Among the slew of superhero anime that have come out in the past years, One-Punch Man is one of the ones to watch. Set in a world rife with Godzilla-esque beasts and other god-tier monsters, it’s only natural that there are heroes equally, if not stronger, to deal with them. Its main character, Saitama, is the strongest man in the universe, able to take out his enemies with one punch.
With so many powerful and indomitable characters, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to super-motivational, adrenaline-pumping fight scenes. From the loyal cyborg Genos to the ever-optimistic Mumen Rider, here are the best characters in One-Punch Man.
10
Mumen Rider
Mumen Rider – real name Satoru – is a Class C Rank 1 Hero with a particularly strong sense of justice. He bikes around the city in search of people to save and helps with even the most minor things, like giving Saitama a lift on his bicycle.
Despite his lack of superb powers in contrast to his fellow heroes, Mumen Rider is endlessly kind and selfless and does not work for the sake of hero rankings. Although most of his scenes are pretty comical, he doesn’t back down in the face of overwhelming odds and stays where others might choose to run. Mumen is also aware of Saitama’s real strength and does not envy him for it, instead supporting him in whatever he chooses to do.
9
King
King is an interesting one among the other S-Rank Heroes in that he isn’t actually one. He accidentally became a high-ranking hero by being at the wrong place at the wrong time (or is it the other way around?), leading the public to believe that Saitama’s work was his doing.
As a result, he feels a massive amount of guilt over the situation and is stressed out over being called to fight when he has no fighting prowess at all. However, he manages to befriend Saitama, bonding over their shared love of video games and manga.
8
Fubuki
Fubuki is a B-Class Rank 1 Hero who is extremely possessive over her ranking. She gathers other B-Rank Heroes who she classifies as a threat to her rank, forming a faction that gatekeeps promotions to higher rankings. Fubuki tried to get Saitama to join them, only to be rebuffed.
Although Fubuki has significant esper powers, her capabilities pale in comparison to her older sister Tatsumaki’s. As a result, she has a severe inferiority complex and believes she cannot rise above where she is now in the rankings. After being a part of Saitama’s group, however, Fubuki gradually gains the confidence to address her insecurities and starts to move past her mental hurdles.
7
Speed-o’-Sound Sonic
A former assassin, Speed-o’-Sound Sonic is the self-proclaimed nemesis of Saitama. His obsession with the latter came after a bout of mistaken identity during one of his bodyguard missions, which resulted in Saitama soundly defeating Speed-o’-Sound Sonic.
Due to his defeat, Speed-o’-Sound Sonic trains relentlessly and gradually improves his skills. As an experienced killer, Speed-o’-Sound Sonic possesses unimaginable speed to the point that he leaves behind afterimages. He is extremely prideful and yearns to be the strongest, and so cannot stand to leave Saitama alive.
6
Bomb
Older brother to Bang (or Silver Fang), Bomb stands as one of the greatest martial arts experts alongside his younger brother. He is not a Pro-Hero, however, choosing instead to focus entirely on passing on his martial arts techniques to his disciples.
Like Bang, Bomb remains a powerful opponent on the field, able to take out Elder Centipede with Bang. A considerate and caring brother to Bang, Bomb acknowledges that he is long past his prime but remains optimistic about the future.
5
Bang
Hero Alias: Silver Fang
A renowned martial artist and S-Rank Hero, Bang runs a dojo where he teaches aspiring hopefuls in his own martial arts style. Despite his advanced age, Bang is still a fearsome opponent, maintaining his abnormal strength, speed, and accuracy. He is still able to take down Dragon-level enemies on his own.
Although he seems grave and intimidating, Bang is actually kind and wise, with a strong belief that the hero industry has lost its way. He has a strong sense of responsibility, especially with the way his former disciple Garou turned out. Bang has since retired from being a hero and now mainly focuses on his dojo.
4
Garou
A former disciple of Bang’s, Garou introduces himself as a major antagonist during the Monster Association arc. He was kicked out of Bang’s dojo due to his violent actions and returns years later even more powerful, dubbing himself the ‘Hero Hunter.’
Garou goes from city to city and begins to challenge and fight the top-ranking heroes. Although he fights nearly anyone, he rejects an offer to join the Monster Association and will withdraw from a fight if it involves children. He battles his former mentor Bang and his brother Bomb, and in the aftermath of the Monster Association’s defeat, goes down the path of redemption under Bang’s watch.
3
Tatsumaki
Tatsumaki is a force unto her own and one of the strongest female characters in anime. Older sister to Fubuki, she is an S-Class Rank 2 Hero with considerable psychic powers. Despite her hero status, Tatsumaki views saving others as an obligation derived from her esper powers rather than any personal motivation.
Although she is arrogant, quite self-absorbed, and rude to most people she interacts with, Tatsumaki cares deeply for her younger sister, Fubuki. She is so assured of her own strength that she works poorly with other heroes and can’t accept the possibility that there are others (i.e. Garou, Saitama) who could surpass her.
2
Genos
Saitama’s first and only disciple, Genos was once a human who willingly underwent experimentation to turn into a cyborg. He is on the hunt for the monster responsible for destroying his village but then challenges Saitama to see who’s stronger.
Genos is humble and willing to accept that he requires improvement, which is what prompts him to ask Saitama to take him on as a disciple. His overly serious personality makes him take nearly everything Saitama does or says at face value. However, he is motivated to get stronger and voluntarily undergoes more modification upgrades. Although he’s an S-Rank Hero, he does not rub it in Saitama’s face and still defers to him.
1
Saitama
One of the strongest anime characters ever created, Saitama is the story’s main character. He always aspired to save others, to the point where he became too strong for his enemies. Instead of taking pride in his strength, he laments it and becomes easily bored as a result.
However, his motivation remains pure and he is truly kind and selfless at heart. Despite his overwhelming power, Saitama is a B-Rank Hero due to several mishaps and misunderstandings, but he never resents Genos or others for ranking higher than him. Although he is certainly at the top of the food chain, Saitama is receptive to learning from others and accepts he may have ways to go before being the ‘ultimate’ hero.
