the one punch man The anime and manga series revolves around the protagonist Saitama, a hero who is capable of defeating villains of any class with a single punch. Saitama’s strength is unmatched by any Disaster-Class villain or S-Class hero.
Saitama’s ability to take down his opponent without exerting much effort is a testament to the character’s overwhelming nature. It’s ridiculous that what Saitama calls “normal punches”, contrary to his serious punches, take out most of the enemies they hit with little to no effort. Perhaps there is more to the power of this self-proclaimed hero, which lies just below the surface, waiting to be unleashed.
What is the source of Saitama’s power?
In the anime, Saitama’s student Genos asked him about the source of his power, and he explains by sharing incredibly decent answers, unmatched by his power level. According to Saitama, he achieved immense strength by performing 100 push-ups, 100 squats, 100 sit-ups, and running 10 kilometers daily for about a year. Genos overhears this and doubts the credibility of Saitama’s explanations, suggesting that the routine isn’t stressful. However, Saitama refuses to budge on his stance, attributing his hair loss to his somewhat intense exercise routine. All of this narrative leads Genos to the conclusion that Saitama is unaware of the origin of his power.
Saitama’s strength is one of the reasons One Punch Man is an interesting series. However, the origins of his power are shrouded in mystery. In various instances in the manga and anime, Saitama displayed amazing feats, attracting the attention of fans. There are various theories as to the source of Saitama’s strengths, some deduced by characters in the comedy series, others by fans using various factors. Saitama was first portrayed as a monster in Chapter 88 of One Punch Man manga of Dr. Genus, a scientific genius and notable villain from House of Evolution. According to Dr. Genus, there is an artificial limit that prevents humans from getting stronger beyond a certain level. He called it the “Limiter”. Dr. Genus opined that God placed the limiter on humans, preventing them from entering, “the realm where we lose all purpose and reason.”
Has Saitama broken his limiter?
Dr. Genus further theorized that gaining too much power comes with certain caveats. He becomes unbearable, overwhelming the user and turning them into thoughtless monsters. The limiter can be removed by various means, most notably through participation in various near-death circumstances. These circumstances allow them to overcome their limits, strengthen themselves and transform themselves mentally and physically. Their new appearances would suit their new abilities, making them appear powerful. However, Saitama’s bald hair can hardly count as a monstrous look. Still, there is some truth to the credibility of Dr. Genus’ limiters theory, as shown by Garou, popularly known as the “Human Monster”. Garou is proof that the limiter can be broken, especially during his battle with Bug God and Royal Ripper. At some point in the battle, Garou is almost killed, but the opposite happens. He suddenly gains an exponential boost in his abilities and his body transforms into a monster form. However, he is still part human, suggesting that the limiter on him was not completely broken.
One of the main fan theories about the source of Saitama and the strengths of most of the characters is that they trained and dedicated themselves to an inhuman level. The result of his high level dedication is a supernatural strength that is unusual for a human being. In fact, many heroes in One Punch Man can be related to this theory. Some of them include King, Genos, and Saitama. Despite the credibility of the theory, there is a fatal flaw. One of the most dedicated heroes of One Punch Man It’s Mumen Rider. Following the logic of dedication theory, he should be powerful, but has little to no strength.
Is Saitama’s power from God?
Another interesting theory about the source of Saitama’s power is God himself. On One Punch Man, it is evident that superpowers can be linked to a divine origin. A prime example is Homeless Emperor, one of the main forces of the Monster Association. Homeless Emperor lacks monster characteristics, but possesses extremely powerful abilities: energy projection and manipulation. He claims that his powers were given to him by God when he attempted suicide. Now his divine mission is to eliminate all aspects of humanity from the earth.
One factor that supports this theory is that at the Monster Association headquarters, Saitama, Oculette, and Flashy Flash communicated with a divine being through a mysterious cube. God offered these characters the opportunity to have greater powers if they could pass his test. However, they declined the offer, and later, the number one S-Class hero, Blast, arrived. God recognizes him and Blast claims that he knows God and was currently searching for these superpower rich cubes. Through a glimpse into the childhood of Tatsumaki, a Class B hero, a depiction of Blast is shown coming into contact with this cube.
Consequently, the God theory suggests that Saitama obtained his immense strength by coming into contact with one of these divine cubes or some divine blessing. Saitama possibly got this power accidentally, so he doesn’t share the god-acclaimed views on humanity hinted at by the Homeless Emperor and Vaccine Man.
Saitama’s strength remains unchallenged throughout the series, and regardless of the numerous theories as to the source of his overwhelming strength, it’s highly unlikely that the truth of the power will be revealed anytime soon. Also, it won’t be surprising if the secrets behind Saitama’s strength are never revealed, as the series is based on an unusual story.
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