Deku is the central character of My Hero Academia, an anime series about people who are born with superpowers known as Quirks. Born into a world where people with Quirks make up the majority of the population, Deku is an outlier.
Like many shonen anime heroes, Deku faces many challenges on the road to reach his dream. Like Naruto, who dreams of one day being the Hokage, Deku has an almost unattainable goal. Deku overcomes all of his obstacles to become the greatest superhero, making him the Naruto of the series.
10 Deku Is Ridiculed Because He Is Different
In a world where having a Quirk is the norm, Deku is different. Born without a unique power, Deku is picked on by other children his age who have already started to develop their Quirks.
Naruto is also different because he carries the chakra of the Nine-Tails demon fox. Because of this, Naruto is also seen as an outcast. Neither Naruto nor Deku fits in among their peers, but that never sways their dreams.
9 Deku Has A Big Dream
Even though he doesn’t have a Quirk of his own, Deku devotes a lot of time to studying other Quirks. He takes extensive notes and analyzes all of the information he collects about superheroes.
Deku dreams of becoming the greatest superhero, like Naruto dreams of one day becoming the Hokage. Even though both Naruto and Deku know that they will have a mountain of obstacles to face along the path to their dreams, they never give up.
8 Deku Gains His Power
When Naruto is born, half of the Nine-Tails chakra is sealed inside of him. This is not a power that Naruto was born with, rather it was given to him. Like Naruto, Deku is given his power.
When Deku meets All Might, his fate changes. All Might gives Deku the power of One For All. Like Naruto with the tailed beast chakra, Deku must learn to control the new power that he gains, shaping it and making it his own.
7 Deku Has Rivals
Unlike Bakugo and his other classmates who were born with amazing Quirks, Deku is Quirkless. When he gains power suddenly, everyone begins to take notice of him, especially Bakugo.
Like Naruto, who shares a lifelong rivalry with Sasuke, Deku and Bakugo are always at odds. Everyone is striving to be the number one hero at U.A., so they all push each other to be better and stronger, like Naruto and his friends.
6 Deku Inspires Others
In the U.A. entrance exams, people underestimate Deku. However, when Uraraka is pinned beneath the debris, Deku is the only one to step up and help her. His actions prove heroic and get him accepted into his dream school.
Like Naruto with his ninja way, Deku inspires others through his actions. When others hesitate, Deku jumps in front of the pack and acts. Iida and Uraraka are both inspired to be better heroes because of Deku’s actions.
5 Deku Has Powerful Teachers
During his formidable years, Naruto is taught by some very powerful people. From Kakashi, the sensei of Team 7, to Jiraiya the Legendary Sannin, many people take an interest and help shape Naruto’s future.
Deku is also very fortunate when it comes to strong mentors. By a chance encounter, Deku meets his idol and the number one superhero, All Might. After their fateful meeting, All Might serves as Deku’s advisor and puts him in contact with other powerful teachers, such as Gran Torino and Nighteye.
4 Deku Has His Own Style Of Fighting
Because Deku inherits his power, he is not completely sure how to control it. Growing up idolizing All Might, Deku tries to emulate All Might’s fighting style. However, Deku’s body limits him from pushing his power.
Deku realizes he needs to develop his own style of fighting with his power. He develops a fighting style that utilizes his legs rather than his arms. Similarly, Naruto develops his own way to complete the Rasengan by using his shadow clones.
3 Deku Pushes Himself To Be Better
When Deku agrees to accept One For All, he begins a serious training regime to prepare his body for the power. Deku receives his new power, but his body is still not able to handle One For All.
Even though using One For All destroys his body, he continually pushes himself to become stronger. Naruto constantly pushed himself to be better as well because he knew a weak person would never be able to bring Sasuke back to the Leaf Village.
2 Deku Is Acknowledged By Others
Throughout the entire Naruto series, all Naruto wants is to be acknowledged by the people of Konoha. Deku also wants someone to acknowledge him and tell him that he can still become a superhero even if he doesn’t have a Quirk.
All Might is the first to acknowledge Deku. He is moved by Deku’s heart and chooses him as the successor for One For All. Bakugo also finally acknowledges Deku’s power and challenges him to a fight, resulting in Deku agreeing to become stronger.
1 Deku Has A Secret Admirer
Uraraka’s fascination with Deku develops almost instantly. After the entrance exams where he saves her, she vouches for him, hoping he will be able to attend U.A. When they become classmates, Uraraka continually observes Deku.
When Uraraka finds herself in precarious situations, she always thinks about what Deku would do. Like the relationship between Naruto and Hinata, Uraraka’s admiration for Deku grows into affection.
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