Saitama is the protagonist of the One Punch Man manga and anime. He is an unbeatable hero who can defeat his opponents with a single punch.
One Punch Man follows a deconstruction of traditional superhero tropes. Saitama’s character was designed to make fun of the typical Shonen anime superhero cliche characters and plotlines.
Most of the time in that kind of series, the protagonist fights with powerful enemies and overcomes the odds with training and determination.
Unlike those characters, Saitama achieved his mind-blowing strength by following a simple and ordinary training routine.
To achieve that, Saitama does 100 pushups, situps, and squats and runs 10 kilometers every day. Saitama’s strength is the result of his monotonous training rather than exceptional talent or special circumstances.
Saitama, being unbeatable, is portrayed as a plot device in the series. It highlights the comedic element of the story, in contrast to the predictable and repetitive cliche plot of typical Shonen stories.
Saitama is shown as someone who is simply powerful and remains bored because of the lack of a challenging opponent.
One Punch Man mocks the other Shonen characters by making him different from the rest of the traditional superhero characters.
One Punch Man reflects the concept that varies from other superhero stories because Saitama could defeat any of his opponents with a single punch.
For the same reason, he is considered an unbeatable character, as other superhero characters struggle against their opponents at times. Saitama does not have to go through all that, as he could simply defeat his opponent with just a single punch.
Saitama’s Character Breakdown
Saitama comes across as one of the most iconic and amazing characters in anime because his unparalleled strength and humor set him apart from the rest of the superhero characters.
Saitama’s unbeatable narrative exists because of the creator of the manga, ONE, who chose to make Saitama an overpowered character.
Saitama does not enjoy fighting with his opponents because none of them pose any threat to him. So, it makes his fights uninspiring and mundane. Saitama never came across any of his opponents possessing a real challenge to him.
The story follows a deviant plotline from typical Shonen stories, so it serves as a parody, but it also allows the viewers to explore deeper themes within the story.
The series prompts viewers to question a life devoid of challenging stimulants, thereby highlighting an existential dilemma.
Individuals who find themselves in a similar state as Saitama resonate with his character, embarking on a journey to discover purpose and aspirations.
Moreover, the narrative delves into the consequences of possessing absolute power, showcasing how it can reshape one’s fundamental understanding of life.
One Punch Man explores a myriad of captivating themes, and its audience deeply enjoys witnessing Saitama’s character navigate these existential complexities.
Story
It follows the story of an ordinary guy who plays the role of hero for fun, but he always gets upset after defeating his opponents.
He desires a challenging fight, but he ends up defeating them with just one punch every time. After training too hard, he went bald and ended up becoming someone so powerful that no one could ever defeat him.
Saitama eventually ended up becoming the superhero he always dreamed of becoming. But for some reason, his heart always feels empty after achieving what he has always desired.
As he finds his overwhelming strength boring, he knows that the world is not going to turn into a better place soon. He did not feel bad that he could not bring any big change to society.
After becoming exceptionally powerful, however, he felt that his emotions were fading with time. He stopped feeling all the emotions he used to feel as a normal human, and he assumed that he must have lost something essential for humans after becoming powerful.
He used to feel all kinds of emotions when he used to fight, but after achieving his unbeatable power, all he needed was just one punch to get rid of his opponent.
He always went back home uninjured and did his mundane activities. Whenever he fights monsters, he does not feel like he is going all out during the fight.
He plays the role of a hero as a hobby, but all he cares about is feeling something during his fight. Many times, powerful opponents came to find him, as Saitama always posed a threat to them to commence their activities.
Saitama finds a thrill in fighting with worthy opponents to feel a certain kind of fulfillment because of his extraordinary powers.
Where To Watch One Punch Man
One Punch Man episodes are available for streaming on various platforms such as Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu, Netflix, and Tubi TV in different regions, featuring both English dubbing and subtitles.
