My Hero Academia is one of the biggest shonen titles right now, paying tribute to classic shonen titles and American comic book heroes alike. Izuku Midoriya is the star, and once he inherited the incredible power of One For All, he began his journey to become a real superhero at last. Can he handle other shonen rivals along the way?
Fullmetal Alchemist's Edward Elric could give Izuku a run for his money. He's a noble and creative adventurer who wields the power of alchemy and brilliant science, and he can outmaneuver and outwit nearly any foe to find victory. Has Izuku has met his match?
Izuku Midoriya Powers & Skills as The New Symbol Of Peace
Izuku Midoriya was born without a Quirk, which gave him a balanced perspective on various Quirks and the lack thereof. He has long since studied and analyzed other people's Quirks and fighting style, and that habit is hugely paying off now that he is in the running to become a pro hero himself. Izuku is brave and bold, but also sharp and insightful, and he's not the type to rush recklessly into danger without reason. Izuku is a calculating hero student, and that's why he seeks out experts and mentors who can train him properly, not just shonen-style friends.
As Izuku grows more confident in his grasp of One For All, he can now use 5% of its power without any trouble. Earlier, during the U.A. Sports Festival, Izuku nearly destroyed his right arm permanently with his overuse of One For All. He learned to spread the power more evenly across his body from that experience, resulting in the Full Cowling technique. Izuku can deftly leap all around the battlefield Gran Torino-style, which makes him a challenging target to hit. Only when Izuku is in position will he unleash a Detroit Smash or Missouri Smash to finish his foe.
Edward Elric's Powers & Skills as The Slippery Alchemist
Edward Elric and his brother are not ordinary alchemists, proved by the fact that they don't need to use transmutation circles since they have already come face to face with the Truth and learned the secrets of the world. This gives the Elric brothers an advantage since they don't need to draw circles or carry around gloves or weapons with transmutation circles drawn on them. Roy Mustang was nearly helpless when Lust tore up his alchemy gloves, but Edward doesn't have that issue. Instead, he can clap his hands together and touch an item to rearrange its matter via alchemy, and the possibilities are endless.
Edward is also a scientist, having studied many tomes in his boyhood while conducting experiments with his brother Alphonse. Thanks to that expertise, Edward can easily comprehend, break down and reshape matter ranging from iron and stone to wood, dynamite sticks and his prosthetic metal arm. He once broke down wet dynamite sticks to release ammonia gas to overwhelm the noses of his enemies.
Edward also pairs his alchemy knowledge with martial arts, having trained with Izumi Curtis for years. Edward is highly maneuverable and agile in a fight, and he can hit back with his bladed right arm or alchemy spikes and projectiles. Defensively he can make various barriers out of stone, wood or metal to cover his escape and even snares to capture targets.
Izuku Midoriya Vs. Edward Elric - Who Wins?
Edward and Izuku will no doubt respect one another and their abilities, and their battle is bound to be a friendly but fierce one. Edward tests his opponents with alchemy spikes and projectiles from range, though Izuku can leap into the air with Full Cowling to evade them. As Edward strikes with more spikes from unexpected directions, he may catch Izuku by surprise, and Edward can use his alchemy to shatter the walls and floor to disrupt Izuku's footwork, giving him a chance to strike. However, these abilities are slightly reminiscent of Overhaul's, informing Izuku of his next tactical moves.
While Edward is a quick and agile martial artist, Izuku is even more so, and he has a hidden weapon: the force of One For All. Even if Edward can soften the impact of some of Izuku's attacks with barriers, the One For All user's various smash attacks could relentless break them.
Since neither of these protagonists likes admitting defeat, the fight would undoubtedly be well matched and drawn out. While both combatants are agile, Izuku's raw strength and super-powered speed would likely give him the edge unless Edward could trap him. Still, the unknown limits of One For All's power would just give My Hero Academia's Izuku the edge over the crafty Edward Elric.
