This culminates in the final antagonist, a being with the same problems, and the anime made the end of the conflict as perfect as can be. the heartbeat, the music, the dialogue. all of it was perfect to express the only bit of serious plot line attached to the protag.
Admittedly the saitama has very little story outside of this. instead, aside from his, what we get are the individual stories and actions of the people around him. in particular Mumen Rider, and the S-class heroes show quite a few interesting characters and motivations, making up for the static MC. So even with the downsides of the OP protag, you can still get the standard heart tugs and inspirational scenes. The story in OPM is both standard and not, you get to enjoy seeing the growth and motivations of everyone around saitama, and see the results of a man who had all those taken away by the very thing he wishes for.
Honestly 9 might be high for the story as is, but the first season was quite short so there is obviously a lot left to develop in the story. As such i'm leaving it up at 9 out of hope that the next season will bring out more.
As for Art... i really can't even say anything. Madhouse did a stunning job. the gurren lagan style warping that shows up now and then took some getting used to, but overall i think it was a great choice for this series, and they didn't over use the effect. Basically just take away that this is a beautiful anime, beyond what i expected... even from madhouse.
Sound. also perfect. from emotional to hype the music fits the anime perfectly. the SFX are perfect for everything... honestly doubt it could be better.
Character. While many may consider the character weak, i found them quite well done. Saitama is a little dead inside and a goof ball so his char may get disregarded, but it's still there. some of it gets blown off as a joke, but a few scenes really show it quite intensely. the true emotions of a man who lives for fighting... and will never get to fight again. instead he ends up seeing everyone else get the feeling he dreams of. watches them struggle and fight tooth and nail to overcome stronger foes... yet is never bitter about it. he just muddles through life not getting hung up on his own baggage. if you look for it under the comedy, it can really tug at your heart strings.
Enjoyment. Can we get an 11? the music pumps you up, the animation is eye porn, they comedy is funny, the fights are epic, and the story was more hard hitting then expected once i took a closer look. would, and do, rec this to everyone i know.
Overall this anime is definitely in my top 10.... a list that has remained almost entirely stagnate for 5+ years... i say almost because i'm still debating whether another newish anime is in top 10 or top 20. Even without it's second season it's firmly planted in the top 10... will probably rise to my all time favorite if season 2 is handled well.
