VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia
STORY: ONE
ART: Yusuke Murata
TRANSLATION: John Werry
LETTERS: James Gaubatz
EDITORS: Jennifer LeBlanc; John Bae
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0223-7; paperback (January 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
216pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK
One-Punch Man is a Japanese superhero franchise that began as a webcomic created by the writer-artist ONE. Later, ONE joined artist Yusuke Murata to create a digital manga remake of One-Punch Man that began publication on Shueisha's Tonari no Young Jump website in 2012. VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the digital manga as a paperback graphic novel series under its “Shonen Jump” imprint beginning in 2015.
One-Punch Man focuses on Saitama, who wants to be a hero. He begins his superhero training when he is 22-years-old, and he becomes one when he is 25. He really does not look like a superhero, with his lifeless facial expression, bald head, and unimpressive physique. But he beats the snot out of super-villains with one punch, and he even has his own disciple, the young cyborg, Genos (who really needs no training).
One-Punch Man, Vol. 15 (Chapters 76 to 80; entitled “Pulling the Strings”) finds Saitama in a funk. Despite just finishing a martial arts tournament and then, obliterating the supposedly unbeatable monster, “Goketsu,” Saitama feels empty inside. He believes that he is simply too strong, so can the hero known as “King” help lift Saitama's spirits... by whuppin' his ass at video games?!
Meanwhile, the Monster Association makes its boldest move against the Hero Association to date. They have not only kidnapped Waganma, the son of Narinki, an esteemed supporter of the Hero Association, but a monster has also infiltrated Hero Association with a message. Is it a message about an armistice or a message of death... or both?
[This volume includes the bonus manga stories, “Threat Level” and “Sighting,” and also bonus illustrations.]
THE LOWDOWN: The One-Punch Man manga is, like the shonen manga, My Hero Academia, a Japanese take on the American superhero comic book. As much as I like My Hero Academia, I am crazy in love with One-Punch Man.
One-Punch Man Graphic Novel Volume 15 is a sheer joy to read, as was Vol. 14. I must admit to being onboard with ONE and Yusuke Murata's take on Saitama's boredom. If the One-Punch Man is really unbeatable because of his mega one-punch, bring on the bad guys or, in this case, the Monster Association. Other than that, Vol. 15 is filled with one of this series' signature elements, and that is inventive and imaginative characters. And, as usual, I can't wait for the next volume.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of shonen battle manga and of superhero comic books will love the “Shonen Jump” title, One-Punch Man.
A
9 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
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