All Deku Costumes in My Hero Academia, Ranked

The world of My Hero Academia (MHA) is as compelling as it is vibrant. It tells of a world where anyone can become a superhero if they’re determined enough. Heroes like Izuku “Deku” Midoriya rise to the top not just because of their quirks, but because they have the heart, determination, and inspiration to make a difference in the world. However, in order for one to be a memorable hero, one must also have a fantastic suit. Deku has gone through a few suit changes since he first entered the halls of U.A. High School, and fans responded to some of the changes better than others.

It’s not surprising or uncommon for heroes to feel the need to upgrade and improve their superhero suits. Just look at all Midoriya has learned since he gained One for All. Of course, he would need to change and adapt his suit to match what he’s learned about himself, and he’s certainly not the only student who has gone through this process. Ahead are each of Deku’s suits through the years in My Hero Academia, ranked by their designs and impact on the fandom.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead for My Hero Academia’s Ending!

9) U.A.

Realistically, Deku’s U.A. Uniform is the least exciting of the bunch. This is largely because it doesn’t have a whole lot of personality in it. It’s essentially just the U.A. logo with a few Deku-specific details. If you don’t remember this suit, don’t worry! It wasn’t around for long. It’s basically the generic suit provided to all students while they wait for customized suits to be made available.

Think of a P.E. outfit with a few more bits and bobs, and that’s the U.A. costume in a nutshell. Practical yet forgettable.

8) Beta

Deku’s Beta costume debuted around the time he was training with Gran Torino. In other words, Deku was still very much in the process of learning how to control One for All and thus was still prone to making adjustments on the fly.

Beta is more combat-ready than the previous iteration, though it still has a lot of hat-tips and features the first had to offer. The cowl can be spotted hanging by the back of Deku’s head, implying he could pull it up if he wanted to.

Most importantly, Beta has some improvements from the support department. These changes weren’t made with Deku’s approval, but they still adhered to the core concept of Midoriya’s first suit. In a way, this suit is the first step in making Midoriya’s design more his own and less an homage.

7) Gamma

Midoriya’s Gamme costume came out around the time of the Provisional License Exam, so by this point, most students had a solid idea of what they needed their suits to do for them. Midoriya is no exception, as he has finally learned to begin leaning on his legs more; we all know the damage his arms and hands had taken by this point.

Naturally, Gamma’s design reflects this; there are iron soles added to the shoes to help increase the impact of his kicks. One can hope they also add a semblance of defense when blocking. The suit also has arm braces, designed to help protect Midoriya’s arms and help reduce the strain he puts them through.

Gamma has a few obvious visual differences, as the arm protection adds a lot more white, breaking up the solid colors. This helps Midoriya take yet another step in the direction of his own style. More importantly, it features the most modifications toward Midoriya’s style of fighting.

6) Delta

For the most part, Delta is just a slightly modified version of Gamma. By this time in Deku’s superhero career, he’s really figured out that kicking is the way to go, so the legs are still heavily featured. The biggest change for Delta is that Midoriya has added one new feature to the design: Air Force Gloves.

The Air Force Gloves are a practical addition as they help Deku with ranged attacks (not dissimilar to some of All Might’s moves). This is where the support department really gets to shine, as they create elements that can help students improve their attacks. The gloves also have the added benefit of making Midoriya’s hands and arms look slightly larger, which helps to balance out the overall design.

5) Alpha

In case the name didn’t give it away, Deku’s Alpha costume is the very first superhero costume he ever donned. Well, outside of dressing up as All Might as a kid, but we’re not counting that. Alpha debuted in MHA Season 1, though it was only around for a couple of episodes.

Notably, Alpha has a few key designs and details that make fans love it so much. First of all, the entire thing was bought and made by Deku’s mom, and to our knowledge, it’s the only suit she made for him (the rest being supplied by U.A.). Providing Midoriya with this suit was her way of saying she supports her son’s quest, and that’s hard not to love. Second, the design is a hat-tip to All Might, as the massive fringes are actually meant to be an homage to All Might’s iconic bangs. Last, the jaw of Deku’s Alpha suit has a design meant to resemble All Might’s ever-present smile, another nod to his inspiration.

Alpha is full of nostalgia, and that’s why it gets a higher place in this chart.

4) WHM (World Heroes’ Mission)

World Heroes’ Mission is the third film in the MHA franchise, and it gives some of our favorite students a whole new look. Primarily, it puts Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki in new, shiny, and stealthy versions of their suits. Fans love the sleek look and design, though they do have a slightly flatter look, which is why they can’t be ranked higher.

Deku’s WHM costume is almost entirely black, with a few standout exceptions. There are pops of green accents, which really stand out in contrast. The whole design is meant for stealth, which explains the darker color palette. It also explains why the costume has a black hood and mask that can help our hero further blend in with a darker background.

This costume gets bonus points for being part of a set, as Bakugo and Todoroki’s costumes also have the same foundation (black with pops of color). It makes for a great team look.

3) Armored Deku

Featured in My Hero Academia’s epilogue, Midoriya thought his days as a hero on the scene were over. Resigned to be a Quirkless teacher mentoring young minds, he never gave up the desire to be a hero alongside his friends. Much like One for All, All Might would also pass down his next gift to Deku in this time of need, the armored suit he wore in the final battle.

The result is a variant on Deku’s previous costume designs with a notable cybernetic tweak, and it’s an emotional moment, not just for Deku, who wished to return to the field as a hero, but also for fans craving his happiest ending possible. While we didn’t get to see much of it in action, it’s been a welcome sight, and we look forward to seeing it animated with the conclusion of My Hero Academia Season 8.

2) Zeta

Midoriya’s Zeta costume debuted in Season 7, making it the most modern costume of the anime. It has a lot of what made Epsilon shine (more on that in a moment), minus a few key details. Zeta’s costume combines the Air Force Gloves and Mid-Gauntlets to offer Midoriya the best arm support (and protection), and that’s not the only feature this costume has to offer.

Zeta also includes black and green kneepads for further support and protection. More notably, Gran Torino’s torn cape can be seen around Midoriya’s neck and shoulders. This is a nod to Torino’s current state and how much the elder hero means to Deku.

The Zeta costume fully embraces the yellow from Gran Torino’s cape, bringing it down into the suit for splashes of yellow. It makes for a more complete and complementary look. The yellow is also reminiscent of Nana Shimura, which was certainly intentional. What are the odds that Shigaraki picked up on these details?

In a way, it’s the perfected version of everything Midoriya brings to the table. The only reason it isn’t number one is that the top costume just hits a little bit harder.

1) Epsilon

Costume Epsilon, also known as Dark Deku or Vigilante Deku, is one of the best costumes of the set. Fans can all agree that this costume hits hard. There’s a lot to love about this costume, except perhaps for the smell. We all know that this suit did not smell good, especially by the end.

Epsilon is Deku’s suit for when our young hero goes rogue, following the fateful events at the hospital. His Epsilon costume brings back a few fan-favorite details, like the mask and hood. It also adds a new pop of color, courtesy of Gran Torino’s cape. The cape is more of a cowl or shawl on Deku, but the homage is a nice touch.

In addition to these changes, Epsilon ditches the Air Force Gloves and the arm braces. In their place is a newer design, the Mid-Gauntlets. These better match the belt and shoes, so the look is overall more cohesive. The jarring expanse of white on his arms is gone, though the gloves still pop.

The Epsilon has probably the most striking profile, and that was certainly intended. This is solo Deku, who has put the world on his shoulders. All of that weight is visible in this design, and that’s probably part of the reason why fans love it so much.

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