One-Punch Man

About One-Punch Man

If you are hunting for a new action series, One-Punch Man (ワンパンマン) deserves a look (2015). The setup goes like this. At its core: Saitama has a rather peculiar hobby, being a superhero, but despite his heroic deeds and superhuman abilities, a shadow looms over his life. He's become much too formidable, to the point that every opponent ends up defeated with a single punch.

Further in, the lack of challenge has driven him into a state of apathy, as he watches his life pass by having lost all enthusiasm, at least until he's unwillingly thrust in the role of being a mentor to the young and revenge-driven Genos.

As an action title, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Genus Hakase (Daisuke Namikawa) and Juu Ou (Jirou Saitou) are two of the characters you will meet early. This one is best suited to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. With 12 episodes in total, there is enough room for the story to develop.

Production & Appeal

Animation is handled by MADHOUSE, so the studio's house style defines how One-Punch Man looks and moves on screen. Because it leans on action, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. A community score of 8.2/10 puts it among the better-received action titles. On the casting side, Daisuke Namikawa voicing Genus Hakase gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 2015, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.