One-Punch Man is one of the best action anime that started off strong, with Madhouse's first season releasing 12 incredible episodes that left fans wanting more. Many years later, the hype around the series still lingers, but its momentum hasn’t felt quite the same. While One-Punch Man Season 1 set a high standard with its flawless animation, Seasons 2 and 3 struggled to keep up.
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Even so, One-Punch Man has delivered some of the best episodes in modern action anime. From Saitama’s debut episode as an overpowered hero to his jaw-dropping fights with terrifying monsters and alien invaders, One-Punch Man has 10/10 episodes that fans can’t stop talking about to this day.
One-Punch Man Season 1 Episode 1: The Strongest Man
The first episode of One-Punch Man gave an explosive introduction to the most casual-looking hero in anime, Saitama. Not only did he fight a gigantic villain that looks like Dragon Ball’s Piccolo, but he also defeated another humongous villain that resembles the many titans from Attack on Titan. The infamous Crablante and the kid with a strange-looking chin were also present in this episode, blending humor into the mayhem.
That’s not all, as Saitama also got busy fighting subterraneans in his dreams by the end of the first episode. Funny, he was so strong in real life that he dreamed about being weak. All of these moments established Saitama as an overpowered hero who punches so hard that villains can’t help but die after a single punch.
One-Punch Man Season 1 Episode 2: The Lone Cyborg
Just like Saitama, One-Punch Man’s resident cyborg, Genos, also received an explosive introduction in the second episode of the anime. Fighting Mosquito Girl, who controlled a massive swarm of mosquitoes, Genos unleashed his incinerators for the first time to burn every insect in sight.
Meanwhile, Saitama struggled comically to kill a single mosquito, making the second episode as funny as it was ironic. He even had bug spray on his hand while Genos scorched the streets of Z City with his incinerators. However, the best part of the episode was watching Saitama and Genos team up for the first time against the weak monsters of the House of Evolution.
One-Punch Man Season 1 Episode 4: The Modern Ninja
Who would ever forget Speed-o'-Sound Sonic’s first appearance in the fourth episode of One-Punch Man? The ninja looked lethal, clad in his sleek black ninja suit with striking purple markings underneath his eyes, exuding a menacing vibe despite his feminine features. His greatest asset was his unmatched speed, which he utilized to end the Paradise Group with ease.
However, the second half of the fourth episode played Sonic for laughs. His first meeting with Saitama ended in a disaster that would forever be etched in his memory. The funniest part was watching Sonic hype himself up, only to be outmatched by Saitama, who accidentally turned Sonic’s grand entrance into instant humiliation.
One-Punch Man Season 1 Episode 5: The Ultimate Mentor
The long-awaited sparring session between Genos and Saitama happened in One-Punch Man Season 1 Episode 5. Their first-ever confrontation was filled with thrilling action, courtesy of Madhouse. The combat choreography and the fighting sequences were flawlessly executed, making Genos and Saitama’s fight the highlight of the episode.
The fifth episode also delighted viewers with Saitama and Genos taking the Hero Association’s entrance exams. Saitama broke all the records in the physical test yet somehow ended up being a C-rank hero, while Genos aced both the written and physical exams and ended up as an S-class hero.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
One-Punch Man Season 1 Episode 7: The Ultimate Disciple
When a huge meteor threatens to erase an entire city in One-Punch Man episode 7, most of the heroes present in Z City scramble desperately. Everyone thought they were going to die, as no hero seemed strong enough to destroy the colossal meteor before it struck.
Throughout the episode, the mood was serious and tense, with S-rank heroes like Genos, Bang, and Metal Knight openly discussing the possibility of dying. However, for someone like Saitama, even a colossal meteor barely registered as a threat. With a single punch, Saitama shattered the meteor into pieces, inadvertently damaging parts of the city and earning the disgust of the surviving citizens.
One-Punch Man Season 1 Episode 9: Unyielding Justice
Following the meteor incident, the world faced the wrath of the Sea King, who looked like a merman with make-up. He was a ruthless monster, having defeated so many heroes, including the S-rank hero, Puri Puri Prisoner; A-rank hero Stinger; C-rank hero Mumen Rider; and even Genos himself.
The Sea King enjoyed humiliating these heroes until Saitama stepped in. The caped baldy casually ended the battle only to receive insulting remarks from the survivors. They doubted Saitama’s credibility, but our main hero couldn’t care less and went about his day like a real champ.
One-Punch Man Season 1 Episode 11: The Dominator of the Universe
The biggest villain in the first season of One-Punch Man is Lord Boros and the Dark Matter Thieves. They appeared on Earth not only to invade and conquer, but also because Lord Boros believed a worthy challenger awaited him there. Their arrival challenged the heroes like never before, with S-class heroes like Metal Bat, Bang, Atomic Samurai, and even Tatsumaki fighting in the frontline.
Fans got to see the S-class heroes at their best in this episode, as they take turns displaying their abilities in a close fight against the alien invaders. However, Saitama easily stole the spotlight, effortlessly infiltrating the aliens’ spaceship and casually dispatching the strongest generals of the Dark Matter Thieves.
One-Punch Man Season 1 Episode 12: The Strongest Hero
Without a doubt, the final episode of One-Punch Man Season 1 is still the best episode of the entire anime adaptation. Madhouse did a perfect job bringing Saitama’s ultimate clash with Lord Boros to life with flawless animation, turning the epic battle into a visual feast. Every punch and explosion is perfectly executed, almost as if the budget had no limits, with Saitama’s final fight in Season 1.
On top of that, this was the first time that fans got to see Saitama take real damage from a powerful enemy. His fight with Lord Boros also took longer than expected, letting Boros shine as a villain while still showing Saitama’s unmatched dominance on the battlefield.
One-Punch Man
- Release Date
- October 5, 2015
- Network
- YouTube, TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
Cast
-
Makoto FurukawaSaitama (voice) -
Kaito IshikawaGenos (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Shinichiro Ushijima, Makoto Sokuza, Nobuhiro Muto, Ryoh Ando, Shuuji Miyazaki, Youhei Suzuki, Miyuki Ishida, Katsushi Sakurabi, Hideki Okamoto, Yoshio Suzuki, Hiroyuki Okuno, Riki Fukushima, Shigeki Awai
- Writers
- Tatsuro Inamoto
- Franchise(s)
- One-Punch Man
- Creator(s)
- Yusuke Murata
- Seasons
- 3
- Number of Episodes
- 36
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.49 (Season 1)
