Not every protagonist has to have a weird ability.
Manga spoilers ahead!
Summary:
- My Hero Academia is full of interesting Quirks.
- Compared to them, Izuku’s One For All isn’t particularly complex.
- It’s executed well, and it plays to the strengths of the battle shounen genre.
If you look at My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia), you will find many characters with interesting and unusual Quirks. One thing you can’t ever criticize the series for is its creativity when it comes to abilities.
However, Izuku Midoriya, the protagonist, has an ability that allows him to… punch really hard. Doesn’t sound very interesting, especially compared to others — but that’s not a reason to criticize MHA, either.
It’s Not Just Punching
First of all, saying One For All is a Quirk that only allows punching is severely misrepresenting it. It’s a unique example of a transferable Quirk that adapts on its own, gaining power with each next user. This isn’t even just about retaining elements of Quirks of its previous users.
One For All is a Quirk that gets stronger over time. Eventually, it will get too strong for a human to handle. In fact, it’s been said that Deku is going to be the last user of One For All.
It’s Still Not Complex
However, this still doesn’t make the Quirk that complex or particularly interesting in itself. It doesn’t give Deku much versatility, and many fans feel it would have been better if he had some other Quirk (or some different character was the protagonist).
That said, the simplicity and straightforwardness of One For All is what actually makes it work.
One For All Being Simple Is Perfectly Fine
Simple does not necessarily mean boring. In fact, the execution of a simple premise is often more important, and in the case of Izuku, this is proven once again. He is a perfect protagonist for MHA, and his Quirk contributes to that.
One thing the third season was criticized for was the scene where Deku decides to adjust his fighting style and use his legs. Of course, he could have been doing that since the beginning — after all, the main application of One For All is strengthening yourself.
Still, from the perspective of a young teen, this might not have been a thought that crosses your mind.
In general, One For All being a close-combat Quirk which just enhances the user’s physical abilities (at least, that’s the main application of it) is quite normal for a battle shounen.
These series often have main characters who specialize in heavy hitting and close combat, and characters with weirder and more usual abilities tend to play supporting roles. MHA is just following the canons of the genre.