A review by saramarie08
One-Punch Man, Vol. 2 by ONE

4.0

It is a little clearer from this volume that Saitama has absolutely no idea how to be Genos' mentor. Genos asks several questions about how Saitama achieved his incredible strength, and the reply he ususally gets is "I did 300 push ups a day, ran, etc.). Genos is convinced that Saitama must have some godlike abilities, but cannot get confirmation from his master. Meanwhile, Saitama is mistaken as a bad guy because a group of villains, named Paradisers, terrorize City Z, and they all have shaved heads! Then, Saitama meets a villain that he can't seem to get his hand on: a ninja named Speed-o-Sound-Sonic. After Saitama has a go at the guy's name, the two vigorously battle, ending with a groin shot on Sonic. It becomes clear to Saitama that people don't know who he is, so he takes Genos' advice to register with the Hero Association.

The humor continues to be a highlight of this series. At one point, a villain gets to monologuing, and one half page is full of his explanation as to why they want to apprehend Saitama. Saitama's reply is "Your backstory is too long! It has nothing to do with me! Go straight to the point!" And the faithful Genos helps out by saying, "Master is a busy man. Tell your backstory within 20 words!" I was a little saddened to hear of a hero association because this seems like a cheap way to bring in tons of other characters, and not focus on Saitama, but I understand needing to diversify when your main character can win the fight in one move. The artwork is still very detailed, aside from Saitama, who is drawn very simplistically until he engages in heroism.

?The age rating for this series is Teen, which is still consistent with the content of this volume. There is some fantasy violence and a bit of blood, but no gore.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

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