Why 'One Punch Man' Is Worth Watching

One Punch Man is an anime show based upon Saitama and the issues that he faces as one of the most powerful superheroes in the universe. Compared to other characters that we normally see and that are depicted in movies and cartoons, Saitama is not exceptional in many ways. He's bald, wears a yellow and red suite with a white cape and looks very, well, underwhelming. What he does possess is super strength and the ability to finish any conflict with a single punch, usually with minimal effort.

When looking at such an odd character this show goes out of its way to break down and make fun of the idea of a hero and the structure of manga to the point it makes fun of other story lines. For example, the idea of the underdog or the genuine hero looking to avenge the fallen. The episodes build up the conflict to draw us in and just when we see the supporting cast struggle, Saitama pops in and ends everything in a blink of an eye. No emotion, no celebration. Just a sigh and he walks on his way.

What the show plainly lays out for us is that a life of ease, lack of struggle or conflict, becomes pointless. If there is nothing for us to accomplish life is full of boredom, apathy, and no need for growth. Nothing can be learned and to find any enjoyment becomes more than mundane.

When we have a chance to reflect on our own lives we can see two paths. One filled with growth and struggle, think Batman or Star Wars, or we can fall into the path of Saitama. It challenges us to think if a society and a world with zero conflict really is the type of world we should live in. Using conflict here means personal struggle, not necessarily World Wars. By removing all obstacles for ourselves such as job loss, relationship issues, fitness goals, and the like, we are left with nothing. It becomes a life of ease and avoidance of boredom.

To highlight this, think of the last time you were bored. You probably scrolled through your phone, watched Netflix, scrolled some more and maybe went for a walk to try and find something. What if that became every day? What if access with zero struggle became a repetitive action of just being alive and never really living?

As a viewer following along you'll notice that Saitama is rarely in each episode. The action is driven by those around him such as Genosis and other heroes who fall in line with the superhero archetype. It leaves us wondering more about this bald hero as time progresses. If one is never really facing conflict or living, so to speak, boredom takes over. One Punch Man is never in a rush to a fight or look for trouble. He casually strolls into each scene and seems extremely casual when confronting a rather formidable situation.

An example of this is early in season one when he is fighting the self proclaimed strongest man in the world. He allows himself to be beaten up before throwing his signature serious punch, leaving his opponent to fade away like dust in the wind. Other events that show his apathetic attitude towards grave situations is when he is facing the Sea King. He arrives after a low level hero attempts to fight this beast. We watch on as the cyclist for justice is beaten to a pulp but refuses to give up. Saitama strolls along and gives the most unusual line of encouragement, "nice fight," before defeating another opponent with ease.

What this does is seriously have us look at whether or not conflict is needed to have a story moving forward. If there is never a struggle or obstacle to overcome then isn't the character stagnant? There would be no lessons to learn or wisdom to impart. Nothing is ever gained, just maintained.

As human, we can always point to a time where a struggle impacted us in some way or another. It can be a place to put blame or a crowning moment of change. But if we all lived in a utopian world where there was no need for a conflict against nature, fellow man, or even ourselves what would become of us? It would seem that listless lives would start to become the norm. Nothing new to focus on or improve, the ceiling has been reached. If that is the case then things that are meaningful become meaningless.

To give some context, the student who works hard, studies, and achieves a good test grade. There's a sense of self-fulfillment, a sense of pride and motivation to form good habits. The athlete that is dedicated and sticks to the plan and eventually comes out on top. If someone never faced a single hardship, even in training, and only needed the bare minimum to be successful, the purpose is lost. Why should they do anything at all? I would push as far to say that the drive and passion in a person could easily be snuffed out because of this.

If there is no passion or purpose in life then is it possible to even exist? What would be the point in continuing or striving to be better in anyway if there was no upside to it? Wouldn't our relationships, work, hopes, and dreams all become dulled, or at worst, killed off? When watching this show these are questions that began to pour in for myself.

I believe that Saitama represents perfection and how it isn't as ideal as we think. It becomes a world dulled and field with frustration almost longing for some sort of excitement. The show highlights all the imperfections around Saitama and what these must endure to better themselves, yet, they know that matching him is next to impossible. Some characters even quit their ventures after seeing Saitama because he destroys every belief they originally had.

To check out more, I suggest watching One Punch Man for yourself and enjoying what this oddball of a show has to offer.

"I do not ask for less burdens, I ask for broader shoulders to carry them on."