VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia
STORY: ONE
ART: Yusuke Murata
TRANSLATION: John Werry
LETTERS: James Gaubatz
EDITORS: Jennifer LeBlanc; John Bae
ISBN: 978-1-9745-0461-4; paperback (August 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, and it 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. Beginning his superhero training when he is 22-years-old, he becomes a hero 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 does not need any training).
As One-Punch Man, Vol. 17 (Chapters 88 to 88; entitled “Because I'm the Bald Cape?”) opens, Gara, the so-called “Hero Hunter,” has recovered from the beating he got from the heroes, “Bang” and “Bomb.” Still, Gara's wounds are life-threatening, so he is in need of a rescue. Enter the centipede mega-monster, “Centichoro!” Bang and Bomb are powerless against this kaiju, and even Genos struggles against the creature. Enter the legendary hero, “King,” with his pal, Saitama. Which one will stop Centichoro's unstoppable rampage?
Meanwhile, at Hero Association headquarters, Mr. Nakiri rages that his son, Waganma, the child kidnapped by the Monster Association, remains a captive. But can his “Nakiri Private Force” do more to free his son than the heroes have done?
[This volume includes a bonus manga chapter, “Confidence,” and also bonus illustrations and bonus comics.]
THE LOWDOWN: The One-Punch Man manga remains my favorite superhero comic book. Like the shonen manga, My Hero Academia, it is 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 17, like Vol. 16, is pure battle manga. However, Vol. 17 contains one of the most exhilarating sequences featuring Saitama in action that this series has ever had. The ten-page “Se-Ri-Ous Punch!” sequence exemplifies artist Yusuke Murata's impressive skill. I'm not sure anyone is as good at drawing fight comics as he is right now.
John Werry's translation for the chapters contained in Vol. 17 reveal the complicated nature of the relationships on both sides of this hero-monster battle. No one is pure to his cause, and many cannot be trusted. Some characters may be more neutral than anything, and Werry brings out the increasingly gray nature of this group of flawed characters. So, yes, this is a joy to read, as both a superhero comic and as a shonen character melodrama.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of shonen battle manga and of superhero comic books will love the “Shonen Jump” title, One-Punch Man.
A
9.5 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.
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