I was originally a skeptic of this show, worried that it would become derivative and predictable. Introduce a threat to humanity, showcase its devastating powers and elaborate back story, and then have it lose at the hands (or rather, fists) of a dorky looking dude in spandex. The premise is simple. Perhaps too simple, better suited to a one time gag than an entire show. For the first few episodes, One Punch Man remains entertaining, but mostly on account of the remarkable animation, not the story. But in its original form, One Punch Man is a crudely drawn webcomic that relies on the strength of its ideas and story, not production value. And as the anime went on, the strengths of those ideas became clear.
I think the biggest misconception about One Punch man is that it’s about a man who can singlehandedly beat any opponent with one punch. Well, it is, but it’s also about how we can have such an absurdly powerful character and still have a story. Ultimately, the main joke of One Punch Man is not about “Bald Cape” and his supernatural strength, but about bureaucracy. The more I grow and the more I experience the “adult” world, the more poor organization I encounter. I’ve come to realize that success has more to do with likability and networking than pure talent. And One Punch Man uses this fact to great comedic effect.
For instance, My favorite character is King – the man who made his way to the top through pure bullshitting. Just as our hero is grossly underappreciated for his talents, King is greatly overestimated, put in a position he is simply unqualified for. Given current political events, it’s a timely commentary. But skirting past politics, King is a very relatable character. He finds all kinds of creative ways to convince people he’s strong, and I find myself thinking what I’d do in the same situation. But what really makes King’s act work is how others see him. Once we have an impression of someone, it’s hard to counteract. Once I see someone in a position of power, I assume some level of competency. When I see someone working a less desirable job, I find myself assuming it’s due to lack of talent. But in the end, where we land is all rather random. King is funny because all this is true – like any good joke, he’s true to everyday logic.
For instance, when King dominates in a high stakes video game competition, no one assumes it’s because he spends all day cooped up, playing games and watching anime (which is exactly what he does) . They just assume he’s good at them because he’s King – what wouldn’t he be good at? Or when King’s power level is calculated as inconclusive, there are two explanations – that he’s too strong or too weak. But of course, given his reputation, everyone assume he’s that unfathomably powerful.
But while it’s the setup of a joke, the bureaucracy of One Punch Man is well thought out. Those who can manipulate the system rise to the top, while the rest are forced to extreme measures. Beyond being funny, this set up is widely engrossing. Ranks and power levels are good entertainment. But I’ve never seen them scrutinized as well as they are in One Punch Man. Part social commentary, part comedy routine, and part action adventure, One Punch Man is actually quite clever. Yea, it starts as a guy in a cape punching things. But ultimately, I see it as a different kind of humor. It’s not funny because he can win any fight in seconds, but because that doesn’t seem to matter. At the end of the day, One Punch Man is about the nooks and crannies of an absurd bureaucratic system, and the people within it.
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