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RISE TO FAME

ALL IT TOOK WAS A SINGLE PUNCH!

by John Vuycankiat

 

A foul beast comes out of nowhere and terrorizes the metropolis. Moments later, a thundering impact reverberates across city streets, toppling down the monster. It soon realizes that a pathetic-looking fellow had snuffed out whatever fight it had within. The villain draws its last breath and just like that, the scene ends. This is the story of Saitama, protagonist of One-Punch Man.

Stories often involve progressive character development but One-Punch Man begs to differ. It’s about the strongest man alive who struggles to find meaning in his life by seeking opponents that take two punches to beat.

A panel featuring Saitama's innocent face.

Since Saitama is strong to begin with, there’s nothing more to expect from him making the audience focus on supporting characters and oversized villains. The good thing about this show is how it doesn’t let the viewers forget about the hero. Whenever Saitama makes an entrance, he projects this nonchalant and easy-going behavior that injects humor at the right moment. If there’s anything that makes people enjoy a show, it’s either a good laugh or a reminiscent scene. In this case, the light-hearted comedy that One-Punch Man offers maintains the right balance between attention and eagerness for both Saitama and everyone else that gets involved with him.

 

One-Punch Man is a web comic that went live in 2009. The author, One, continues to produce content as a hobby. In 2012, Young Jump Web Comics began publication of a remake illustrated by Yusuke Murata which was later followed by an anime adaptation that aired from October to November of 2015. The series ran with twelve episodes and received positive feedback worldwide. This amazing production rose to fame and worked its way into memes, social media, and a considerable variety of tributes. Yusuke Murata has confirmed a second season in the works but is yet to advise a definitive release date.

Spot-on cosplay by Sly Kucing.

 

Saitama faces the Hulk in one of Jason Kang's artworks.

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