One Punch Man fans claim "Murata sensei is still my GOAT" despite latest arc redraw news

Modified Jan 25, 2025 12:30 GMT

One Punch Man artist Yusuke Murata defends his handling of the manga (Image via Shueisha). — One Punch Man artist Yusuke Murata defends his handling of the manga (Image via Shueisha)

One Punch Man fans were recently informed that the current ninja arc of the manga will be redrawn by artist Yusuke Murata, including some new directions in the plot. This has been a very divisive decision, with many readers frustrated that the story is not moving forward, although defenders of the artist have also come in full force to weigh in his favor.

The overall feeling shared by the One Punch Man fans who defend Murata is that the mangaka deserves the opportunity to improve the chapters as he sees fit and that his critics should appreciate his dedication to his craft. Moreover, some are grateful for the high-quality art he has always delivered in the franchise and hope that the changes can elevate the level of the story moving forward.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and the people quoted.

One Punch Man fans defend Yusuke Murata's decision to redraw the current arc of the manga

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As mentioned, it was revealed this past week that the current ninja arc of the manga is going to be redrawn by artist Yusuke Murata, much to the frustration of many people. Moreover, an X account that covers the everyday news of the franchise, @Everything_OPM_, unearthed one of the artist's quotes from 2017, when he stated that his decision to redraw the series stems from his own enjoyment of drawing and will continue that way.

Many fans have been frustrated with the decision to redraw several scenes in the series, such as the interaction between Monster Garou and Saitama, which was scrapped from the manga's canon. In contrast, others came out in defense of his modus operandi. These defenders still have him in high regard and have no problem waiting for a new version of the arc if that is what the artist wants.

While the ninja arc, which mostly focused on the characters of Flashy Flash and Blast, was already quite divisive because of the onslaught of redrawn chapters, a good portion of the fanbase still believes in the artist. This also highlights the somewhat unstable state of this fandom at the moment since this decision was divisive.

More reactions online

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While the One Punch Man fandom has been debating the impact of Yusuke Murata on the franchise, with constant discussions regarding the original webcomic by ONE and the manga, there is no denying that the mangaka has been a catalyst for the series' worldwide success. His art and some of the creative decisions he has made have been an outstanding success, which is something many don't recognize.

Murata added several new battles and characters in the manga that have become rather synonymous with the franchise, to the point that this interpretation of the story has been the basis for the anime adaptation. It is also quite telling that the Cosmic Garou vs. Saitama fight is so anticipated, which is an entirely new addition made by the artist himself.

"Absolutely based imo he basically said 'let them be mad idc,'" someone said.

"Welp, just saw lots of criticism for Murata for his re-drawing. While I understand everyone's frustration (rightfully so btw), I kinda admire him for just redoing his work again and again and not getting burn out," another person said.

"So what's wrong with a living legend that alive doing the same give him his flowers and just be patient," someone else said.

The One Punch Man manga will continue and it is likely discussions regarding this topic will also continue.

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Edited by Ivanna Lalsangzuali