One-Punch Man Header MangaPacks one hell of a punch!
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! Every time a promising villain appears, he beats the snot out of ’em with one punch! Can Saitama finally find an opponent who can go toe-to-toe with him and give his life some meaning? Or is he doomed to a life of superpowered boredom?
Technical:
The front cover here is a fantastic image of Saitama casually walking away after having punched a hole through a monster. It’s a great cover with some really heavy shading and detail, plus the lovely little detail that you can see by looking at Saitama’s left hand. The back cover is a little less crazy, but still manages a wonderfully energetic image of Saitama punching a monster through a (fantastically detailed) building, with Genos appearing a little closer, alongside the usual synopsis. There’s a decently meaty bonus chapter included at the end, alongside some translation notes and a few bonus images. Paper quality feels solid, honorifics aren’t used, sound effects are translated as stylized text, and text reads smoothly.
The art in this book is, put simply, stunning. The amount of detail jammed into near each and every panel is outstanding, and this book is simply a joy to look at. From insane over the top action to simpler comedy beats the art constantly nails it, making this volume one that really cements Yusuke Murata as one of the best artists in the business.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
As a powerful monster lays waste to a city, the people tremble in fear. Just in the nick of time, though, a “hero for fun” appears to confront the beast. Though this fellow seems rather silly and nonchalant, he takes down his far more intimidating opponent with a single punch. We then take a look back at the origin of this man, Saitama, which involved a crab monster and a kid with a cleft chin, followed by three years of training that caused him to go bald. Back in the present, Saitama then takes on a pair of brothers leveraging their bulk and brains, while further lamenting that he’s just too strong.
After a rather amusing chapter centered around “subterraneans”, Saitama finally meets his match: a mosquito! While he’s focused on his inability to squash the pesky bug, we learn that this is part of a far larger infestation being controlled by a mosquito-woman. A man appears and stands up to her bloodsucking horde, but surprisingly it’s a young cyborg rather than Saitama! An intense battle erupts, but ultimately the young man falls. Just before he blows himself up, though, Saitama swats away the powerful enemy with little effort. With that, the cyborg introduces himself as Genos and asks to become Saitama’s apprentice.
Will Genos be able to learn anything from Saitama? And what will happen when the “House of Evolution” goes on the attack? And finally, what will happen when we look even further back into Saitama’s past?
In Summary
From beginning to end, this volume is simply refreshing and full of energy. Though obviously the central gag limits the ability for huge battles (though we do get a great one near the end), there’s still some absolutely amazing moments that pack a huge punch. And of course the humor is absolutely on point, with plenty of great gags and an amazing sense of timing. It really is hard to praise this book enough, as it’s a real breath of fresh air that knocks it out of the park over and over. If you’re looking for one of the best drawn books around, with the benefit of some great action and humor, be sure to give this one a look, as it’s unlikely to disappoint.
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
