Anime Review - One Punch Man

[yasr_multiset setid=3] By: MithrandielJust over two months ago I released my "first look" at One Punch Man, and had a feeling early on that this series would set itself apart from the rest. Now that the finale has aired, I can say with confidence that One Punch Man has delivered on all of my expectations and then some.The story revolves around an unassuming hero by the name of Saitama. He regards his hero status as a "hobby", inspired after a chance run in with a monster three years earlier. Now, thanks to his rigorous training, he has become so powerful that he is able to defeat any enemy with a single punch. Unlike most shonen series that present obstacle after obstacle for our protagonist, One Punch Man sticks by its title faithfully, as Saitama effortlessly dispatches ridiculously powerful enemies. Accompanying Saitama on his journey is his faithful disciple Genos; a cyborg hero who seeks vengeance for his parents and is awestruck by Saitama's overwhelming power. On numerous occasions Genos' admiration of Saitama is reinforced by his selflessness, but Saitama often finds his company to be burdensome, not having the slightest idea on how to train his disciple properly.Providing further consternation for Saitama is the Hero Association. In the universe of One Punch Man, heroes are fairly commonplace, and as such there are systems in place, including rankings and quotas, to help manage them and keep them in line. Not surprisingly, when Saitama arrives and easily dispatches monster after monster, the other heroes become suspicious of his power and even accuse him of being a fraud. The  characters built within the universe of One Punch Man is one of its primary strengths, but the animation is what really sets it apart from the competition.Lead animator Chikashi Kubota captured the attention of many with One Punch Man shortly after it began airing, as the stunning visuals seemed to be the product of an inflated animation budget. This actually wasn't the case, as Kubota explained in this tweet. Instead, he credited the passion and dedication of his staff. The attention certainly was deserved, as the action sequences in the early episodes are fast-paced while still preserving clarity. Saitama's battle against the Subterranean invasion in the latter half of episode 1 is likely to be one of the best fight sequences you'll see in 2015. Sufficed to say that One Punch Man is getting a lot of attention for different reasons, but the animation certainly leaves an impression.If One Punch Man's animation wasn't enough to hook you, there's the fantastic opening credits theme, which apparently grants anyone listening to it immense physical prowess (thanks Youtube comments). Besides the memorable opening, One Punch Man enjoys some great action-inspired tracks that helps to set the mood and really draw viewers in.Overall, One Punch Man was a thrilling and memorable ride and I know i'm not alone when I say I eagerly await a second season. If you haven't had a chance yet, feel free to check it out at Daisuki, where you can view it for free. Enjoy!