My Hero Academia wouldn't be the same without its soft-voiced, strong-willed protagonist. Deku has become one of the most iconic shonen protagonists of the last decade, with his resiliency and kindness making him a fan favorite of many. While his ultimate underdog status makes him easy to root for, you can't dismiss the effect that Deku's voice actor, Daiki Yamashita, has played in making the character as popular as he is.
Yamashita started voice acting in 2012, earning supporting roles in series like Sword Art Online, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, and Space Dandy. But he would earn what's become his most notable role in 2016, being cast as the voice of Deku in My Hero Academia. Since then, Yamashita has continued to do voice work for tons of anime outside of MHA. Here are some popular ones you might not have realized you heard his voice in.
Zeke Yeager- Attack on Titan
While Takehito Koyasu does a great job of voicing Zeke throughout the Attack on Titan anime, Daiki Yamashita voiced the young version of the character during flashbacks in the final season.
Yamashita does a great job of portraying a younger Zeke. Koyasu's take on the adult version is a lot colder and menacing, which makes sense given who Zeke eventually grows up to be. Yamashita's Zeke still gives us a look at what led to him becoming the monster we became familiar with.
Naoto Hachiouji - Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro
A fairly reserved and awkward character, Yamashita's voice for Naoto might more closely resemble some of what he does for Deku. While both characters are shy and stumble around when talking sometimes, Deku definitely has a little more confidence in his voice when he talks, even if he isn't always the loudest guy in the room.
That's not to say Naoto stays a pushover throughout the series. Though very meek at the beginning of the series, you do gradually hear him speak with more confidence as the series goes on, and he becomes more comfortable with Nagatoro and the rest of the group.
Goh - Pokemon Journeys: The Series
Pokemon has been going on for so long that it would be surprising to find that a popular voice actor hasn't worked on it. Yamashita joined the Pokemon franchise as the voice actor for Goh, Ash's traveling companion for Pokemon Journeys: The Series.
As a character, Gou is much more reserved than Ash, though he does have a bit of a temper at times. Yamashita does a good job of portraying Goh as an eager young trainer, with him and Ash turning out to be an entertaining duo.
Yushiro - Demon Slayer
Though he doesn't voice one of the main cast members, Yamashita put out a memorable performance as Yushirou in Demon Slayer. The traveling companion of Tamayo, Yushiro ends up being one of the more important supporting characters in the series.
Yamashita gets to play a much more hot-tempered character in Yushiro. In contrast to the always cheery Deku, Yushiro often wears a scowl and is quick to confrontation for any perceived slight against Tamayo. It's a fun performance, and Yamashita does a great job of stealing every scene he's in, even with his limited screentime.
Narancia Ghirga - JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
Narancia is the complete opposite of Deku in pretty much every way. He's a little arrogant, a loudmouth, and despite being a heroic character in the context of the series, is still a criminal. Still, he's one of the most lovable and easiest characters to root for in Golden Wind.
Narancia is a pretty childish character, often acting on impulse or saying random things out loud. Though a little rougher around the edges, he's the kind of character that Yamashita does a really good job of portraying.
My Hero Academia
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- TBS, MBS, Nippon TV
Cast
-
Daiki YamashitaIzuku Midoriya (voice) -
Kaito IshikawaManga Fukidashi (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the "One-For-All" quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
- Studio
- Bones
- Franchise
- My Hero Academia
- Production Company
- Bones
- Number of Episodes
- 159
- MyAnimeList Score
- 7.85 (Season 1)
