My Hero Academia’s Deku Is Great, But Even I Have to Wince at His 7 Cringiest Moments
Deku is one of anime’s most iconic characters of all-time, and everyone can agree that My Hero Academia would not have the same amount of charm without him. He has surpassed obstacles most people could never dream of triumphing over, becoming one of the world’s best superheroes despite his humble beginnings as a Quirkless individual.
Deku’s successes are many, but like everyone else, he has experienced plenty of awkward failures during his training to become a Pro Hero too. Although Deku stumbles and even loses completely at times, he always makes the best of every situation. Even though every moment of My Hero Academia serves a purpose and advances the plot, these seven Deku scenes are still pretty difficult to watch due to how absolutely embarrassing they are for the aspiring hero.
8
Deku Breaking His Bones Using His Quirk
When Deku First Used One for All When Taking the U.A. Entrance Exam, He Was Severely Injured
When Deku first inherited his One For All Quirk from All Might, he made the mistake of drastically underestimating the sheer power of All Might’s ability. He was eager to try out One For All during U.A. High’s Entrance Exam, hoping the new skill would be the key to securing his place at the prestigious school. His plan did not pan out as Deku had hoped though, and he received a painful injury instead.
As he unleashed One For All for the first time, something unexpected happened: his bones were completely shattered. This would not be the first time Deku’s bones were broken by his superpower in My Hero Academia, but eventually he learned to shift One For All to specific parts of his body, like his legs, to lessen the impact. His first usage of the skill was undoubtedly embarrassing though, and he was definitely surprised to still be permitted to attend U.A. High after this blunder during the entrance exam.
7
Deku’s Awkward Reaction Meeting All Might for the First Time
Deku Struggled to Stay Calm When All Might Saved Him From the Sludge Villain
It is no secret at all that All Might is Deku’s most influential inspiration throughout My Hero Academia, and Deku consistently follows his example. Ever since his youth, Deku has watched All Might from afar in complete awe, vowing to become just like him one day despite his lack of a Quirk for most of his life. Deku’s bedroom has always been littered with All Might memorabilia, and he has an extensive All Might merchandise collection that would make any superfan jealous, so understandably, when he finally met the hero by complete chance, he was completely starry-eyed.
Deku was not expecting to bump into All Might, but when the hero swooped in to save him and Bakugo from the dangerous Sludge Villain, he transformed into an awkward, stammering mess. He tripped over his words and tried in vain to coherently communicate with the man he had idolized for so long, but their initial meeting was certainly embarrassing for Deku due to his overenthusiasm and shock. Thankfully, All Might looked past the first impression Deku made and saw his true heroic nature, even choosing him as his successor.
6
Deku Going off on His Own to Fight Villains
The Dark Hero Arc Was Cool, but Wrong for Deku’s Optimistic Character
Deku’s Dark Hero arc is many fans’ favorite arc in My Hero Academia, because it unveiled a new side of the previously teamwork-focused hero. The once outgoing and cheerful Deku was working completely independently, chasing after Shigaraki and All For One on his own, because he feared involving his loved ones in the danger that was sure to come in the impending battles.
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Although his commitment to protecting others at all costs is admirable, it was not the right choice for Deku to take matters into his own hands, because he was always able to accomplish more in My Hero Academia while fighting alongside his fellow heroes and combining his strengths with others. Although he beat a handful of villains, like Lady Nagant, he quickly grew isolated and discouraged, and it was hard for fans to watch the previously bubbly hero shift into a pessimistic and reserved version of himself that felt uncharacteristic.
5
Deku Failing the Quirk Apprehension Test at U.A. High
Deku Scored Last Place in His First U.A. High Test, Revealing His Lack of Practice With His New Quirk
Deku’s start at U.A. High could not have been any more rocky, because he performed poorly on his very first exam. After the new class of students was admitted to the Hero Course, their homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa, tested the new classmates on their proficiency with their Quirks. Deku had just recently received One For All from All Might and was nervous about using his new power, so his less than stellar results on the test are understandable. Still, Deku never anticipated receiving last place and was embarrassed in front of his new classmates.
Aizawa challenged the students in a few different categories, from jumping to grip strength, and on all of these levels, Deku scored last or almost last. Out of the 20 students in Class 1-A, Deku scored last place on the Quirk Apprehension Test, and even though the hero had a long way to go at this point in My Hero Academia, it was still a sobering realization for the young hero to realize how much he needed to improve.
4
Deku’s Friends Seeing His All Might-Themed Dorm at U.A. High
Deku’s Room Was Completely Filled With All Might Merchandise, Making for an Awkward Reveal to His Friends
After Bakugo was kidnapped by the League of Villains, and thankfully rescued, the principal of U.A. High, Nezu, decided more drastic measures needed to be taken to keep the school’s students safe from future villain attacks, so he moved all of the students into dorms on campus. Class 1-A had fun with this new development and each student decorated their new space in a way that reflected their personality and sense of style.
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Once everyone’s rooms were fully spruced up, the students held a contest to determine who had the best dorm room, and walked around the building, so each student could show off their new living quarters to the group. When it was Deku’s turn, he quickly found himself mortified, as his room was entirely decked out in All Might merchandise, with everything from posters to action figures on display. Although he is outspoken about his admiration of All Might, it was still awkward for his classmates to see firsthand just how far Deku takes his love for the Pro Hero.
3
Deku Getting Punched in the Groin by Kota
Kota Absolutely Hated Heroes at First, so He Punched Deku in Front of Everyone
The Forest Training Camp arc was one of My Hero Academia’s most action-packed arcs, and it featured some unexpected surprises, both good and bad. One of the new characters Deku met during his time at the training camp was Kota Izumi, the nephew of Shino Sosaki, one of the Wild, Wild Pussycats heroes leading the camp. Kota has a tragic past and lost both of his parents to a villain attack, which caused his hatred for heroes to fester. Because of his disdain for the hero profession, Kota was less than excited about witnessing Class 1-A’s training camp.
Deku was determined to earn Kota’s favor and change his perception of heroes, but Kota was not at all receptive at first. He was so put off by Deku’s friendly remarks and attempts at conversation that he resorted to violence, punching Deku in the groin, much to the dismay of Deku and a group of surprised onlookers. Eventually, Kota grew to appreciate Deku, once Deku saved his life during a deadly attack by the villain, Muscular.
2
Deku First Meeting Ochaco Uraraka
Deku and Ochaco’s First Interaction Was Awkward, as Deku Was Too Nervous to Respond
There is an undeniable romantic connection between Deku and Ochaco Uraraka, his Class 1-A classmate, which was pretty much confirmed in My Hero Academia’s epilogue with a flirtatious final scene between the duo. When Deku first arrived at U.A. High, he was thrilled but nervous about the first step on his hero journey, and Ochaco eagerly greeted him as he walked up to his new school, being the friendly, outgoing person she is. Deku was caught off guard by Ochaco’s kindness, but certainly grateful to make a new friend so quickly in an unfamiliar place.
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Unfortunately, Deku found himself frozen and unable to respond to Ochaco’s pleasant conversation or express his thankfulness that she was so welcoming, and instead stood there in complete surprise. After Ochaco walked away, Deku patted himself on the back for “talking to a girl,” which was quite ironic, because he never actually spoke back to Uraraka because of how unexpected her chat with him was. This My Hero Academia scene certainly reveals his nervousness at times, especially around someone he cares about as much as Uraraka, but Ochaco found his reaction endearing, and it only further strengthened the bond between them.
- Movie(s)
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My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (2021)
- First Film
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My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
- Cast
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Daiki Yamashita, Kenta Miyake, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Ayane Sakura, Yûki Kaji, Aoi Yuki, Kaito Ishikawa, Toshiki Masuda, Marina Inoue, Yoshimasa Hosoya
- TV Show(s)
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My Hero Academia
- Character(s)
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Izuku Midoriya, All Might, Katsuki Bakugo, Ochaco Uraraka, Shoto Todoroki, Tsuyu Asui, Tenya Iida, Eijiro Kirishima, Momo Yaoyorozu, Fumikage Tokoyami
- Video Game(s)
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My Hero Academia: Battle for All, My Hero One’s Justice, My Hero One’s Justice 2
