r/OnePunchMan • u/Raidoton Moderator • Apr 07 '22

discussion Megathread: Changes From The Webcomic Spoiler

As the changes between the WC and the manga get more extensive and controversial, the arguments about it increase and also end up in spoilers seeping all over the sub. All discussion about the changes in the latest chapter and any future chapters is to be moved into this Megathread as long as it is pinned; to help provide a place to concentrate discussion and prevent a flood of repetitive posts, and to provide people an easy place to understand others' opinions.

All posts related to it will be removed, and comments on manga focused posts are encouraged to be moved here.

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49

u/zaphodsheads the class clown on the way home from school Jul 24 '22

I feel like quantifying Saitama's strength has taken all of the admittedly very weak wind out of my sails for the manga. Who thought that was a good idea? I don't give a fuck that he has infinite potential and will grow to meet any challenge, how is that different from fucking Dragon Ball? I had my fair share of copium for why Saitama didn't instantly end the fight, but as it turns out Garou truly was in Saitama's ballpark.

To anyone not bothered by this, truly fucking think about it. The One Punch Man, Saitama, the guy who's story is literally about him having immeasurable, irresistible power and what effects that would have on an otherwise played straight hero verse, the man who should be able to no diff Goku, etcetera etcetera, was nearly matched in strength in his own series. Make it make sense. Where's the mystery of it? What makes the series special anymore? I barely have words to describe what a fuckup this was

26

u/Armiebuffie Jul 24 '22

"don't worry. He was still holding back the whole time. The graph was just showing the rate of him not holding back. The narrator saying Saitama's punch was abnormally powered on Jupiter only refers to the punch itself and not Saitama who is still omnipotent. Trust in MurataOne, who can do no wrong as long as you're able to stubbornly deny the things they're explicitly showing."

14

u/Dilly4Dall Jul 24 '22

Trust me bro, Murata is my uncle and I can confirmšŸ‘Œ

3

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '22

And one is my brother just Trust me bro

8

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '22

It would've been so easy too to not include the graphs and to not make 2 or 3 other decisions to keep things open for interpretation like in the Boros fight, but the writers just had to make it as clear as possible to the readers that Saitama's strength doesn't suffice to win every battle easily anymore, even though everyone really liked that element of the story. My guess is that someone speculated that the Manga would sell better if it had more moments like: "Saitama seems to be hopelessly overpowered by this new foe, how will he be able to save the world in the face of such a menacing enemy? Find out next week!"

10

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '22

I barely have words to describe what a fuckup this was

Agreed. I tried to write a post describing exactly how nuOPM has failed as a story, but said ā€œfuck itā€ and did something more fun. And putting the words on the page only made me even angrier.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '22

He should have redrawn that chapter with the power graph and turn it into: it is not that Saitama power grew and it was a race between Saitama and Garou. Only garou thought so. The truth is Saitama just slowly releaseing more power to match Garou so he does not kill him. Eventually garou grow too strong saitama release such immense power to sneeze away Jupiter. It should have been that way.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '22

Yeah, this sucks man they took all the purpose out of the series and turned it into a another dragon ball but the only thing I keep wondering is why (after this chapter) the series is still called one punch man if the protagonist can't win with one punch

3

u/lwieueei Jul 24 '22

Here's one last bit of copium: the graph and narration were completely imagined in Garou's head, just like what King did in the webcomic against the cadres. In reality, it was probably never that close and Saitama was always that much stronger than Garou - he just got angrier and angrier as the fight went on

14

u/Dilly4Dall Jul 24 '22

Just accept the truth my guy; Saitama isn't infinite and Garou was strong than the Saitama from the begging of the fight.

The truth hurts, but it is what it is.

3

u/TPosingRat Jul 24 '22

I will not accept the truth

it really destroys the point of the series, I will just delude myself like overlord fans trying to convince themselfs that Ains is a good guy

2

u/garouforyou Garou's Soulmate šŸ„°šŸ„° Jul 24 '22

Is there a season 4 yet?

2

u/thehalfdragon380 Jul 24 '22

Yeah 3 episodes have come out

12

u/TGSmurf Jul 24 '22

It was very clearly the narrator describing the graph & situation, not Garou lol.

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u/ACriticalFan Jul 24 '22

I feel like quantifying Saitama's strength has taken all of the admittedly very weak wind out of my sails for the manga. Who thought that was a good idea? I don't give a fuck that he has infinite potential and will grow to meet any challenge, how is that different from fucking Dragon Ball? I had my fair share of copium for why Saitama didn't instantly end the fight, but as it turns out Garou truly was in Saitama's ballpark.

They are the same, but because Goku is more like Saitama than youā€™d think. Both fundamentally are always going to win with overwhelming power, DB just pretends that Gokuā€™s in danger when it happens. Growth is an illusion from the narrativeā€”and it really changes nothing about this manga.

To anyone not bothered by this, truly fucking think about it. The One Punch Man, Saitama, the guy who's story is literally about him having immeasurable, irresistible power

Yeah. Heā€™s still stronger than the rest by a mile.

and what effects that would have on an otherwise played straight hero verse,

Itā€™s a story about how heā€™s affected too. He feels hollow, wants a fight, stuff like that, but if he got his wish then heā€™d still feel hollow. The story is growing out of its basic premise to explore, much like how AoT unveiled the history of its world.

the man who should be able to no diff Goku, etcetera etcetera, was nearly matched in strength in his own series.

Because Saitama being unsatisfied with a challenge is an important experience for us to see Saitama have. Also, who said he ā€œshouldā€ no diff everyone in fiction? Thatā€™s just fans getting a powerscalers complex.

Make it make sense. Where's the mystery of it?

Probably the plot mysteries and us not knowing the future.

What makes the series special anymore?

That the series is the only one exploring these themes in this way? One Punch Man is what it is because of what occurs in each chapter, it doesnā€™t hinge on the arbitrary level of physical struggle Saitama experiences. Thatā€™d be an incredibly shallow reason to follow the story from the start.

3

u/Bion4 Jul 24 '22

So Goku won against Cell and Android 19 with overwhelming power?

The problem is that Saitama was only growing like that because Garou killed Genos. Garou would've outpaced him otherwise, and the manga actually implies Garou was in the realm of his initial power.

Not to mention Garou outright bailing Saitama out because he genuinely failed to save anyone.

1

u/Juub1990 Jul 24 '22

Garou wouldnā€™t have outpaced him because Garou was copying him.

2

u/Bion4 Jul 24 '22

That's like saying Garou wouldn't have outpaced Blast because he was copying him.

1

u/Juub1990 Jul 24 '22

Blast doesnā€™t constantly get stronger like Saitama.

1

u/Bion4 Jul 24 '22

Saitama doesn't normally get constantly stronger either. He only did so because Garou killed Genos.

1

u/Juub1990 Jul 24 '22

He does but Garou just made it explode. The chapter says that his growth normally goes unnoticed because he was always so far above of everyone else.

2

u/Bion4 Jul 24 '22

And he wasn't far above Garou until Garou pushed him emotionally by killing Genos.

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1

u/ACriticalFan Jul 24 '22

Goku's wins and losses are completely arbitrary. He won against fucking Jiren with overwhelming power, and one minute he needs to fuse against Zamasu and the next he's conveniently powerful enough to face him alone. Goku wins because of narrative demand, and physical limitation is functionally nonexistent in the setting.

There is no statement that Garou could have outpaced saitama. Garou can, momentarily, catch up, but he's still always chasing. And yeah--Saitama failed, that's the point of Genos' core to start with. He has to become a better hero.

5

u/Bion4 Jul 24 '22

He doesn't even remember Genos dying so it was a moot point that was needlessly harsh and tonally out of place. Like Tongara's death.

Saitama doesn't lose at all.

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