. She knows that she is the only one with the power to stop a lot of threats, such as Sailor Galaxia, which leads to her carrying a burden that most people cannot deal with.

10. Yona (Yona of the Dawn)

Yona, one of the most underrated anime main characters (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The Crown Princess of Kouka Kingdom— the sole heiress of Emperor Il and Queen Kashi— might be one of the most underrated anime main characters of all time. Her father was killed by Soo-Won and she had to flee her own land with her best friend, Hak, slowly trying to adapt to the loss of everything she had, and coming to terms with the fact she has to become stronger.

It is during this period that Yona learns of the issues her country is dealing with, and the different challenges they go through, and tries to help them with Hak and the party of allies she forms along the way. As she tries to help and become a better ruler, she learns to fight and becomes a lot stronger from a mental perspective.

While being the reincarnation of King Hiryuu has given her powerful allies throughout the story, Yona still has to earn their trust and prove herself as a capable leader. Few anime characters, including Deku, have proven time and time again to be as heroic as she has become in the manga.

Final thoughts

Heroism is certainly something that can be shown in a lot of different ways, and all of these anime main characters have shown it in a tremendous manner. They have gone through different circumstances that far surpass those Deku went through and managed to save a lot of people in the process.

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Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay