High-speed action!
Creative Staff
Story: ONE
Art: Yusuke Murata
Translation: John Werry
What They Say
Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem – he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on! He’s easily taken out a number of monsters, including a crabby creature, a malicious mosquito girl, and a muscly meathead. But his humdrum life takes a drastic turn when he meets Genos – a cyborg who wants to uncover the secret behind his strength!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
As the volume kicks off, we get a look at the background of the scientist who created the House of Evolution, and just when it starts to stretch on a bit, Saitama butts in and cuts it short himself. He continues to cut to the chase by heading straight to the enemy HQ with Genos, where the scientist is panicking and decides to release his ultimate uncontrollable weapon, Carnage Kabuto. It’s at this point that Genos steps up to the plate, and though he does get smacked down in the end, he still manages to really show off before that happens. There’s a careful balance to it, but the book pulls it off well, showing that Genos is an absolute powerhouse before using him to prove that the enemy is even stronger, and then of course allowing Saitama to come in and end things with some great gags.
Following this Saitama runs afoul of a gang of foes named the Paradisers that manage to actually land some damage on him. Not by attacking him of course, but by being villains known for their bald headed look, which causes our hero to be mistaken for an evildoer! Though stupid, they’re plenty strong, but they meet their match when it turns out their target has hired an assassin to guard him. This man, Sonic, is incredibly fast and manages to make quick work of the Paradisers, making for quite the display of skill (and some really powerfully drawn bits of battle), and he inevitably forces the group’s leader right to Saitama! Of course our hero fends off the foe, but this leads Sonic right to him and into an obvious misunderstanding.
Saitama obviously makes quick work of him, but he gains a rival in the process, giving us another interesting addition to the cast. Perhaps more importantly, Saitama actually becomes cognizant of his gag of being constantly unrecognized, setting the stage for “professional heroes” to become an important element for the series!
In Summary
Though in some ways this volume is “more of the same”, it continues to up its game in a subtle yet powerful manner. The most notable shift here is the move towards arcs rather than one-off chapters, as there are actually only two key stories in this volume, ignoring the bonus chapter. And though the gag of Saitama’s overwhelming power may make that seem like a concern, it’s fortunately handled in a way that feels natural, and of course makes for some great jokes. We also get some smaller additions, like the addition of another interesting character to the cast, as well as a bit of tantalizing information at the end of the book that gives a hint as to the direction that the series may be heading. In the end though, it’s still the insane action combined with masterful gags that make this series, and they’re certainly every bit as much present here as they were in the first volume. If you haven’t looked into this series yet be sure to do so, as it’s an absolutely fantastic read that’s sure to please.
Content Grade: A
Art Grade: A+
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: September 1st, 2015
MSRP: $9.99
