One Punch Man as a series really hit its stride when the anime adaptation was released. The absurdist plot with comedic elements made this show an instant success. The center of it all, Saitama is a bald man capable of beating anybody with just a single punch. The very concept of struggle is unknown to him, and he continues to live his life with the hopes of finding someone who can challenge his combat skills.
This series has webcomic, manga, and anime adaptations. However, a question that looms large in the minds of fans is if the webcomic is connected to the manga, the answer to which is yes. The webcomic is the source material for the One Punch Man series, created by ONE. Yusuke Murata adapts the webcomic chapters to the manga format and releases them as and when he finishes it.
Here’s the status of the anime, manga, and webcomic versions of One Punch Man.
One Punch Man: Status of the series
1) Anime
So far, the series has released a total of 2 seasons; the first season was far more successful than the second, and it was animated by Madhouse. This animation studio has a reputation for creating some of the most impressive animated series in the past two decades
The second season was animated by J.C. Staff, whose animation style was criticized by the entire fanbase.
Meanwhile, it has been nearly 4 years since the One Punch Man fanbase received an update with respect to the third season of the anime. The fanbase is anxiously waiting for further announcements since the upcoming season will adapt one the best story arcs in the manga.
2) Manga
There are a total of four sagas, which are further split into 20 story arcs. They are as follows:
- Introduction Saga
- Saitama Introduction Arc
- House of Evolution Arc
- Paradise Group Arc
- Hero Association Saga
- National Superhero Registry Arc
- Rumored Monster Arc
- Giant Meteor Arc
- Sea Monster Arc
- Alien Conquerors Arc
- King Arc
- Human Monster Saga
- Garou Introduction Arc
- The Blizzard Group Arc
- Hero Hunt Arc
- Monster Raid Arc
- Super Fight Arc
- Monster Association Arc
- Neo Heroes Saga
- Psychic Sisters Arc
3) Webcomic
The One Punch Man webcomic has progressed further than the manga since the former is the source material. Aside from the aforementioned story arcs, there are four more that fall under the Neo Heroes Saga. They are:
- Neo Heroes Introduction Arc
- Ninjas Arc
- Supreme Hero Arc
- Neo Heroes Uprising Arc
Why is One Punch Man worth watching/reading?
One of the most striking features of this series is comedy; hence people who love comedy should definitely give this show a shot. The writing has been approached in a manner where logic takes a backseat in order to facilitate hilarious and memorable moments.
The relationship dynamic shown in the series is another incredible aspect of the show.
Those who read manga often look for series that feature eye-catching visuals. One Punch Man has top-tier art that has garnered an extremely loyal set of fans. Yusuke Murata’s drawing prowess can be seen in every panel of the manga.
The consistency has never dropped since the series started. Incredible art, great storyline, and good use of humor are just a few reasons why this series is worth watching/reading.