Exploring Deku’s Support Gear in Mastering One For All in My Hero Academia

Overview

Support items are essential for amplifying quirks, enhancing hero combat effectiveness, and alleviating their inherent limitations.
Deku utilizes support items like Iron Soles, Air Force Gloves, and the Mid-Gauntlet to fully harness the power of One For All.
His gradual integration of these items illustrates his development in mastering the complexities of One For All.

The anime series My Hero Academia has effectively highlighted the significance of support items throughout its seven-season run. From Bakugo’s specially designed Gauntlets to Kaminari’s Sharpshooter Gear, each hero has harnessed these tools to elevate their quirk capabilities. This assertion extends to Deku, the lead character, who navigates the immense potential of the quirk known as One For All.

Although One For All is an extraordinarily potent quirk in its own right, reminiscent of its former wielder All Might, Deku’s physical limitations made it challenging for him to withstand the strain. As a solution, Deku has utilized several support items over the course of the series, including Mei Hatsume’s Air Force Gloves and Melissa Shield’s Full Gauntlet. These tools are instrumental in enabling Deku to effectively manage the power of One For All in innovative ways.

The Role of Support Items

The Essential Function of Support Items in Hero Activities

In My Hero Academia, support items play a pivotal role in enhancing heroes’ quirks. These enhancements range from amplifying existing abilities to compensating for the quirks’ limitations. In some instances, these items are not necessarily related to the quirks themselves; for example, Eraser Head’s Capturing Weapon serves as a tactical tool for close combat rather than a quirk-enhancing gadget.

Deku’s selection of support items encompasses several functionalities. Items such as Iron Soles, Air Force Gloves, and the Mid-Gauntlet have been meticulously engineered to optimize One For All’s power while addressing its potential drawbacks. Designed specifically for Deku’s combat style, these items consider the overwhelming force of One For All, significantly aiding in his growth as a hero and enhancing his application of this extraordinary quirk.

Armor-Plated Iron Soles

Deku’s Initial Specialized Support Item

First Mention	Episode 52 “Create Those Ultimate Moves”
Air Date	July 14, 2018

Iron Soles mark one of the earliest support items tailored for Deku, crafted with the destructive capacity of One For All in mind. Designed by Mei Hatsume, these armor-like cleats provide protection to Deku’s legs, significantly diminishing the recoil from his Shoot Style attacks. An additional innovative feature allows the toes of Iron Soles to spring forward upon impact, yielding a double punch effect against adversaries.

Specifically developed for Deku’s Full-Cowl Shoot Style—an advanced technique for channeling One For All into kinetic shockwaves—the Iron Soles alleviate the enormous stress this attack places on his legs. This critical assistance enables Deku to execute his techniques without succumbing to the usual repercussions, effectively revolutionizing the way he approaches combat.

The introduction of Iron Soles to Deku’s hero gear was a formative moment, representing the dawn of his journey to optimize One For All through strategic support equipment. Ultimately, this innovation transformed his ability to execute powerful attacks without bearing the full brunt of the quirk’s strain.

Air Force Gloves

Converting One For All into a Range-Oriented Quirk

First Mention	Episode 84 “Deku vs. Gentle Criminal”
Air Date	March 7, 2020

The Air Force Gloves, another ingenious creation from Mei Hatsume, were developed based on Deku’s requests for enhancements to his gear. These gloves effectively funnel One For All’s wind bursts to create a more powerful and focused impact, thereby relieving stress on his hands and fingers during use. While Deku can still generate wind blasts without them, the Air Force Gloves amplify his attack capabilities significantly.

“I’m not sure how much it’ll help, but with one of my babies, you should be able to fire them like shots!”- Mei Hatsume

Full Gauntlet

The Masterpiece of Melissa Shield

First Mention	My Hero Academia: Two Heroes
Air Date	August 3, 2018

Introduced in the film My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, the Full Gauntlet was a groundbreaking support item created by the brilliant Melissa Shield from America. While compact in its sealed form, the Full Gauntlet expands to envelop both Deku’s hands and forearms once activated, enabling him to perform three One For All Smashes at full power—an achievement that would typically result in paralysis for him.

This gear significantly eases the physical burden on Deku, acting as a buffer that enhances the force of his attacks while also enabling him to utilize One For All at reduced percentages more securely. Although destroyed at the film’s conclusion, the Full Gauntlet was pivotal in laying the foundation for the Mid-Gauntlet, which emerged later in My Hero Academia’s closing war arc.

In essence, the Full Gauntlet served as a precursor to the more advanced Mid-Gauntlet. Prior to its introduction, Deku’s Smash attacks relied solely on his physical strength, often resulting in injury from the backlash. The Full Gauntlet altered this dynamic, allowing support items to mitigate the repercussions of One For All’s might and amplify Deku’s capabilities significantly.

Mid-Gauntlet

Deku’s Most Recent Support Item

First Mention	Episode 132 “Full Power”
Air Date	February 11, 2023

The Mid-Gauntlet represents the latest advancement in Deku’s support arsenal within My Hero Academia. Imported from America, this item functions similarly to the Full Gauntlet, albeit with slightly diminished capabilities. The Mid-Gauntlet enhances the user’s overall resilience and lessens the drawbacks associated with strength-based quirks, effectively reducing the impact of One For All on Deku’s body.

“They provide support all over your body, but they can’t withstand 100% power.”- All Might

Unlike its predecessor, the Mid-Gauntlet is not designed to withstand the full force of One For All, as such a level of power would cause it to disintegrate. The initial Mid-Gauntlets were destroyed during Deku’s confrontation with Lady Nagant, but thanks to Mei Hatsume’s ingenuity, they were repaired and enhanced by merging them with Deku’s previous Air Force Gloves, resulting in a more robust hybrid item.

This latest support item has proven essential during Deku’s battles in the climactic war arc. By bolstering his strength and protecting him from the side effects of One For All and the quirks of previous users, Deku has successfully faced off against significant adversaries such as Tomura Shigaraki. Although the full extent of One For All’s capabilities in Deku’s hands remains to be fully demonstrated, it is clear that these support items are integral to his journey of mastery and combat readiness.

My Hero Academia can be streamed on Prime Video.

Source & Images