My Hero Academia: 5 Popular Anime You’ve Heard Deku’s Voice In

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The success of relies heavily on its main character, Deku. He’s become a hugely popular shonen hero in recent years, loved for his determination and compassion. While his journey as an underdog makes him relatable, the performance of voice actor Daiki Yamashita has also been key to Deku’s popularity.

Yamashita began his voice acting career in 2012, initially taking on smaller roles in anime such as Sword Art Online, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, and Space Dandy. His breakout role came in 2016 when he was cast as Deku in My Hero Academia. Since then, he’s continued to voice many other anime characters. Here are a few popular series where you might recognize his voice, even if you didn’t realize it was him!

Zeke Yeager- Attack on Titan

Takehito Koyasu is the voice of Zeke in the Attack on Titan anime, but Daiki Yamashita provided the voice for Zeke as a young man in flashbacks during the final season.

Yamashita perfectly captures young Zeke’s personality. In contrast, Koyasu portrays the adult Zeke as much colder and more threatening, fitting for his eventual character. Yamashita’s performance, however, still hints at the events that shaped Zeke into the person we know.

Naoto Hachiouji – Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro

Yamashita’s performance as Naoto is quite subdued and a little clumsy, similar to some of his work as Deku. Both characters are shy and sometimes fumble over their words, but Deku generally sounds more self-assured, even though he isn’t always the most outgoing person.

Naoto isn’t always shy and timid. While he starts out quiet and unsure of himself, he slowly gains confidence and becomes more comfortable around Nagatoro and his friends as the story progresses.

Goh – Pokemon Journeys: The Series

Given how long the Pokémon series has been running, it’s no surprise many well-known voice actors have been involved. Yamashita became part of the Pokémon world by voicing Goh, who traveled alongside Ash in Pokémon Journeys: The Series.

Goh is a quieter character than Ash, although he can get frustrated sometimes. Yamashita does a great job of showing Goh’s enthusiasm as a trainer, and he and Ash make a fun pair.

Yushiro – Demon Slayer

Even though he wasn’t a main voice actor, Yamashita delivered a standout performance as Yushiro in Demon Slayer. As Tamayo’s traveling companion, Yushiro becomes a significant supporting character throughout the series.

Yamashita’s character, Yushiro, is a stark contrast to the usually optimistic Deku. Yushiro is often grumpy and immediately challenges anyone he feels has disrespected Tamayo. It’s an enjoyable performance, and Yamashita makes the most of his limited screen time, consistently standing out in every scene he appears in.

Narancia Ghirga – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind

Narancia and Deku are practically opposites. While he can be boastful and talkative, and has a criminal past, Narancia is still a very likable and easy-to-support character in Golden Wind.

I just love Narancia! He’s such a playful, impulsive character – always blurting things out and acting on a whim. While he can be a bit rough around the edges, Yamashita-san really nails the performance, bringing Narancia to life in a way that’s just perfect.

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2025-11-30 17:37