One-Punch Man May Become One of the Greatest of All Time

This article needs no introduction. You know what One-Punch Man is, and if not then you better recognize, son. That intro was 20 words or less (a joke you’ll only get if you’ve seen the show). Anyway, this will be an extensive review of One-Punch Man and why it’s amazing. Oh, spoiler alert, I think the show is amazing. There will be no plot spoilers in this review, so if you haven’t been blessed by this anime yet don’t worry, this review won’t reveal any secrets. Anyway, let’s get started.

One-Punch Man is a 12-episode anime series based on the manga and webcomic of the same name. The anime was picked up by the animation studio Madhouse, a powerhouse in the anime industry. They were the studio behind Trigun, Black Lagoon, part of Hellsing Ultimate, Summer Wars, Hajime No Ippo, even Beyblade believe it or not. There are tons of other shows that they’ve animated. They all look beautiful but the studio goes all out for One-Punch Man. Every single frame of animation in this show has so much care put into it. Different artists and animators worked on different scenes so an episode can have a different feel with each scene which just adds to the overall magic.

This show has so much character in it that the animation has to be on point to fully bring out the script and Madhouse definitely knew that when they were doing their thing. The art style does a great job with every single detail, making each villain look cool and sometimes creepy with how detailed they are. It allows each character to fully express themselves and makes each villain look and feel imposing with their animation and style. In terms of looks One-Punch Man is just about perfect.

Let’s move on to the sound and voice acting. The opening theme is as hype as you would want it to be. The soundtrack feels like a superhero show with inspiring tracks that make you literally want to punch something, to slower tracks that will help you get through the toughest exam days. It’s very well done in general as the music has to be amazing to provide background for the animation. The soundtrack does exactly what it’s meant to do and goes to infinity and beyond with what it brings to the table.

Now the voice acting, oh man, the voice acting. Every single villain has that amazing condescending voice that all the old-school anime villains had and they go all out with it. The gloating and the laughing that the voice actors use to express their villainy is second to none and each villain has the aura of a Final Boss, that culminates in a comedic payoff in their fight with the main character. Speaking of main characters, their voice acting is amazing as well with great timing and little nuances in their voices that really bring them to life. Saitama’s voice matches his personality and character so well that it feels like the character was made for that voice actor. Every voice fits every character and the emotions are brought to life extremely well.

One-Punch Man follows Saitama, a bald dude who trained so hard he lost his hair and beats everyone with one punch, and Genos, a cyborg who wants Saitama to be his master and train him. They are the center of the narrative and they make a great pair. There are other characters but I guarantee that your favorite will be a different character who’s in the show for about 1 or 2 episodes. I GUARANTEE he will be your favorite by the time the show is over and if he isn’t then you need to look deep in your soul and find out what’s clouding your judgement. All jokes aside the characters are all unique in their own way and the way they handle villains and other situations will give you a different view of the world they live in.

The action and comedy blend together seamlessly and flow like a water bender throughout the 12 episodes. It takes the tropes of typical Shōnen anime shows and literally punches a hole through them. Saitama’s voice and facial expressions really stick out from the other characters and allow him to be even more special than he already is. The way he reacts to villain monologues or power ups is a sight to behold and it never gets old. Genos is more like your stereotypical Shōnen action hero. His moves are flashy and he usually takes a lot of damage from the villains. You could say he’s there to give some of them a fair fight.

The action sequences with Genos are breathtaking sometimes and will leave you with your mouth wide open. Saitama and Genos are almost exact opposites in terms of their attitudes and as the show goes on they grow to understand each other and even admire certain aspects of the other. Saitama is a hero and Genos just wants to bask in his light even if no one else will.

One-Punch Man was great in all aspects. The animation, the music, and the characters are all on point. The fact that Saitama is the strongest person and can defeat everyone in one punch might be the show’s selling point, but that’s not what will keep you hooked. The way they use the fact that he can do that, the fact that he IS the strongest, the fact that he truly just wants to be a hero because it’s the right thing to do, that’s what will keep you wanting more. The journey of Saitama is just beginning because there will be a season 2 and if it’s even half as good as the first season then we’ll probably have another Anime of the Year. Don’t forget to watch the OVA’s after you’re done with the 12 episodes!

One-Punch Man gets 10 Cowboy Bebop Openings Outta 10

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