In a parody of traditional shounen anime, One Punch Man features hero Saitama, who just might be the most powerful being within the story’s universe. Saitama and Cyborg sidekick/pupil Genos work together to rise in the ranks of the Hero Association, which comes fairly easy for Saitama as he can literally defeat foes with a single punch.

One Punch Man is an 2015 shounen anime series, it is produced by Madhouse, and licensed by Viz Media. It is currently available on DVD and Blu-Ray in English.

Wanna be (but more so than most) hero Saitama’s usual unmotivated demeanor.

Editor’s Note: This review contains near complete to complete spoilers for One Punch Man season one.

In One Punch Man, Saitama is an unofficial hero who’s bored and itching for a challenge. In one of the first episodes his interest peaks when his city is suddenly invaded by Earth dwellers, its quickly evaporated when he comes to the realization of how weak his opponents are. However when cyborg Genos comes knocking on his door asking to be his pupil, Saitama’s life begins to change and he’s met with challenges from every corner as they work together to climb the ranks in the Hero Association.

Saitama when serious.

THE GOOD: One Punch Man is a fun, comedic parody of the shounen anime & manga genre. While on the surface you would think the plot and main character is a tad bland, in reality its main character Saitama is one of the most enjoyable & likable main characters one would come across. The action is beautifully animated, voice acting performances kill, and its genuinely hilarious. In one episode Saitama is getting beaten down from an enemy while discussing going shopping to himself, however when he comes to the realization that he may have missed the big sale the shop he was planning on going to was having he goes ballistic and blasts the enemy into pieces with one rage filled punch.

Sidekick/pupil Genos.

One of One Punch Man’s major draws is the seamless back and forth transition between Saitama’s personalities. His usual unmoved demeanor for comedic purposes, and his serious, more traditional attitude really sit the tone for the current scenery and helps let the viewer know what direction an episode is about to take, this is also the case in One’s manga. Side characters such Terrible Tornado, Silver Fang, and Mumen Rider (two of the few characters who knows Saitama’s true power) build the world of the Hero Association.

One Punch Man shows the importance of side characters to an OP lead.

THE BAD: Only a short twelve episodes.

A series for the ages.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: One Man Punch is a parody of a heavily followed anime/manga genre that’s much deeper than it appears on the surface, and it works incredibly well. The direction, art, action sequences, and overall presentation will amaze throughout its run, and I can’t name a single disappointing episode. Otaku Dome gives One Punch Man Season One Blu-Ray a 95 out of 100.

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