The One Punch Man anime and manga series revolves around protagonist Saitama, a hero who is capable of defeating villains of any class with one punch. Saitama’s strength is unrivaled by any Disaster-Class villain or S-Class hero.
Saitama’s ability to defeat his opponent without exerting much effort is a testament to the character’s overwhelming nature. It’s laughable that what Saitama calls “normal punches” contrary to his serious punches, obliterates most enemies they hit with little to no effort. Perhaps, there is more to this self-acclaimed hero’s power, lying beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed.
What is the Source of Saitama's Power?
In the anime, Saitama’s student, Genos questioned him on the source of his power, and he explains by sharing unbelievably decent answers, incomparable to his power level. According to Saitama, he achieved immense strength by performing 100 push-ups, 100 squats, 100 sit-ups, and running 10 kilometers daily for about a year. Genos hears this and doubts the credibility of Saitama’s explanations, suggesting that the routine isn’t stressful. However, Saitama refuses to budge on his stance, attributing the loss of his hair to his somewhat intense workout routine. This whole narrative leads Genos to the conclusion that Saitama is unaware of his power’s origin.
Saitama’s strength is one of the reasons One-Punch Man is an interesting series. However, the origins of his power are shrouded in mystery. In several instances in the manga and anime, Saitama displayed striking feats, garnering the attention of fans. There are several theories about the source of Saitama’s strengths, some deduced by the comedic series’ characters, others by fans using various factors. Saitama was first portrayed as a monster in Chapter 88 of One-Punch Man manga by Dr. Genus, a genius scientist and notable villain from the House of Evolution. According to Dr. Genus, there is an artificial limit, preventing humans from getting stronger beyond a certain level. He called it the “Limiter.” Dr. Genus opined that the limiter was placed by God on humans, preventing them from entering, “the realm where we lose all purpose and reason.”
Has Saitama Broken His Limiter?
Dr. Genus further theorized that gaining too much power comes with certain caveats. It becomes unbearable, overwhelming the user and turning them into unthinking monsters. The limiter can be removed through different means, especially through one engaging in several near-death circumstances. These circumstances enable them to surpass their limits, become stronger, and transform mentally and physically. Their new appearances would suit their new abilities, making them look powerful. However, Saitama’s bald hair can hardly count as monstrous-looking. Still, the credibility of Dr. Genus's theory of limiters holds some truth, evidenced by Garou, popularly called the “Human Monster.” Garou is proof that the limiter can be broken, especially during his battle with Bug God and Royal Ripper. At some point in the battle, Garou almost dies, but the reverse happens. He suddenly gains an exponential boost in his abilities and his body transforms into a monster-like form. However, he remains partly human, suggesting that his limiter wasn’t fully broken.
A leading fan theory regarding the source of Saitama and most characters’ strengths is that they trained and dedicated themselves to an inhuman level. The result of their high-level dedication is supernormal strength that is unusual for a human. In fact, many heroes in One-Punch Man can be linked to this theory. Some of them include King, Genos, and Saitama. Despite the theory’s credibility, there is one fatal flaw. One of the most dedicated heroes in One-Punch man is Mumen Rider. Following the dedication theory’s logic, he should be powerful, but he has little to non-existent strength.
Is Saitama's Power From God?
Another interesting theory regarding the source of Saitama’s power is God himself. In One-Punch Man, it is evident that superpowers can be linked to a divine origin. A primary example is Homeless Emperor, one of the main leading forces of the Monster Association. Homeless Emperor lacks monster features, but he possesses exceedingly powerful abilities: energy projection and manipulation. He claims his powers were gifted to him by God when he tried to commit suicide. Now, his divine mission is to eliminate all aspects of humanity from the earth.
A factor that attests to this theory is that in the headquarters of Monster Association, Saitama, Oculette, and Flashy Flash, communicated with a divine being through a mysterious cube. God offered these characters a chance to hold greater powers if they could pass his test. However, they turned down the offer, and later on, the number-one S-Class hero, Blast arrived. God recognizes him and Blast states that he knows God and presently he was searching for these superpower-rich cubes. Through a glimpse into the childhood of Tatsumaki, a B-Class hero, a depiction of Blast coming into contact with this cube is shown.
Consequently, the God theory suggests that Saitama gained his immense strength by coming into contact with one of these divine cubes or some godly blessing. Possibly, Saitama gained this power accidentally, which is why he doesn’t share the God-acclaimed views of humanity hinted at by Homeless Emperor and Vaccine Man.
Saitama’s strength remains unchallenged throughout the series, and regardless of the numerous theories regarding the source of his overpowering strength, it is highly unlikely that the truth of the power would be revealed anytime soon. Also, it won’t be surprising if the secrets behind Saitama’s strength are never revealed since the series is based on an unusual storyline.