One Punch Man Season 01 ended with a bang. It gave audiences exactly what they were looking for. A nigh invincible hero who obliterates any foe with a single punch; is confronted by an alien enemy of immense power. An enemy, who apparently had been biding his time to face off against such a foe.
The climatic battle set up the next season quite well. As fans of the breakout show, whose influence in the anime world and beyond almost reached the heights of Attack on Titan. So after almost 4-year break, we have One Punch Man Season 02. How good is the latest season? How does it live up to the potential of the first? Let’s find out in Part I of this two-part review.
One Punch Man – Bringing Back the Fun
4 years was too long for fans of the action parody anime. With the long break and the change of animation studio with J.C. Staff taking over, there were concerns over the quality of the show. But they were not to be disappointed. One Punch Man Season 02 delivers an interesting but arguably more thoughtful take on the concept of the invincible superhero. By delving deeper into the personal conflicts and doubts that affect heroes blessed with great powers. And those heroes who aren’t.
The first question fans of the first season would ask is: Is it as good? The answer is, in a way. Whilst it does not have the novelty of concept and the dry humor that situations involving Saitama and his immense power evoked, the second season holds its own by taking a more character-centric approach to storytelling. And for the most part, it works.
The Hero Who Is Not
One of the main story arcs in One Punch Man Season 02 is the plight of the character named King. King is an S- class hero who is known as “The Strongest Man on Earth”. But as things turn out King is no such thing. In fact, he is not even a superhero. His greatest ability is the sheer dumb luck (or curse) that seems to follow him around. Placing him in situations where the real hero Saitam does the job.
The relationship that develops between Saitama and King provides a more ground but contrasting look at the lives of the superheroes. One hero, Saitama, who has all the power, but doesn’t take the job seriously. King has no power but is made to live with the responsibility and status of being the strongest hero. Psychological conflicts aside, this does not mean that One Punch Man Season 02 is lacking in the action department. Far from it.
More Villains More Battles
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An argument can be made that season 01 of One Punch Man played it safe when it came to the character and complexity of the villains. For those new to the anime, the aim of the writers was to present moments where the awesome powers of the hero are allowed to shine. And that meant throwing in some big, powerful and generally stupid baddies. Things are a bit different in season 02. The villains come in different shapes and sizes but also with more complex motivations. From Garou the self-proclamation ‘hero-hunter’ to the monstrous Elder Centipede, a gigantic centipede that is part of the Monster Association.
You heard that right. To challenge the growing menace of the Hero Association that is taking out monsters as they come, the monsters have formed their own group and are planning their own line of attacks against the heroes. So, taken together there is a lot going on amidst the personal conflicts, and the rising threats of transmissible monster disease: where the consumption of infected cells can potentially turn victims into monsters. All in all, One Punch Man Season 02 is a fun addition to the acclaimed anime but be warned the ending may seem a bit abrupt.
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