I couldn’t be the only one right? I imagine many who have followed the antics of Saitama over the years have wondered whether Genos would be able to beat Speed of Sound Sonic. By most estimations, they should be evenly matched? Lo and behold, even ONE has reported that he believes they are an even match for one another. This is really what I was most looking forward to.
I liked that they showed Fubuki and Sonic’s ill-timed arrivals happening in tandem. This is really where Saitama’s dysfunctional family begins to expand in the grand scheme of the story. Prior to this, the only people truly aware of Saitama’s limitless strength are Bang and Genos (Perhaps you could argue that Boros was aware towards the end, but he’s deceased). As the circle begins to expand to King, Fubuki, Sonic – you’ll notice that all are drawn to him (only Sonic really refuses to accept any sort of kinship with Saitama). To me, the great secret of Saitama’s strength and those who are drawn to him are really the core of what One Punch Man really is about. It’s a deconstruction, yes, but that’s really only at the surface level. Beneath the surface of superficial goofiness is this really intricate character drama that makes a real point about altruism and standing for what is really important. I’m sure these deeper meanings are just vehicles for an entertaining story, but those elements are hard to ignore.
Garou’s intro was fairly well done, but I feel like JC Staff didn’t quite emphasize the complete and utter unexpectedness and depth of dread in the wake of the choas Garou wrought upon the other villains. The hero hunter’s hunt has only just begun. Garou’s arc and motivations draw more attention that OPM customarily does to its central themes (it’s a little less on the nose). In some respects I am grateful for that as it draws attention to ONE’s strength in telling a compelling story, something that otherwise might get lost amidst the shuffle between the over the top action and goofy antics.
A rank heroes are treated with a decent amount of respect in OPM – any threat that could defeat higher ranked A heroes is basically either a demon or dragon level threat, which means they are incredibly formidable. For any familiar with the way OPM establishes threats, the message with Garou is clear.
The animation was pretty impressive during the Sonic and Genos squabble. It never quite reached season 1 heights but for what I was expecting from the current staff it wasn’t shabby. I particularly remember the scene after Genos activates his new parts and aggressively positions himself in front of sonic as a standout.
Next week we should see Garou’s clash with Golden ball, which while short is still pretty enjoyable due to an early twist. This is one show that it is hard to get enough of and as usual, the wait for next Tuesday will be agonizing.
