ONE’s One-Punch Man is a great superhero satire that can deliver endless laughs and incredible action sequences at any given moment. The series subverts a lot of popular tropes that are common in superhero stories, constantly playing things off in ways one wouldn’t initially expect. A big part of what makes One-Punch Man so successful is the likeability and popularity of its modest protagonist; Saitama.

Saitama is an incredibly unassuming character and not one that viewers would expect to carry a series upon first glance. His extremely plain design and calm demeanor aren’t exactly in line with the flashy, passionate leads that typically populate shonen and seinen narratives. This, of course, is part of what makes the series work so well and allows for One-Punch Man’s dry slapstick humor to shine in the most absurd scenarios.

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Saitama Compared To Other Protagonists

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There are plenty of secondary and supporting characters in One-Punch Man who seem like they would fit the mold better than Saitama does. Genos, Tatsumaki and even Charanko all give the impression that they would make for better leads given their presence in the narrative. Saitama’s lack of impact is not lost on characters in the series itself either, and his plain appearance and unremarkable demeanor are often commented on. But as with most elements of the story, this stark contrast is played off in order to make One-Punch Man’s comedic scenes all the more impactful.

A typical shounen or seinen protagonist can be energetic, have a strong sense of justice, carry on a stoic demeanor, or anything else that evokes a sense of awe or admiration in the viewer. Saitama doesn’t match any of the typical character archetypes, save for his comically monstrous strength.

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While he spends his time being a hero, Saitama is more concerned with making ends meet than he is with living up to some grand ideals. He may seem stoic at first glance but is really just aloof in most confrontations due to his incredible strength advantage over nearly every opponent he’s faced.

In spite of being played comically for most of the series, Saitama does have a number of good qualities that are touched upon throughout the narrative. Like most protagonists, Saitama is incredibly humble despite his incredible strength. Rather than be fixed on his reputation like many other pro heroes, Saitama is more concerned with challenging himself, a characteristic that many anime fans are used to seeing in their series leads. While there are a number of things that make him stand out when compared to other protagonists, Saitama still makes for an interesting albeit unassuming lead.

An Easygoing Lead For An Easygoing Series

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Saitama sees things differently than most of the people around him. While the world around him seems to function with the sense of urgency and high stakes that one would expect from a superhero series, Saitama is much more easygoing in critical situations. Rarely do the potentially devastating events playing out seem truly dire, as fans know that once Saitama gets involved, the conclusive punch line isn’t too far off.

One-Punch Man is a satire first and foremost, and Saitama’s overpowered physical strength serves as a great way to undermine any sense of drama and tension the series creates. The win is essentially guaranteed in any confrontation, but the narrative remains interesting and the comedy constantly lands regardless of the repetitive predictability. While the rest of the cast might take things seriously, the audience is inclined to follow Saitama’s lead, and instead appreciate the absurdity of each scenario while looking forward to the hilariously anticlimactic conclusions to each confrontation.

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