My Hero Academia it wouldn't be the same without its energetic, soft-spoken hero. Deku has become one of the most iconic shonen protagonists of the last decade, his resilience and kindness making him a fan favorite for many. While his ultimate underdog status makes him easy to root for, you can't deny the effect that Deku's voice actor, Daiki Yamashita, played in making the character as popular as he is.
Yamashita began voice acting in 2012, landing supporting roles in series such as Sword Art Online, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Orphansand Space Dandy. But he would land what would become his most significant role of 2016 as he was cast as the voice of Deku in My Hero Academia. Since then, Yamashita has gone on to do voice work for tons of anime outside MHA. Here are some popular ones you may not have realized you heard his voice.
Zeke Yeager – Attack on Titan
While Takehito Koyasu does a great job voicing Zeke Attack on Titan anime, Daiki Yamashita voiced a young version of the character during flashbacks in the final season.
Yamashita does a great job portraying the younger Zeke. Koyasu's take on the adult version is much colder and more menacing, which makes sense given who Zeke eventually grows up to be. Yamashita's Zeke continues to give us a glimpse of what led to him becoming the monster we've come to know.
Naoto Hachiouji – Don't play with me Miss Nagatoro
A rather aloof and awkward character, Yamashita's voice for Naoto could be more similar to what he does for Deku. While both characters are shy and occasionally stumble when they speak, Deku definitely has a bit more confidence in his voice when he speaks, even if he's not always the loudest guy in the room.
This is not to say that Naoto remains a trailblazer throughout the series. Although he was very humble in the beginning of the series, you 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 running for so long that it would be surprising to find out that the popular voice actor didn't work on it. Yamashita joined Pokemon franchise as the voice actor for Goh, Ash's traveling companion Pokemon Journeys: The Series.
As a character, Gou is much more reserved than Ash, although 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 making for a fun pairing.
Yushiro – Demon Slayer
Although not voicing one of the main cast members, Yamashita gave a memorable performance as Yushirou v Demon Slayer. Tamayo's traveling companion, Yushiro, ends up being one of the most important supporting characters in the series.
Yamashita will play a much more spirited character in Yushiro. Unlike the always cheerful Deku, Yushiro often frowns and is quick to clash over any perceived wrong against Tamayo. It's a fun performance and Yamashita does a great job of stealing every scene she's in, even with her limited screen time.
Narancia Ghirga – JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
Narancia is the complete opposite of Deku in pretty much every way. He's a bit arrogant, a loudmouth, and even though he's a heroic character in the context of the show, he's still a criminal. Still, he's one of the most lovable and easy-going characters Golden wind.
Narancia is quite a childish character who often acts impulsively or says random things out loud. Even though he is a bit rougher, this is the type of character that Yamashita portrays really well.
My Hero Academia
- Release date
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April 2, 2016
- Network
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TBS, MBS, Nippon TV
- directors
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Shouji Ikeno, Tsuyoshi Tobita, Ikuro Sato, Takudai Kakuchi, Masashi Abe, Tetsuya Miyanishi, Kazuma Komatsu, Yoshifumi Sasahara, Masayuki Otsuki, Daisuke Tsukushi, Takayuki, Yamamoto, Yohei Takada Na Yamamoto, Yohei Takuka, Yohei Takuko Fukui Nakayama, Sayaka Morikawa, Takanori Yano
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Daiki Yamashita
Izuku Midoriya (voice)
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Kaito Ishikawa
Manga Fukidashi (voice)
