My Hero Academia: Deku and Shigaraki were different sides of the same coin

When My Hero Academia introduced Izuku Midoriya (Deku) and Tomura Shigaraki, it seemed like fate had already cast them as destined enemies. Deku was the underdog whose life changed after getting One for All powers. Shigaraki, on the other hand, was the chaotic, malevolent face of villainy, disintegrating everything he touched.

But as the story unfolded, it seemed like these two boys weren’t born opposites; they were shaped that way. They were just two children with strikingly similar dreams, broken by a world that chose who could shine and who would be discarded.

For Deku, his dream was to be just like his idol, All Might. That dream was further sparked by watching All Might on screen, grinning widely as he rescued people with a radiant confidence. Tomura Shigaraki, born Tenko Shimura, also admired heroes, and his favorite was also All Might. He too wanted to be the kind of person who could help others, especially his family.

And this is not the only similarity they shared. Another deeply resonant parallel lies in the role their mothers played. Both had mothers who loved them deeply, who believed in their potential and their dreams.

Although Deku’s dream collapsed when his doctor confirmed that he is Quirkless. This meant that he could not have become a hero. Society reinforced it. Even his childhood friend Katsuki Bakugo bullied him for it. Yet, despite the crushing reality, Izuku didn’t stop hoping.

Tenko’s dream, on the other hand, collapsed with violence. When his Quirk, Decay, awakened in a moment of emotional overload, he accidentally killed his dog, then his sister, then his entire family. Unfortunately, no one came to save him. Even All Might, the man he idolized, never arrived.

These were the critical moments in their lives that pushed both boys to make choices that changed the trajectory of their fates in My Hero Academia.

The change that made them different sides of the same coin in My Hero Academia

Deku met All Might, and that was all the difference he needed to change his fate in My Hero Academia. Deku’s courage in the face of helplessness moved the Symbol of Peace himself.

When All Might declared to Deku that “You too can become a hero,” everything changed. All Might gave Deku his Quirk, One For All, and a path forward. Deku wasn’t just rescued; he was chosen, and he worked hard to keep the golden chance he received in life.

But Tenko met All For One. Broken, starved, and teetering on the edge of insanity, Tenko was discovered by the worst possible person. All For One offered him a hand, not to save, but to use. He stole everything from the little boy, even his name was changed from Tenko to Shigaraki Tomura.

Where All Might cultivated hope, All For One exploited trauma. One boy was rescued by the ultimate hero. The other was molded by the ultimate villain. One of the best aspects of My Hero Academia is that it doesn’t pretend these characters are wholly responsible for who they became.

Instead, it shows us a world where everything is decided by force, and those without power are often forgotten. Deku was lucky enough to be remembered. Shigaraki was not.

Final Thoughts

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Ultimately, My Hero Academia presents Deku and Shigaraki as mirror images, not for the sake of drama, but because their lives genuinely reflect one another. These boys are examples to see what happens when society chooses who matters and who doesn’t.

In the end, Deku and Shigaraki aren’t enemies. They’re two sides of the same coin, and if fate did not have different plans for Tomoura, maybe he could also have had a satisfying end to his story.

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