The '90s saw an influx of anime in Western culture like never before with shows like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, and Cowboy Bebop. These days shows like Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, and My Hero Academia are doing it once again.
Midoriya is the hopeful main character of My Hero Academia — he's simply a kid with a dream and a desire to accomplish that dream. He's similar to Ash Ketchum of Pokemon in that way. If Midoriya had access to Pokemon, it's interesting to wonder over which creatures he'd want to catch, train, and evolve. So let's explore that a bit further!
10 Luxray
Canines and felines are always easy choices when pairing Pokemon with young aspiring heroes. Most of that is due to the human race's affection for domesticated cats and dogs, as well as the fact that most Westerners view them as part of the family. Luxray isn't as traditionally cool-looking as Arcanine, but the Electric-type has a sleek enough design of its own. A bonus for Luxray is that its spiky hair fits in perfectly with the anime aesthetic most characters have going on in terms of how their hair is drawn and designed.
9 Yamper
Yamper is a cute little Pokemon and that's entirely why Midoriya would love it. The Electric-type corgi has an uninspired and frankly boring final evolutionary form, but if the Pokemon anime is any indication, some creatures can just exist in their base form for their entire lives with or without an everstone. It wouldn't be able to fight alongside him, but it could serve as the lovable attachment he gets to connect with every time he returns home or to the dorms at school. It would also help him get closer to Uraraka in a touching way.
8 Vaporeon
It seems that almost every Pokemon trainer ends up with at least one evolutionary form of Eevee, or even just an Eevee itself. Pairing Midoriya with the Normal-type Eevee seemed like a home run hit, but for the sake of interest, it seemed best to find the evolutionary form that would work for Midoriya specifically.
Vaporeon, the Water-type Eeveelution, ended up standing apart from the rest as its ability to swim and go stealth in water would give Midoriya options in terms of strategic attacks, especially since he is most comfortable fighting on land with his feet on the ground.
7 Rowlet
Like Yamper, the easiest explanation for this pairing is the idea of giving the main character a Pokemon that's irresistibly cute. Outside of that, there are a couple of other reasons Midoriya might opt to own and train a Rowlet. The Alolan Grass-type starter matches Midoriya's green color scheme when it comes to his hero outfit, but when fully grown its final form will also give Midoriya a new combat tool. Rowlet's final form is an archer and the long-distance strikes could provide a level of depth to Midoriya's fighting considering he's primarily a melee-based hero.
6 Hawlucha
Throughout his life, Midoriya has been called many things. He's been referred to as a terrible crier, Deku, wimp, among many other things. These days one word that clearly defines the hero in training is the word "fighter." Often to his detriment, Midoriya will fight until his body gives out. He doesn't believe in the idea of quitting before the job's done. Hawlucha is a Fighting and Flying-type that's ready to rumble at any time, and its Luchador-inspired design makes it look like it's already dressed and ready to be the world's greatest sidekick.
5 Ivysaur
Bulbasaur may not get as much love as the other two starter Pokemon of the Kanto region, but it does happen to have the best middle evolution of the bunch. The first time Ash and his friends run into a Bulbasaur in the anime it's because it is protecting those it cares about from a perceived threat. This showcases that at its core it is a protector of the innocent in much the same way that Midoriya is. Choosing Ivysaur over Bulbasaur simply comes down to it being at the same stage Midoriya is in his journey.
4 Mudkip
Mudkip is the second and last starter Pokemon on this list, and though there are many to choose from, the Water-type from the 3rd generation felt like the best fit. Midoriya is a character who looks very innocent and nice, but under the surface, he's full of energy and purpose as an individual looking to be the next symbol of hope for people. Mudkip itself starts as a small and unassuming creature, but by the end of its journey, it stands on all four of its amphibious feet as a Water and Ground-type walking tank.
3 Pikachu
Some may say that pairing the main character in an anime with Pikachu is lazy and feels like a thoughtless connection. That could be true in some cases, but with Midoriya being hard-headed and goal-oriented, it feels like pairing the young hero with an Electric-type like Pikachu could spark a magical connection.
Not all Pikachu are like the one Ash Ketchum has in the anime, but for the sake of argument, it's best to assume that the Pikachu by Midoriya's side would have just as much personality as Ash's.
2 Growlithe
People love dogs, and considering Midoriya is a person it's safe to say that he likely also loves dogs. Growlithe was the original canine/feline hybrid of the franchise, and the Fire-type is still considered the best of the bunch by many fans. As Midoriya grows into a strong and competent hero, a Pokemon like Growlithe could grow right alongside him. It would be a magical moment if Growlithe was given a Fire Stone to evolve at the same time in which Midoriya became a fully-fledged superhero, ready to vanquish evil all on his own.
1 Riolu
Midoriya is an empathetic kid, one whose emotions often get the best of him as he tends to cry a lot more often than the average individual. Though Riolu isn't as gifted as its final form in terms of feeling other living creatures' auras, it can be more easily controlled by a kid like Midoriya. The creature only evolves when its friendship with its trainer reaches the maximum level, which seems like something that would come quickly and naturally to a charismatic and loving trainer like Midoriya would likely be.