Why Is Deku’s Dad a Major Mystery in My Hero Academia?

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Summary

  • Deku’s dad remains a continual series mystery, sparking fan speculation about his role and potential revelations in My Hero Academia.
  • Hisashi Midoriya’s absence follows a common anime trope of the unseen parental figure in shōnen-style shows.
  • The hidden nature of Deku’s dad serves to maintain Deku’s independent protagonist nature and allow the author room for potential plot twists.

The following contains minor spoilers for the My Hero Academia manga.

One intriguing, yet largely uncharted aspect in the world of “My Hero Academia” remains the enigma surrounding Deku’s father. Despite numerous episodes, fans are yet to catch a glimpse of his face, and their knowledge about him is limited to mere mentions in passing.

Despite having a minor role in the storyline so far, Deku’s father has sparked much fan speculation about his possible future impact due to his enigmatic background. Could there be a surprising disclosure about Deku’s father in the future, or is the explanation behind his mysterious persona in “My Hero Academia” something less sensational?

Following a Trope

It’s Unclear How Much the Mystery is Supposed to Matter

In the anime series “My Hero Academia”, we don’t know much about Deku’s father, but there are some details we do have. His name is Hisashi Midoriya, a name with implications for his character and plot significance. The name Hisashi is reminiscent of a Japanese phrase, “hisashiburi” (久しぶり), which means someone greets when meeting someone after a long time. In the supplementary materials released alongside “My Hero Academia” Volume 11, it’s explained that Hisashi is working abroad to support the family, which is why he isn’t present in the story.

Inko Midoriya, the main character’s mother in the volume 11 supplementary material, has primarily taken care of their son Izuku as his father works abroad. She is generally quiet and not particularly outgoing. The worry and remorse she experienced about Izuku caused her to gain some weight.

In many popular anime shows, a common narrative device is the father figure who’s barely present. For instance, Ash Ketchum’s dad from Pokémon and Midoriya’s father share this trait of being absent throughout their respective series. Although we know they are trainers like Ash, there isn’t much else known about them apart from occasional mentions. This creates an intriguing question for viewers: could his identity be someone we’ve already encountered in the story? Or perhaps his revelation will significantly alter the plotline.

In the last episode of Season 25 of Pokémon, Ash nearly encounters his dad, but unfortunately, he departs right before they meet. Typically, the absent father or guardian figure in such stories isn’t meant to be a secret waiting to be unraveled; instead, it helps emphasize the self-reliance of the young hero. In many action-oriented anime series featuring a shōnen protagonist, their parents are seldom shown because the narrative focuses on teaching them how to tackle challenges independently. If there were a more prominent parental figure present, it might restrict the young protagonist’s autonomy within the storyline.

Leaving details about a character’s family background and origins unclear at first can be advantageous for writers, as it provides them with more creative freedom when introducing these elements later on in the story. This technique was employed in the Naruto series, where the father of protagonist Naruto was ultimately revealed to be the Fourth Hokage. If a character’s lineage is indeed notable, it could potentially diminish the charm of their initial struggle as an underdog, which is often a key factor in making shōnen shows engaging and appealing at the outset.

The Possibilities for Hisashi

What We Know About Dekus’ Dad

In the series “My Hero Academia”, we don’t know much about Hisashi beyond his name and the fact that he’s absent. At the start, it’s revealed that he possesses a fire-breathing ability, which serves to emphasize Izuku’s misfortune of having quirk-endowed parents but lacking one himself. Even though the main storyline is winding down, the world of “My Hero Academia” continues to expand with fresh content. The series creator, Kohei Horikoshi, appears to be still releasing additional content and standalone stories to shed light on the characters’ post-war arc developments.

In the forthcoming storyline, even though Hisashi adheres to the conventional “hidden father” motif, there’s a strong possibility that he may unveil a startling truth about himself. Fervent fans have concocted various theories regarding Deku’s father potentially being All for One, or his father’s quirk manifesting now that Deku has relinquished the quirk passed down by All Might – One for All. Whatever the explanation, Hisashi Midoriya remains a significant enigma, fueling speculation among fans as the series draws to a close.

My Hero Academia can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Hulu.

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2025-05-19 16:45