Are you tired of overpowered superheroes that always win? Do you want to see a superhero that is a brilliant satire of the genre, while still offering a strong story of its own? Well, look no further than One-Punch Man, possibly the most fun and entertaining TV series of 2015!
One-Punch Man is a 12 episodes television series about an average guy named Saitama turned superhero with the ability to win any battle with One-Punch. Instead of the clichéd origin story of learning how to use his powers or overcoming struggles, Saitama, aka One-Punch Man, already wins every battle with a single punch, but as he complains, what's the challenge? He is completely bored with winning every battle and thus he seeks out stronger opponents to battle, while saving the City Z.
As the series continues, we are introduced to many new and inventive heroes that provide both insane action thrills and hysterical comedy. Even though Saitama's battles end in one punch, the other heroes of the Heroes Association create insane action set-pieces. Each of the heroes is unique and highly varied, even for someone like myself who has seen thousands of superheroes across various mediums. The overall plot of the series essentially follows Saitama, and his sidekick, Genos, as they climb their way up the ranks of the Heroes Association. In each episode, they encounter new threats to the city and explore various tropes, such as the overpowered protagonist, the public's view of superheroes, and the massive destruction and casualties caused even after a victory by the heroes. All of this is executed with an excellent comedic tone that fits the series perfectly.
Characterization: 9.5/10- Saitama is a brilliant parody on overpowered characters like Superman or Goku from Dragon Ball Z. But unlike Superman, Saitama doesn't care if he kills the monsters that try to destroy the city. He literally just punches them once and boom, they’re dead, but not before either an epic build up or a hysterical punch-line. As a character, he is used to explore the various tropes of overpowered heroes, as well as creating hysterical situations.
Genos is a cyborg, who is introduced in episode 2, and after seeing Saitama's incredible strength, he begs Saitama to serve as his master and teach him how to be strong. However, Saitama only accepts after a Genos agrees to pay part of Saitama's rent, in a very comical scene. Genos provides many of the best action sequences early in the series, and sets up an interesting plot thread for future seasons.
One-Punch Man's villains are a constant revolving door of monsters and various creatures that threaten the cities. Many of the villains are either absolutely hysterical or extremely badass and inventive!
The supporting cast of heroes is another brilliant set of characters. Whether it is the inspirational Mumen Rider or the highly offensive Puri Puri Prison, you are not likely to forget the slew of insanely fun characters.
Direction: 10/10- Holy crap! One-Punch Man is the most insanely hyped up anime ever. Each battle gets my blood pumping like nothing else! Instead of the Dragon Ball Z type screaming matches and still frames that some of grew up watching, One-Punch Man actually animates the action sequences in high detail. Every episode's battle is a mastery of action animation, and if you like superhero action, you should definitely check out the battles.
Acting: 9.5/10- Unfortunately, there is no English dub as of now. However, Viz Media is known for some solid dubs, so expect this insanely popular anime to receive one in the near future. As for the Japanese cast, Makoto Furukawa as Saitama pulls off the deadpan delivery to absolute perfection! And Kaito Ishikawa as Genos provides the perfect type of over seriousness to make the humor hit even harder.
Animation: 10/10- Studio Madhouse blew everyone away in the first few episodes with animation quality on a level well above what you come to expect. While the action sequences are amazing, later in the series, you can clearly see that a few corners had to be cut during the comedic scenes with very occasional off model moments and a lack of key frames during some of the less action heavy parts. However, these few missteps are a minor blemish on one of the most visually impressive spectacles of animation you will have the pleasure of viewing.
Soundtrack: 9.0/10- Makoto Miyazaki's score is the perfect type of heroic music that makes every battle extremely hyped up! When you hear the hero theme, you know that something awesome is about to go down, and the series never disappoints!
Humor: 9.5/10- Ultimately, One-Punch Man is a satirical comedy, and if you are familiar with either superhero or shounen action tropes, this series is bound to make you laugh. Many of the jokes come from simple things like Saitama going to the convenience store to buy groceries and running into a random monster. And the comedic timing of the series is spot on!
Opening and Ending: 9.2/10- "THE HERO!!" by JAM Project is the perfect hyped up song for such a hyped up series. It is fast paced and gets me pumped up for each and every episode.
Non-Otaku Appeal: If you like superheroes and don't mind some funny weirdness, like a giant crab-man, then give One-Punch Man a shot. If you have any nostalgia for superhero cartoons as a kid or something like Dragon Ball Z, then you should definitely give this series a chance, because it is just fun.
Entertainment Value: 10/10- Honestly, no other anime, heck, no other TV show was as entertaining as One-Punch Man was last year. Each episode got me pumped up, made me laugh, and then got me excited to see the next one! It was the highlight of every week.
Overall: 9.7/10- One-Punch Man is fun, exciting, and full of wit and charm. If you want a visual extravaganza on par with any Hollywood superhero flick, as well as hilarious humor that will leave you in stitches, watch One-Punch Man you won't regret it, and at 12 episodes, it won't take long to watch.
Closing comments: There is a reason One-Punch Man is #2 overall on IMDB's top TV shows, and that's because it is a dang good show! To start watching this insane series, click here to watch it on Hulu or watch it on Hulu in the video below.
Recommended for: Superhero fans, Animation fans,
Note: One-Punch Man contains animated violence and occasional suggestive themes.
Note: One-Punch Man contains animated violence and occasional suggestive themes.
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