One Punch Man is one of the best anime of recent times due to the protagonist defeating everyone with just a single punch. But people will be shocked to know that One Punch Man did suffer defeat from bullies and Piggy Bancon. The creators of One Punch Man, ONE and Yusuke Murata, wanted a different kind of hero that could represent ordinary people.
The look of Saitama, our beloved One Punch Man, is a depiction of that unique thought. Bald Hero, with a bland expression on his face, is something we do not see quite often. As for the title of the anime, he is strong enough to finish off anyone with a single punch. But there are a couple of instances when Saitama suffered a crushing defeat.
Who Defeated One Punch Man?
Saitama/One Punch Man is often on the lookout for strong opponents with whom he can enjoy a good fight. His power level is unfathomable, as he can defeat the villains with a single punch. That goes for the super-strong villains, too. Even though the anime did not have any moments when he was defeated, the manga featured a bonus chapter that showcased his crushing defeats.
On the third day of Saitama getting admitted to a middle school, he encountered a group of bullies known as Ripped Uniforms. For a mere 200 yen, they beat him up. It was his first defeat. Coincidentally, his second defeat came on the same day. After the bullies took the money from him, a wolf-level threat, Piggy Bancon, arrives on the scene.
The bullies suffered the same fate as Saitama when Piggy Bancon encountered them. Saitama overheard the bullies say that they needed money to buy lunch for their brother. So, having the mindset of a hero, he tried to recover it from Piggy Bancon. But Piggy Bancon was too powerful for 12-year-old Saitama. The villain knocked him unconscious. Thus came One Punch Man’s second defeat in his glorious career.
Saitama’s Comeback From Crushing Defeats
Saitama always had a hero within him but was not strong enough to handle any enemies. Two defeats in a single day could be thought of as a turning point in Saitama’s life. Maybe it was these situations that forced him to do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and run 10 km daily. By doing that for three years straight, he gained limitless power.
The training was so intense that Saitama lost all of his hair in the process. Even though the defeats came before he became One Punch Man, they still count as a defeat, and that too, a crushing one. He, along with the fans, is waiting for someone strong to appear who could survive more than a couple of his punches.
One Punch Man season 3 was announced to air in 2024. It will be interesting to see whether Saitama gets his wish fulfilled or goes on with his regular regime of knocking out enemies with a single punch.
