Introduction:
One-Punch Man is a web manga, written by the author with the pseudonym of One. He self published the manga as a web comic in 2009, which later received a proper manga release in 2012, illustrated by Yusuke Murata.
The web manga later got adapted into an anime series in 2015, which got dubbed in English in 2016. In 2019, it adapted more of the manga for the second season. Both seasons ran for 12 episodes each, giving One-Punch Man total 24 episodes, not counting OVA.
The anime was handled by Madhouse in the season 1, and the second season was animated by J.C.Staff. though they retained the composers and character designers.
It is a super hero comedy action series, detailing the life of Saitama, who is the One-Punch Man. he, in his own words, “Just a hero for fun.”
Plot:
What if there was a hero, who is so strong, that that he can take out any monster? What if he only needs to use just one punch to take out the monster? This is the plot of One-Punch Man.
Saitama is a 25 years old man, who became so strong that no one can challenge him anymore. He can take out any threat just by one punch. Despite that, he is nowhere near popular like other heroes, and his name remains to be unknown among the public, aside from his few close associates and friends.
My watching experiences:
The first season starts out fun. We learn early that Saitama used to be week, just like an average guy. Then he trained, and trained so hard that he became strong. So strong, that he can take any threat out with just one punch, and at this point, the readers are planning to punch me because I sound like a broken record.
But that is not all. Saitama trained so hard that he lost his hair, and became bald. Do not make fun of him, while he is usually an easy-going guy, that is one sore point for him.
He also hates the tendency of monsters and villains of giving their backstories in a dramatic narration. Not just them though, he hates when anyone does that. it is best to explain your backstory to him in 20 words or less.
he gets an apprentice, a cyborg called Genos. He wanted to know his secret, but Saitama explained that he just trained hard, and attained the strength which can contend with the characters of dragon ball regularly. (More on that later.)
when he was explaining his exercise routine, I felt as if several catch wrestlers of old time were rolling in their graves in regret, for not finding a student like him.
In the finale of the season, Saitama faces a pirate named Boros. Who according to his backstory, is the strongest of his species, which is very combative just like Saiyans. And to top it all off, my cousin tells me when he uses his full power, he looks like a super Saiyan. But for that, I only have his word.
The second season is very dark compare to the first one. The heroes didn’t act like heroes at all, they’re most obsessed with their rankings, and getting the admiration of the public. Which reminds me of companies and politicians, who only care about profits and public support, whatever that means.
Hilariously enough, there was a villainous group who demanded that people should work less in the season one. Sadly, things didn’t end well for them.
Anyway, back to the season two. There is a hero hunter on the prowl, who says that he is a human who became a monster. His name is Garou. He was expelled from the dojo run by an old hero, for an offence which I can’t remember.
During this whole season, he just ran around heroes, and beat them senseless, all the while his story is revealed through flashbacks. Apparently, he believes that human heroes kill monsters indiscriminately, and without considering the side of the monster. The fact that he was a loner and got bullied by other children didn’t help him any.
I must tell you. this guy, he’s no hero. But I like him. And he even gets an awesome fight at the end of the season, where despite being sick, he takes out eight of the heroes. Words in my opinion, cannot do that fight justice. You must watch that entire battle for yourself.
Another thing to note is that just how little the screen time Saitama gets. But given his strength, it is for the best. otherwise, we won’t have a series at all. Besides, if we get to see more awesome fights like the one with Garou, then I most certainly will not complain about his screen time.
On an entirely different note, I theorized with my cousin that Saitama is somehow related with Shin-Chan. Mostly because Shinnosuke seems to have super powers of his own. Maybe Saitama is his descendant?
Conclusion:
I needed something more humorous after watching Elfen Lied
In that regard, this series certainly delivered. Yes, it has its serious moments. But at least it is not the soul crushing despair of the Elfen Lied. (Edit: At the time of the writing of this review, I just finished the Elfen Lied.)
Having watched both the seasons, I can now understand why this, and My Hero Academia of which I reviewed the first season
Became the anime for the new generation. People of my generation had Bleach, Dragon Ball, Naruto and One Piece, and kids of today have One-Punch Man, My Hero Academia, and other great manga and anime, which hopefully won’t run for long like Naruto, Bleach etc.
Anyway, the conclusion is, don’t worry about the hype. Give this one a chance, and come here whenever the third season comes. I will review it here.
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