Saitama, the protagonist of popular anime and manga series One Punch Man has been one of the strongest characters in the anime world since the release of the first season. He literally can destroy any villain or monster with just one punch and win the battle. Born in a world filled with Superheroes, Saitama didn’t have any specific powers or magic. So he trained hard to become the strongest character in the anime.
Many believe that the inspiration behind Saitama’s superhero aspect is Goku from the famous anime and manga series Dragon Ball or DC Superhero Superman. But it’s not true. There is another Japanese superhero that no one knows about who became the inspiration for the character of Saitama and his name is Anpanman.
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Who is Anpanman – The Japanese Superhero?
Anpanman is the main protagonist of Anpanman and the character after whom the show is named. His head is fashioned of anpan, a Japanese bread that is stuffed with sweet anko. Anpanman is dressed in a red-orange outfit with a brown cape. Yellow gloves, boots, and belt, as well as a happy face emblem on his chest.
His punches and kicks have superhuman abilities, shattering metal and sending massive robots flying into the distance. Anpanman’s head may be readily replaced with a new one if it is damaged, returning him to full power. He is a figure of justice who fights for the greater good every day.
Fans of One-punch Man in other countries are unlikely to be familiar with Anpanman. However, he is a kid’s character that Japanese fans may have grown up seeing. He is a very famous character who is quite famous in Japan And the show was certified as a Guinness World Record holder for having the most characters in an animated franchise. It is one of the most profitable media franchises of all time, with over $50 billion in total retail sales revenue.
Saitama is Inspired From Anpanman
Japanese viewers have linked Saitama’s design to Anpanman, implying that ONE, the designer of One-punch Man, was completely inspired by the veteran cartoon hero Anpanman for Saitama’s fashion picks. Saitama’s cape, belt, boots, and gloves all mimic Anpanman’s outfit. Not only that, but both characters have identical abilities.
Both characters have powerful single-punch attacks and simplistic character designs, not to mention bald heads. Even the stories of their respective shows are identical. Anpanman and One-Punch Man are both hilarious twists in the superhero genre. Both heroes end up punching aliens away and saving the day.
While the designers have never explicitly said that Saitama was inspired by the 1988 children’s anime superhero Anpanman, the parallels between the two characters are undeniable.
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