Overpowered Heroes: What One-Punch Man Does That Superman Sometimes Doesn’t

DC Comics’ Superman is one of the world’s most recognized superheroes. And while I have many fond childhood memories of watching Superman movies and TV shows back in the 90s, I find that I’ve always resonated with other superheroes much more than with Superman. Clark Kent is perfectly capable of destroying most heroes and villains with a single blink and therefore he loses a touch of vulnerability, which is something a good story needs. One-Punch Man is a shonen manga and anime with a lead character much like Superman, but the series is popular because of a few major factors.

Much like Superman before him, Saitama is an extremely overpowered protagonist. And when you know that the protagonist is going to win an altercation with an enemy with just one punch, it’s easy to get bored of the stories being told. However, One-Punch Man does a few clever things to keep the story enjoyable for readers/watchers.

Saitama’s Superhero Rank

It’s clear to most that Saitama is the most powerful superhero on the planet. However, as a comedic touch to the story, the Hero Association enlisted Saitama at Rank C. Even Saitama’s apprentice Genos made it to the highest S Rank after the two of them enlisted together.

While Saitama’s motivation to climb out of Rank C is done for comedic value, it also places a sense of progression on the character that keeps us invested in his climb to the top of Rank S.

Saitama’s Punch Delayed

Another nice trick used in One-Punch Man is delaying Saitama’s inevitable battle-ending blow. By doing this, it allows them to continue to build tension while another hero fights whatever evil threat is invading the city.

For example, this is used during chapters 24 and 25 of the manga when The Deep Sea King has invaded and all the other heroes are struggling to defeat him. We see that Saitama has reached the city and is trying to hopelessly find his way to the battle. This is a similar technique used in the Dragon Ball Z series where they delay the path of Goku, Vegeta, and other powerful heroes while the weaker fighters struggle to tackle the enemy. This allows writers to continue to build tension within the story, as well as build anticipation for the inevitable fight.

A Strong Supporting Cast

Speaking of the other heroes, One-Punch Man does an excellent job of getting us invested in other characters very early on. This is smart because although Saitama is extremely overpowered, we’re able to get invested in the supporting cast. Characters like Genos, Tatsumaki, Fubaki, Mumen Rider, Silver Fang, and Atomic Samurai. As the story goes on, we get the chance to be invested in their journeys and Saitama’s simultaneously.

When it comes to Superman, one could argue that some of his most interesting stories are when he’s paired with the Justice League. The Justice League consists of Superman and other DC Comics front-runners like Batman, Wonder Woman, and the Flash. With a cast like that, it’s hard not to love these stories. But when Superman is left to his own solo stories, he’s often at the mercy of the writer’s skill level.

It takes a spectacular writer to elevate such a perfect character and give them a story we can get behind.

Recommended Superman Stories

Lex Luthor: Man of Steel

All-Star Superman

Buy One-Punch Man

One-Punch Man manga Volume 1 / Buy on Amazon US / Buy on Amazon UK / Bookshop

-Featured image art created by Woo Chul Lee