My Hero Academia: 10 anime main characters who had more development than Deku

My Hero Academia has recently ended, but there are still a lot of criticisms regarding the conclusion of the series, particularly when it comes to the protagonist, Izuku "Deku" Midoriya. Beyond the fact that his conclusion after an eight-year time skip was extremely divisive to a lot of people, there is a general perspective that Deku didn't grow nor develop greatly throughout the story, which is the main issue.

Izuku is seen having a lot of self-worth and confidence issues throughout My Hero Academia, but these problems are never addressed and he never moves past them, which is shown after the time skip when he happily takes a mechanical suit to become a hero again without hesitation. There are several anime main characters, whether they are protagonists or deuteragonists, who have had a much more developed path than Deku and whose conclusions feel a lot more rewarding, which also serves to contrast with him.

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

10 anime main characters with better development than Deku from My Hero Academia and why

1. Yusuke Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho)

Yusuke definitely had more development than the My Hero Academia protagonist (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Yu Yu Hakusho is widely regarded as one of the finest battle shonen series of all time, and a major reason for that is how compelling Yusuke Urameshi is as a protagonist. His personality is a huge selling point, as he proves to be tough, arrogant, and straight to the point, paving the way for a new generation of protagonists with a different attitude.

Yusuke starts as a delinquent who doesn't have any desire to keep living and who only causes problems for those around him, but his journey as a Spirit Detective and the fights he goes through make him grow up as a man. This last part is something that can be compared to what Deku went through in My Hero Academia, although his development wasn't the greatest.

It is telling that Yusuke's final moments in the series, right after the tournament of the Three Kings arc, depict him as a lot more mature and at peace with himself. This is a direct contrast with Deku's character, whose ending in the series' epilogue is widely perceived as disappointing.

2. Thorfinn (Vinland Saga)

Thorfinn has one of the best character developments in anime (Image via MAPPA).

There is no denying that Thorfinn has one of the greatest character arcs in the entirety of anime and manga, not just compared to what Deku went through in My Hero Academia. That is because his journey in Vinland Saga is all about his growth as a person while trying to find a balance between accepting pacifism and that sometimes fighting is necessary.

Furthermore, the entire series, while having some key subplots, mostly focuses on Thorfinn's quest for revenge after his father Thors was killed by Askeladd and later casting aside that desire for killing. That is something that has defined him as a character, to the point that the Thorfinn at the current point of the manga doesn't seem like the same person.

In that regard, it is a direct contrast to what happened to Deku in My Hero Academia, where his character flaws and shortcomings are never addressed. Most of Thorfinn's story is about him accepting his flaws and working hard during most of his life to fix them.

3. Guts (Berserk)

Arguably the finest character development in manga and anime (Image via Young Animal).

Guts' character arc is one of the most celebrated in the entirety of manga and anime, which makes a lot of sense when considering the difficult topics that Berserk addresses. The main character of this series has gone through almost every conceivable trauma, including dealing with a lot of supernatural threats and even more losses, but his journey to overcome them and become a better man is almost inspirational.

In that regard, My Hero Academia is not nearly as brutal as Berserk, but both Deku and Guts go through hardship in their respective lives, no matter the difference in intensity. However, author Kentaro Miura allows Guts to have moments to reflect and think about the mistakes he has made and move forward with his life, while Deku is almost never allowed that.

It can be argued that Guts is a different person in each main arc of his series, and that is because his character is always changing and evolving, making him one of the greatest protagonists of all time. While not a slight at Deku, it was always going to be an uphill battle for him in this comparison.

4. Hanamichi Sakuragi (Slam Dunk)

A stronger character arc than the My Hero Academia protagonist (Image via Toei Animation).

While Hanamichi Sakuragi never had to save the world or stop super-powered terrorists like Deku in My Hero Academia, his journey in basketball in Slam Dunk is remarkable. He initially started playing because he wanted to impress a girl and eventually turned into a huge passion for him, to the point of sacrificing his own health just so his team could win an important game.

Moreover, Hanamichi also learns a great deal from training and dedication, which is something that he took from his captain, Akagi, and his coach, Anzai. That is something that a lot of people can notice throughout the story as he becomes a lot more disciplined and flexible when it comes to listening to other people while also maintaining his fiery personality.

This is a change that is not that widely seen in My Hero Academia with Deku, which is a shame when taking this comparison into account. There is a clear difference between Hanamichi at the beginning and the ending of the story, with his love for basketball being the main source of this change.

5. Vegeta (Dragon Ball)

One of the most iconic character arcs in anime (Image via Toei Animation).

When it comes to Deku and comparisons to his character arc in My Hero Academia, there are also other people beyond protagonists who fit in this discussion. In that regard, there is a very good example of proper character development in Dragon Ball, and that is the Saiyan Prince, Vegeta.

Vegeta has one of the most iconic character arcs in the entirety of manga and anime—he goes from a ruthless killer of planets to a proud yet noble warrior. That is something that Dragon Ball Super has further cemented, but his arc in Z is filled with massive defeats that allowed him to grow and improve, even going as far as recognizing Goku as better than him when fighting Kid Buu.

It is a powerful journey of redemption and determination for self-improvement, which is something that Deku and his arc cannot really compete with.

6. Jolyne Cujoh (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Another character arc that was more developed than the My Hero Academia protagonist (Image via David Production).

The interesting thing about the several protagonists of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, the titular Jojos, is that many of them get notorious character development. They are oftentimes reacting to several threats happening around them and often serve as paragons of what's right to put things in order, but Jolyne Cujoh is a very curious example that fits in the comparison with the My Hero Academia protagonist.

The main character of the sixth part, Stone Ocean, starts as a helpless girl in prison who can't fend for herself and has an awful relationship with her father, Jotaro Kujo. However, once she gains her Stand, Stone Free, and discovers that her father was protecting her all along, Jolyne becomes a lot more courageous and bold, to the point of going against the odds to face Father Enrico Pucci.

Much like Deku in My Hero Academia, Jolyne starts from a position of weakness, but her journey is a lot more solid and consistent. Furthermore, her usage of her Stand is simply remarkable, which is a stark contrast to Deku getting multiple Quirks to become a lot more powerful in the series.

7. Killua Zoldyck (Hunter X Hunter)

Another very well-received character (Image via Madhouse).

There is no denying that Killua Zoldyck is one of the most popular characters in Hunter X Hunter, and a major reason for that is his development throughout the story. He is first introduced as a cold-hearted killer who seems to have no care for human life but begins to become a much better person as he develops a friendship with the protagonist, Gon.

Killua and Deku do have some similarities because the My Hero Academia protagonist also has a strong friendship with Katsuki Bakugo, but the way they are handled plays a major difference in their arcs. The young Zoldyck's friendship with Gon fleshes out and elevates his character, while Deku's with Bakugo only decreases his arc and makes it more of a contradiction.

8. Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)

Another solid arc, although in a different direction (Image via MAPPA).

Not every character arc that is better written than Deku's in My Hero Academia has to be a positive trajectory. There are characters whose wrong decisions and tragic events can send them to very dark paths, and a very prominent example of that is the Attack on Titan protagonist, Eren Yeager.

Eren started as a hopeful young man with desires for freedom and wanting to avenge his family against the Titans. However, as the story progresses and a lot of revelations are made, he becomes bitter with the world and chooses to destroy most of the human population, thus ending the series as its main villain.

Naturally, this is a direct contrast to Deku's journey of becoming a great hero but is better executed than what My Hero Academia author Kohei Horikoshi wrote. Eren's descent into darkness is logical when considering the events he goes through and the insane amount of power he gets, thus leading to a very cohesive character arc.

9. Light Yagami (Death Note)

Light's character arc was straight to the point (Image via Madhouse).

This example falls in line with the previous example of Eren and also marks a stark contrast with the My Hero Academia protagonist in both the writing approach and the consistency of their development. Light Yagami is one of the most celebrated anime protagonists of all time because of how he tackles the way to do with crime and his own messiah complex.

Moreover, Light's descent into evil is very realistic and shows how the power of the Death Note fully consumed him, to the point of becoming a serial killer who has no problem manipulating his own family and good people to achieve his goals. That quality of writing is part of the reason the series has aged so well and Light's progression is notoriously superior to that of Deku.

10. Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia)

Ironically, Bakugo got a better character arc than Deku in My Hero Academia (Image via Bones).

It is rather ironic that the character Deku influenced the most in My Hero Academia has had a lot more development than him. But regardless of personal opinions on Katsuki Bakugo, there is no denying that he has a clear arc and one that feels a bit more consistent than that of the protagonist.

Bakugo starts as a clear-cut bully and as someone who has a lot of issues cooperating with others, although he slowly begins to improve as the series progresses. There are some who feel that his arc lacked some scenes and more major changes in his personality, but there is no denying that he ends the story with a certain progression, which can't be said about Deku.

Final thoughts

Naturally, there are more anime main characters who have had superior arcs and greater development than Deku from My Hero Academia. That is a telling sign of how the ending of the series was received and how Izuku's character arc, for the most part, has been perceived as one of the weakest points of the story as a whole.

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Edited by Somava