One-Punch Man, or a bored superhero – review of comic books “One-Punch Man” vol. 1-3

Who is One?

Saitama was brought to life by a mysterious artist calling himself One. In 2009, it was discovered by accident by Internet searchers during a routine inspection of Internet news. Nobody knows who One was or is so far. However, if I’m wrong, please correct me. The hero himself in the first comics was drawn with angular paint-like shapes. With this cartoon caricature that he reminds me, the comic becomes fun, especially as there are now a lot of comic works that are drawn this way. I think the point was that the drawing should amuse the reader, not overwhelm him with its details. The comic’s plot itself turns out to be so attractive that within three years after its discovery, it became a hit and gained incredible popularity. At the end of 2012, the manga One had almost 8 million views. and the story of an anonymous artist was noticed by a publisher of paper manga. And yesOne-Punch Man got a “new face” in the form of drawings by Yusuke Murata.

A hero from nowhere

Saitama himself describes himself as a “passionate hero.” Before he became a hero, however, he was an ordinary gray citizen seeking employment. A gracious fate gave him a manna of happiness, having accidentally entangled him in a draco. He almost shouted in his face, “Save the kid! He made a mess, and now he’s in trouble because some half-man half-crab wants revenge for his perfidiously painted nipples! ” So Saitama rolled up his shirt sleeves and saved the underage vandal. After such an adventure, our future hero imposed a murderous, three-year training, thanks to which he gained super strength, which would later turn out to be something desired by many. Unfortunately, this power came at a price: total hair loss.

Saitamowy marazm

While it may seem that Saitama is the joyful point of any story, these are only appearances. Unfortunately, the hero is bored. He lacks a suitable opponent to fight and new challenges in life. He hadn’t felt the adrenaline that accompanied him in the first few months of his dizzying career for years, so his dream of being a hero with time began to tire him. After all, how much fun is it to defeat your opponents in the first few seconds of a fight? It is the lack of a suitable rival that causes the character to fall into apathy and give the impression – let’s put it delicately – slightly slack and not intelligent. Saitama was awakened only by his painstaking apprentice, Genos. He appears in the first volume. He is a teenage cyborg who wants to become more powerful and therefore He became Saitama’s self-proclaimed apprentice, thinking, that he would get the same strength as his master. They make us realize in their comics, however, that having such enormous power does not make life better and easier. On the contrary – life becomes too boring and easy because it lacks the fun of overcoming everyday difficulties. So it is quite the opposite of American comic books, in which the supernatural abilities of the characters are nurtured by them and they are admired. However, despite a rather serious approach to the hero’s dilemmas, in which the supernatural abilities of the heroes are nurtured by them and they are admired. However, despite a rather serious approach to the hero’s dilemmas, in which the supernatural abilities of the heroes are nurtured by them and they are admired. However, despite a rather serious approach to the hero’s dilemmas,One-Puch Man is a light, comedy story that is a pastiche of the genre.

A grotesque about superheroes

One-Punch Man is a manga that perfectly parodies the image of the popular superheroes we know so far. It exaggerates the most characteristic elements of a story about heroes fighting evil. He has a lot of references to Japanese pop culture, plays with clichés and makes fun of being a superhero. A grotesque approach to the subject was a great idea here. Every hero, bad or good, is presented here in a funny way: we have a superpower going through a personality crisis (a theme often found in superhero stories), a cyborg fascinated by Saitama’s power, eager to find out how he became so strong or the evil ninja warrior, whose nickname is constantly being twisted. There are really many such characters and I would not have enough time to name them all.

An important detail …

… There is a dash! The first version, drawn by One, is like the work of a child who starts his fun in Paint: lopsided, despite his best efforts, but fun in itself. However, it must be admitted that the remake of professional Yusuke Murata’s drawings is lovely. The backgrounds and characters are refined in every detail, the action is fast-paced, and the only factor that stands out from the rest is Saitama’s figure, drawn with an uncomplicated, simple line. For most of the stories, they are characterized by simplicity of the frame, becoming incredibly rich in detail in the strategic moments of the plot. It is amazing that the hero gains seriousness and power, and the reader can feel it when looking at the drawings. The very movement of the character during the fight is so dynamic that you can almost visualize this movement or feel the momentum and force put into each blow.One-Punch Mana what duel scenes should look like.

Mandatory item

One-Punch Man turns out to be an incredibly interesting look at the American-dominated genre. There is no typical pomposity present in American comics, but there is a lot of distance and a lot of good, light fun and humor. There is no unnecessary dramatization and pathos. This title is really worth knowing.