One-Punch Man - Reviews

If you're looking for a funny anime that mocks the shounen genre, just watch the original Dragon Ball series. I'm serious. Akira Toriyama did everything One Punch Man claims to do 30 years ago, and it's way funnier and better in a lot of ways.

A hero who's a hero just for fun, and so ridiculously strong that he can kill all his enemies with one punch.  One-Punch Man provides a rarely explored, if not entirely new, take on action anime.  With wildly popular and excessively long shonen (Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece to name a few) employing the well-worn mold of inexplicably overpowered heroes, weak plot, and cheesy dialogue, OPM tries to not only take cheap shots at how absolutely vile and worthless formula this is, but base a series around it while trying to uncover something deeper.  It's a bold undertaking which caught my attention, and has probably contributed to the strong success of the manga and the high expectations of the anime that would follow, but OPM ultimately falls short.  While the show has very strong individual elements, and has moments that impress, it ultimately devolves into the very thing it sought to call out, a repetitive and unremarkable cookie-cutter shonen.

STORY- 5/10

***SPOILERS***

Wait, there's actually a plot?! And while that may sound like a snarky criticism, it actually works in the show's favor initially.  OPM centers around Saitama, a ridiculous looking bald dude with a cape.  After saving a kid with a ball-sack for a chin from a man-turned-giant crab monster whom he drew nipples on (the setting is more wonderful and innapropriate than I can possibly describe) Saitama decides to leave the working world and become a full-time hero.  After 3 years of training, he becomes so powerful that he destroys any opponent with one punch and cannot find a worthy challenger.  He also gets little recognition for the evil he does defeat, and doesn't feel like he's making a difference in the world, leading to a sense of boredom and monotony characterizing the modern worklife.  One one hand, Saitama's story is a thinly veiled critique of the Gokus, Narutos, and Natsus of his genre, but it also appears to be an homage to Superman; someone who is so powerful and so out of touch with the rest of society, that his true struggle is not with his enemies, but rather with himself.  OPM is at its best in the first five episodes (and particularly in episode 1) when it builds around this character and begins to unveil something truly special.  After that, however, the story becomes an overexaggeration of Dragon Ball Z that quickly wears thin: an encyclopedia of filler characters (17 heroes in the S-class alone) battle against a seemingly indomitable foe until Saitama swoops in to save the day with one anticlimactic punch.  It's not an altogether terrible story (I've definitely sat through worse), and it does succeed in being comical at the right times, but a far cry from what it has the chance to be.

ANIMATION - 8/10

The artwork and animation in OPM are among its strengths, with fight scenes that are entertaining, colorful, and innovative.  Particularly impressive is the animation of Saitama's character.  Very similar to Able in Trinity Blood (who was voiced by two different actors in the dub), he is drawn to look like a dope for 80% of an episode, but is shown with much more defined facial features and musculature when he gets serious.

SOUND - 9/10

Like the animation, the OST does not dissapoint.  "Unbeatable" is a particularly noteworthy track with a very positive vibe and strong elements classical string and metal music.  Ohter tracks offer similar electro/metal themes, which go well with the fight scenes.  For the seiyus, Makoto Furukawa provides an excellent range of Saitama's character from melancholy, to angry, to bored, and all of the above.  Kaito Ishikawa, meanwhile, provides excellent delivery as Genos.

CHARACTERS - 6/10

I have to take exception to the characters simply because they appear at a Simpsons-level volume without Simpsons-level quality, but some are very notable.  Genos is the perfect complement to Saitama, as someone who is purpose-filled, humble, committed, and entirely too serious.  The heroes and villains that don't take themselves at all seriously (Crablante, Beast King, Tank Top Tiger, Puri Puri Prisoner) provide well-timed comic relief and help the show along during its weaker moments, while others (Mumen Rider, Bang, Boros) offer token roles that would be better served in a more serious shonen.  Saitama's character is the most difficult to grade.  As mentioned above, he offers potential for so much, but ultimately is not given the time or attention to develop.

OVERALL - 7/10 

As I write this review, One Punch Man is currently ranked #3 on anime-planet's reviews.  While I try to separate my expectations (and ultimately, opinion) of a show from popular opinion, the strong reception it has garnered definitely furthered my existing interest in its intriguing and original storyline, and I'm sure I'm not the only one in this regard.  Indeed, OPM should be commended for what it attempts, and does have moments that are truly special (the fight scene at the end of episode 1 among them).  Additionally, the animation and score are top notch, and make me wish I could grade OPM for the sum of its parts.  But ultimately, the show kept me hanging around thinking the spark I felt at the beginning would return, but ends with me wanting more.  Furthermore, continually poking fun at cookie-cutter shonen while being nothing more than a cookie-cutter shonen is something I consider hypocritical, low, and dissapointing.  OPM is a solid show that can probably be enjoyed by many who want to watch it, but in the end fails to live up to its own expectations thus has to be considered one of, if not the most, dissapointing anime I have ever watched.

one punch man is good anime. starting is pretty slow but whole story is not slow. Do you want to watch good story in anime?, I think is not worth but you want to watch good entertainment or fun full animes may be you are check this. A saitama punch is maind blowing but the powers is uncontrollable. Genos chahacter is good, i do't spolier that so you go and watch. I think am enjoy title bit of whole story because i already watch more spoliers in internet os i recomment to you do't watch any spoliers in internat platforms. so you completely enjoy this anime

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This was a really annoying but addicting series to watch. It has a lot of humor in it that he can defeat anyone easily. But, the annyoing thing i that no one really actually knows that from the top hearos and doesn't take him seriously what really anoyes me. But, other whise it was a really good series-

As a shonen, it doesn't have the thrill of emotions of the struggles to get better.

And as a comedy its not funny to me.

Over-the-top fight tends to be boring, ironically...