In My Hero Academia, Deku has faced many near-death experiences. These always worry his mother, but how does his father feel about this? Where is his dad anyway? Deku's fortunate to have many positive mentors in his life, but the lack of acknowledgment for his father is rather puzzling.
There are a couple of theories lingering amongst fans, but few details are known about Hisashi’s characteristics and abilities. Based on the scarce amount of information there is on Deku’s father, here are some clues to the whereabouts of Hisashi Midoriya.
What is Papa Midoriya’s Name?
The name “Hisashi” is a play on the word “hisashiburi,” which basically translates to “long time, no see.” After all this time, if Hisashi Midoriya just popped out of nowhere and simply did the iconic “absentee anime father shrug while scratching his head” gesture, the fandom would erupt with rage. The idea of referring to Papa Midoriya as a nonchalant, carefree guy is actually quite comical, considering that his mother is having constant heart attacks from Deku destroying his body.
Mix him in with Deku’s over-cautious mother, and you get the right combination of parenting styles that make sense for Deku’s upbringing. Anime characters are known for having their names represent special characteristics that reflect their persona, so the name “Hisashi” hints at the fact that it was probably good for Deku that his father wasn’t around to influence him.
Hisashi and Inko Midoriya’s Relationship
Being a single mother is a difficult task, but Inko Midoriya has done a splendid job in grooming the perfect vessel for One For All. Early in the manga, Inko’s tone and body language that is displayed when mentioning Deku’s father would insinuate that their marriage has been in decline. Inko still refers to Hisashi as her Husband, therefore, they are still technically married. There have not been any known instances of Inko maybe calling him during critical moments of Deku’s life to give him updates on their son.
Perhaps there is a specific reason for the lack of communication between Inko and Hisashi. It's possible Papa Midoriya is on a covert job, which could be a reason for needing secrecy. It’s also unclear about how long Hisashi has been gone, but the speculation is that he’s currently overseas and has to constantly travel.
What is Hisashi Midoriya’s Quirk?
Hisashi’s Quirk allows him to breathe fire, as revealed by Inko to the doctor at the beginning of the series. The power level of his Quirk is still unknown, but if his occupation is heroism, then his Fire Breath must be pretty powerful. Inko’s Quirk allows her to levitate small objects but is not suitable for heroism. The ability to breathe fire can only have so many uses, and maybe that detail alone is what caused Hisashi to take a specific career path.
Based on his absence, Hasashi might be one of the members of society that doesn’t agree with the current status quo on Heroes. This could lead to a bittersweet reunion between father and son. Maybe like Deku, Hisashi wanted to be a Hero, but wasn't able to overcome obstacles with his weak Quirk, and sought out some way to level the playing field for those who are deemed as “weak Heroes.”
When Is Hisashi’s Debut?
It is still unclear when Ging Freecss’ rival for “Father of the Year” will make an appearance, but there is some hope for My Hero Academia fans. At San Diego Comic-Con 2018, Kohei Horikoshi teased the audience by saying that “Deku’s father will be revealed in the future.” It feels like there is going to be a build-up for a big reveal in the series. Whether the reveal is going to be a positive or negative impact on Deku, one thing is certain, Kohei wouldn’t hold out on an impactful character for simple character development.
