My Hero Academia is an anime that portrays the story of two high school students, Midoriya Izuku and Bakugo Katsuki, who possess outstanding abilities. Although they have known each other since childhood, their relationship remains complicated. This is mainly due to the power gap between them, where Midoriya was an ordinary and powerless kid, while Bakugo was blessed with exceptional powers since childhood. As a result, Midoriya became a target of constant bullying, while Bakugo was always praised.
However, despite being a victim of bullying, Midoriya remained true to himself and continued to show his sincere friendship towards Bakugo. Everything changed when Midoriya obtained his powers from the hero All Might and joined the school of heroes with Bakugo. Bakugo had no idea that Midoriya, the weak kid who was always bullied, suddenly possessed incredible power. They were placed in the same class in the hero school, where Midoriya won several battles against Bakugo. This made Bakugo feel hurt and developed his ego.
Their relationship was never equal from the beginning. Their attitudes towards each other are reflected in the nicknames they give each other. Midoriya refers to Bakugo by the name “Kacchan,” derived from the name “Katsuki,” while Chan is a term of respect for a friend in Japan. Bakugo, on the other hand, refers to Midoriya as Deku. If “Kacchan” is a form of honorific, then “Deku” is a term of disrespect. The term “Deku” is an alternative reading of the name Izuku (出久). It can also refer to a wooden puppet or doll (木偶), commonly used as an insult for those who cannot achieve anything.
But, when the students in the hero school were given the choice to choose their hero names, Midoriya chose the name Deku. One of his classmates, Uraraka Ochako, said that Deku sounds similar to the verb meaning “can do” (できる dekiru). Since then, Midoriya has grown to like the name Deku, and it became his nickname as a hero.
In conclusion, My Hero Academia portrays the complex relationship between Midoriya and Bakugo. It shows how despite having different backgrounds and personalities, they are bound by their friendship, which transcends their differences. They are one of the best examples of how true friendship can overcome anything, even the greatest of powers and ego.
