The story of Saitama, a hero that does it just for fun and can defeat his enemies with a single punch.
(Source: IMDb)
Beyond the awesome action scenes, successful comedic moments, attractively rich characters, and, not to mention, a most interesting premise of a human hero with a 100% guaranteed K.O. rate against all his opponents, lies the curious dealings in the face of greatness. Saitama, our hero-protagonist (i.e. the “One Punch Man”), for one, struggles to come to grips with his overwhelming power, not in terms of harnessing it, but in living with it; in making sense of it:
“I became so powerful, no one is able to beat me. I’m the hero I dreamed of becoming. So, what is this? What’s wrong? Why does my heart feel so empty?… As the days pass, my emotions grow more distant… I used to feel all kinds of emotions whirling inside me when I fought. Fear. Panic. Anger. But now, all I need is one punch to end it.” (Season 1, Episode 1)
Such – if I may call it so – is the gradual-sudden awakening to the vanity of pursuing greatness (in whatever form: strength, pleasure, riches, experiences, etc) for gain’s sake. For like mist the reward is temporal and thin – it quickly vanishes and leaves one wanting. The inner turmoil that our hero Saitama experiences, needless to say, is neither unique nor fictional for it speaks to our real human ambitions and our universal desire for fulfilment.
What happens when we reach the top of our ambitions? Strangely, they always disappoint. With Saitama, it was the loss of the kick he got out of battling with monsters – “I mean, I just do the hero-thing as a hobby. In other words, as long as I get a kick out of it, that’s all I care about.” (Season 1, Episode 1). And in a similar vein, so it is with us who thought, “If only I could be the best _______ (teacher, salesman, doctor, etc)/have this ________ (car, house, girl, etc)/be in _______ (Japan, Hawaii, Maldives, etc) I will be fully satisfied”, but – alas – only to be left cheated-empty after we obtain.
So what is the way forward for Saitama? What is the way forward for us seekers and pursuers of happiness? Perhaps the clue lies in another character in the anime:
Mumen Rider (無免ライダー)
Unlike Saitama, Mumen Rider is weak in strength (he is a Class C hero, the bottom tier of the heroes strength classification) but surpassingly big in heart. He is what you would call a true hero, one who valiantly lives out fully his hero-identity, come what may. A particularly moving scene involving him facing the outrageously evil and powerful “Deep Sea King” beautifully exemplifies this – his dialogue goes:
“No one expects much from me. They think a Class C hero won’t be much help. I know that better than anyone! I’m not good enough for Class B. I’m weak. I know that much. No one has to tell me I have no chance of beating you. I already know that! And yet I must try. It’s not about winning or losing! It’s about me taking you on right here, right now!” (Season 1, Episode 9)
Did Mumen Rider the “Cyclist for Justice” prevail? (Go find out!) But for our purposes, the more pressing question is, “Is he fulfilled as a hero?” It seems so in the way he is portrayed as a friendly, well-respected (even among stronger heroes), and enthusiastic hero in spite of his evident weakness (he possess no superhuman strength like the other heroes who are in the upper classes). But why so, despite his failures, weakness and glaring limitations to get stronger? And would he be fulfilled as well if, say, he were to be granted Saitama’s celestial prowess?
I would believe so for (here lies the reveal) he knows who he is – as a hero – and lives as a hero is meant to be, and therefore – believe it or not – he is great. A square peg in a round hole will never be a good fit, and so does one who has misplaced expectations on what is meant to be, say, a policeman, businessman, wife, and ultimately (we cannot escape this) a human being. Is happiness-greatness found in the abundance of our possessions, achievements, escapades, or rather in being who we are meant to be? So: what does it mean to be human, and – so too our specific vocations – a(n) _______ (etc)? This is the question we need to answer if satiation and greatness is what we want – and also for our hero, Saitama. I end here with (another character:) King’s prompt to Saitama:
“What does it take to be the greatest hero? Is it an unwavering sense of justice, the power to fight, or the courage to withstand adversity? Until you seek the answer, you have no time to be bored.” (Season 2, Episode 9)
Featured image source: Variety
“Mumen Rider” source: Wallpapers.com
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