Story: 5/mediocre
The story of One Punch does not disappoint if you are easily impressed by small story arcs and not much intense suspense, but if you aren't one of those people, like myself, you will find One Punch Man sorely lacking in plot. The main point of the anime is to parody super heroes who take themselves to seriously, and it completely smashes that goal. However, not much else happens. The storylines are basically gigantic fighting sequences and interactions strung together with tape. Many moments are filled with life and hilarious reactions. But rarely did I ever feel sorry or interested in any actions that caused emotion other than hilarity. Maybe in the second season, they will elaborate on the unknowns and questions that were unanswered in the first 12 episodes of this interesting show.
Art: 8/very good
Much like Kill La Kill, Art is a category that One Punch Man submits the highest scores in. To the surprise of the viewer, One Punch combines the visual elements and stylings of the manga with hand-drawn qualities within the amazing animation and high octane seriously smooth computer-generated scenes that take up most of the show. It is truly an interesting and unseen spectacle that most have never experienced and many will attempt to imitate into the future.
Sound: 7/good
The opening of this anime perfectly represents exactly what the production is trying to imitate: impressive, expansive, and all-powerful anime fights and experiences. The song fits perfectly, only amping up the situation more and more until that one last high, shrill, stretching note that perfectly ends it. The best part is that the majority of the show is covered in majestic and magical anthems of rock and metal guitar riffs. The only problems is that most of them are forgettable, and are not much more than just score pieces, not separate songs in themselves like with Attack on Titan. However the mixing and initiative pop of the sound is great for the ears and mind to be involved in.
Character: 6/Fair
It is not that the character of the show is lacking, it is highly abundant in fact, but the shtick of each viable asset is lost and uninteresting within the first 6 episodes. Saitama is of course a man who can defeat any monster in one punch. That may sound interesting at first, but when his whole purpose as a character is not found or taken seriously, the laughs only go so far. Genos is interesting, with the Doctor as well as his origin story and past events. Comedic as it is the anime spends no time focusing on these at all, but along the way, I grew to like Genos more than Saitama. He was more fleshed-out (for being a cyborg) and had more emotion than Saitama (even though that is justified as well). By the end of the series, I was telling myself that it would have been more interesting to witness a Genos-centered series than this one. The Hero Association is basically a joke, with little time to care or even remember any of the other selection of heroes names (besides Sonic and Mumen Rider). It left me wanting more, but not of only this type of character action.
Enjoyment: 8/very good
One punch Man is an exciting and enjoyable thrill ride through one of the most action-oriented and masterful anime in the last decade. It will be regarded highly for it's sense of high-octane pace and deliverance in the face of an unchanging shonen scene. The fights were entertaining- for how long they lasted- even though the villains may not be remembered. Without something like One Punch Man, we might not have an entertaining and comedic look at shonen that we needed. It surely will be a great ride for any anime fan waiting to laugh and start working out.
