One-punch Man vol 1 by ONE

Illustrated by Yusuke Murata

​Saitama lost his corporate job and wonders what he's going to do with his life.  After seeing a crab monster try to beat up a little kid, Saitama decides to devote himself to training to be a hero.  He trains every day for three years, and ends up being the strongest hero ever! This doesn't improve Saitama's mood though, because life just doesn't have any challenges.  That's because he can beat every bad guy with just one punch, including a colossus of a man, 20 times larger than any building in City Z. When a cyborg name Genos shows up and demands Saitama take him as a student, life gets slightly more interesting, but only slightly.

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ONE has an undeniable sense of humor that really makes his stories enjoyable.  ​The story is a bit quick, though, and not much time is dedicated to Saitama's backstory other than the one glimpse we get of the crab monster, but maybe we will get more later on Saitama is a funny guy and his journey to find self-actualization is an interesting one. Genos seems one dimensional at this point, but hopefully that will change in coming volumes. ONE's art style stylized in that Saitama as the One-Punch Man hero is purposefully drawn very simplistically, possibly to downplay his abilities. Other characters, such as Genos, are highly detailed.  

VIZ rates One-Punch Man for Teen.  There is some suggested nudity, but ONE is very careful about strategically covering bits; the colossus man always has clouds in front of his bits, Saitama's bits are covered with pieces of debris, bushes, or other things. There is some fantasy violence and blood, but not excessive amounts, and no gore. Overall, this is an entertaining story that would be fine for junior high or high school audiences.

Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Publisher: VIZ Media
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
ISBN: 9781421585642 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 10/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Superheroes, Action Adventure, ​VIZ Media