You know how on YouTube when you are watching a video it usually defaults to “autoplay” so that when one video ends, it automatically starts playing something else? Many times I will go to YouTube to listen to music – a few months ago I was listening to music from Fullmetal Alchemist, and it began autoplaying some music from another anime show: “My Hero Academia.” I liked the music so much (from this show I had never watched), that I bought a few of the songs on iTunes (and yes, they were completely in Japanese) and began listening to them regularly.

Eventually, I decided that I wanted to watch the actual show, hoping that my love of the music would translate over the the show.

Fast-forward to now: Dean and I are on season 3 of My Hero Academia, and it is literally one of my favorite shows! I had been a bit surprised at how much I enjoyed Fullmetal Alchemist, seeing as I am semi-new to anime – but when it was over, I was ridiculously fan-girling the show, and even wanted to be Edward Elric for Halloween (which didn’t work out because, adult life is busy and lame and I didn’t have time to make my costume!)

So anyways, even though I didn’t think it was possible, I will say that I am now a bigger fan of My Hero Academia than I was of Fullmetal Alchemist.As Dean would say, I have “forsaken my first love.”
Sorry, Ed. 

I think it is so interesting that one can gain so much inspiration from a fictional character, although this certainly isn’t a new phenomenon. I have always been a big fan of reading fiction, and I can easily get wrapped up in the lives of my favorite book characters. When I was in college, the last few Harry Potter books were just being released, and I was definitely on board the Harry Potter fan train (the Hogwarts Express, I suppose?) I remember one of my classmates talking about how she had gotten so wrapped up in the books, that during one of her prayers she had actually prayed for Harry, that God would keep him safe from Voldemort! Sometimes it’s easy to blur the lines between reality and fantasy.

The character that inspires me the most from My Hero Academia is, not surprisingly, the main protagonist: Izuku Midoriya. So, what is it about him that inspires me? I think he has some similarities to other characters I’ve admired, such as Hermione Granger and Edward Elric. But let’s talk more about Midoriya. P.S. – there may be some spoilers ahead for those who have not watched this series yet!

To give a bit of background to the character, Izuku Midoriya lives in a time where 80% of the population has what they call a “quirk,” or basically a power of some sort. Many people develop these quirks to become professional superheroes, and some go on to use their powers for evil and become super villains. Izuku as a young boy wanted more than anything to become a hero, but no quirk ever manifests itself. He gets made fun of and bullied by other kids because of his “quirkless-ness.” Later on however, as Midoriya is about to go into high school, a quirk manifests itself in a bit of an untraditional way. He gets accepted to UA High School where he gets a chance to become a pro super hero.

Okay, back to the question: What about Izuku Midoriya inspires me? I think we can be inspired either by things we feel are lacking in ourselves, or that we feel a sense of connection to. So basically: things we value and want to become, or things we already are. Here are 5 things I value about Midoriya’s character:

Hero Trait #1: Amazing Perseverance – Midoriya never gives up. Period. End of statement. Even if it means giving his life for someone else, he would rather do that than give up. He never fully gave up on his dream of becoming a hero, even when it ultimately looked like he would never develop a quirk. He didn’t let his failures or others kill his dream.

Hero Trait #2: Bravery – This is a trait I admire in others, probably because I feel lacking in it most of the time. I fear failure, looking incompetent, making mistakes… One of the biggest ways Midoriya exhibits bravery in the series is before he gets any powers, when he goes up against a super villain to save his friend’s life.

Hero Trait #3: Passion – This trait is the thread that combines all the others together. When you’re passionate about something, you usually give it your all and persevere at it. Maybe passion eventually transforms into a mission over time. Obviously, Midoriya is passionate about his dream, otherwise he wouldn’t risk so much to achieve it.

Hero Trait #4: Always Gives it His All – Midoriya will never finish a task and say to himself, “I should have tried harder.” He’s always trying the hardest he can at everything. That doesn’t mean he succeeds all the time, but he never has to wonder if he could have done better. The motto of U.A. High is “Plus Ultra” – which means pushing past your limits and going beyond what you think you’re capable of.

Hero Trait #5: Mission, Purpose and Moral Duty – Midoriya has an incredibly strong sense of mission and purpose in his life, and everything he does revolves around it. He wants to be a hero and help others. I have always thought it would be cool to know what my main mission in life was. I suppose as an aspiring follower of Jesus, it is (in a broad sense) to serve God. But more specifically, I still feel like I am finding out exactly what my calling in life is. Midoriya is also like the sweetest and most selfless person in the entire world, and is probably the most deserving person on the planet to become a hero. I keep telling myself that Calvin will be just like him when he gets older (right???)

What not-so-real characters have inspired you? Let us know in the comments!