One Punch Man started out as a parody of all the superhero fiction that was taking the world by storm. The MCU and the DCEU along with a host of other action packed flicks had become the movie making industry’s greatest cash cows. The Japanese Anime industry, with its long associated TV Tropes of overpowered protagonists, were not too far behind. Maybe they did not believe in the cape and mask that much but they too were part of the trend. One Punch Man was the first ever anime series to challenge and even parody the Superhero phenomena by creating an overly powered superhero that defeats every single super villain, no matter how strong or powerful, with literally one punch, hence the name. With the passage of time, One Punch Man has become a household phenomenon. Many fans flock to the TV screens to watch Saitama in action, mesmerized by the visually appealing action sequences and story line. But there have been a lot of facts about the series’ main characters that still go noticed by the larger group of society. Presenting – 10 Amazing Facts about Heroes of One Punch Man everyone gloriously missed!
1. Saitama does not need Oxygen
Every Superhero, no matter how strong, requires air. That is the basic necessity to survive. But turns out, Saitama may not even need Oxygen. He eats food and drinks water we have seen him do that. But when push comes to shove, he may not even require oxygen to breathe, living off on sheer brute strength alone. During his fight with Boros in the Season finale, Saitama was punched into the outer atmosphere and into the moon, where the crash made a huge crater. Saitama stood up, dusted himself and jumped back to Earth. In case you have not noticed, the Moon does not have an atmosphere. How did Saitama survive without Oxygen?
2. What does “OP” in OP-Man mean?
Many are of the notion that the O.P in O.P Man is One Punch. While it is true to some extent, the creator of One Punch Man had a different idea for a name. The O.P in O.P Man stands not for “One Punch” but “Over Powered”. The very objective of the show was to take a jab at over powered heroes. Goku from Dragon Ball, Ichigo from Bleach, Luffy from one Piece and Naruto from Naruto Shippuden, One Punch Man or should we say Over Powered Man is taking a dig at literally every primary shonen protagonist to have graced the screens in the anime industry.
3. Too much strength creates boredom
In case you have not noticed, the look on Saitama’s face is a permanent one. The guy is so strong that he never gets to use his maximum strength on anyone. The villains crumble in front of him with just one punch, and that too he even uses with a laid back amount of strength. So much strength that is endowed to him creates another problem. Saitama is constantly bored. He joined the Hero association, then went on to the Martial Arts tournament and even decided to venture into the heart of the Monster Association, just so he could find a worthy opponent that he could fight with on equal terms. No one has been able to live up to his standards.
4. He defies the basic laws of Physics
Einstein once claimed that the fastest particle in the universe will always be light. There can be nothing that goes faster than light lest it destroys the very fabric of the space-time continuum. Saitama, when he jumped from the moon into the Earth (during his fight with Boros), took literally seconds to come back. To put matters into perspective, light travels 3*10^8 meters per second. And that means it will take light more than just two seconds to reach Earth from the moon. Saitama beat light in terms of speed. Einstein, how do you like him now??
5. Genos may be gay
This one might be a little too controversial. But we are forced to think about it when you put two and two together. Genos is a very powerful cyborg who uses firepower to overwhelm opponents. Studying and ‘training’ under Saitama has somehow managed to help him get stronger, even though Saitama himself does not provide any sort of training and only offers him some occasional but pretty redundant words of wisdom. But Genos has managed to stick around for so long that it makes us wonder. The guy is an S-Class superhero and has high levels of analytical ability. He must have figured it out that Saitama has nothing to offer him. And the anime industry is infamous for using stereotypes to implicate homosexuality (which they have in this anime itself as well). So this assumption is based on sound reasons.
6. All the characters in the anime are parodies
If you think Saitama is the only parody in the anime, challenging well established “overpowered good guy” tropes, you are dead wrong. The entire anime is filled with such characters. Genos is a deadly cyborg who also wears an apron and is one amazing housekeeper. Garo is a human monster with a heart of gold and fights for the Monsters because he thinks that they too deserve a chance to be heard. Tank Top is a superhero who looks strong but inside is a caring person. Puri Puri Prisoner is also a self-polarizing stereotype. Bang and Bomb, are old and strong. The Hero Association is actually an innately malevolent organization that only cares about profit but not about the people’s well-being.
7. The only guy to stand against him on equal grounds is King
Okay he might be a fraud and a cheat. But King never asked for the glory he was forcibly showered with. He is supposed to be the world’s strongest superhero. But all his kills were actually left over remains of monsters in Saitama’s wake. The King Engine, which people think is the sound King’s body makes when the guy powering up, is actually his heart beating at a fast pace, which makes him the world’s number one coward. But King has one quality that Saitama does not – Video Game proficiency. King can beat Saitama in Video Games by using just one finger while Saitama is free to use both his hands for the console. Saitama likes to hang out with him because King is the only guy he has never managed to defeat – even if it is just video games.
8. The anime represents a Chess game
Ever wondered why King is called King? In a game of chess, King is the most important character even though he does not do anything and is probably the most useless piece when you consider movement restrictions. Without a Queen, the King is pretty much dead. The Queen is the most powerful piece in the Chess board. The King and Queen, together, are a force to be reckoned with. Saitama is the Queen. There are other references. Genos represents the rook. Bang represents the Knight. Charanko and Mumen Rider are the pawns. This anime has a lot of symbolism weaved into it.
9. Saitama may soon become a villain
When you are too bored and too over powered to do anything, the only thing left is too move in the opposite direction. That is what they anime is currently moving towards. Saitama is so strong he literally has no purpose left to continue to remain a superhero. He is better off going evil and destroying everything. Boros is an example. He was so strong of his kind that he decided to lead an armada and destroy entire civilizations just so he could find a worthy challenger. One Punch Man might become the new Boros. If you think about the ridiculous story-telling approach of OPM, we would not be surprised if they go through with this plot direction.
10. Why is he bald?
Is there a specific reason why Saitama does not have even a shred of hair on his head? Is the aura that his body generates so strong that it stunts hair growth on his skin? No, it is not that complicated an answer. Saitama does not have any hair on his head because the creator of the anime and manga does not want him to have any. The objective of One Punch Man was to create a simple, average looking guy that does not stand out in a crowd and give him immeasurable power. If Saitama had golden flowing hair, the very purpose of the anime is defeated.
