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I’m not getting my hopes up, but we may just be headed for an actual climax.
That preview message came as something of a shock, and that’s in spite of the fact that I knew full well that next week’s episode is the finale. As I said last week if there was ever a show that felt less than it was ending with a week to go than One Punch Man, I can’t recall it. This series is just getting started, that’s obvious, and for all that it seems likely we’re going to get more of it this is going to be a tough wait.
By all accounts, the first season seems to be set to go out with a bang, as these current enemies (whom we find out are a band of space pirates calling themselves the Dark Matter Thieves) appear to be a cut above our prior paper tigers. One of them does, anyway – Lord Boros (Morikawa Toshiyuki), their monocular leader. His lieutenants are another matter – more of a match for the Class S heroes than they are for Saitama.
In fact, that’s just about how this penultimate episode plays out – the Class S brigade takes on Melzalgald while Saitama relentlessly works his way through the zaku on the mothership, building up to an eventual confrontation with Boros. One of Boros’ other seconds is a speed bump in his way – Geryuganshoop, an extremely neurotic esper octopus (or equivalent) who’s desperate to have Melzalgald come up and help deal with this strange human who’s decimating his ship. But Geryuganshoop meets the same fate all of Saitama’s serious opponents have so far – and anti-climactic demise (in this case it doesn’t even require an actual punch).
Melzalgald’s unique regenerative ability makes him a bit more of an interesting challenge, especially given that his opponents are not on Saitama’s level. But once they figure out his weak spot – each of Melzalgald’s heads is “powered” by some kind of marble – it’s only a matter of time before the Class S gang wear him down. That is until the barrage of artillery shells he’s ordered begins to rain down on them, and things are looking pretty bad until Tatsumaki (who really should have been called “Commando”, it seems) shows up. Based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, if one were to rank the S-Class heroes in terms of ability, Tatsumaki would have to be pretty close to the top – if she has limitations, I don’t think we’ve bumped up against them yet.
These battles are all preliminaries, though. I’m not certain that we’re going to see One Punch Man actually called on to transcend his name, but there can be no disagreement that Boros is the first enemy we’ve met that actually did survive a serious Saitama punch. As such he makes a logical opponent to close out the first season, even if his whole reason for being here is boredom – he’s travelled to Earth because a seer on his planet has told him he can find a worthy opponent there. This may end up being our first climactic fight without the “anti-” in front, but it sure doesn’t feel like a conclusion – but then, nothing going on in One Punch Man does…
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Gary Cochran
December 14, 2015 at 3:12 amWhats sad is most likely in keeping with the series Saitama will get little of the credit and the Tornado and the other S class heroes (as well as the small fries like Kamen Rider) will get the bulk of credit for the battle.
ferryyohanes96
December 15, 2015 at 7:46 amthat's pretty much just how one-punch man rolls though
Franpowah
December 14, 2015 at 3:28 amIt was a nice touch to show that not all the association is rotten when some C heroes went to help knowing the risk.
That last scene when Boros powers up and saitama is drawed in full ONE quality was priceless, made me laugh a lot and had to pause and rewind.
Maybe it's because I know what Madhouse are capable of, but the fights felt a little lacking in quality (probably still better than most anime). I hope they were saving resources for the finale.
Shigy Amoto
December 14, 2015 at 4:06 amThis episode utilized the same team who was in charge of episode 4, but even then I still thought it flowed a bit nicer than that one.
The next episode is slated to be directed by Shingo Natsume himself (the director of this adaptation), who mostly involved himself with episodes 1-3. So, you can expect it to be top-notch.
Chrysostomus
December 14, 2015 at 12:42 pmI also felt disappointed with the fights, in the first half it was mostly stills.
But then I remembered that they DON'T have a big budget for this, so yeah, I forgive them. It's been a truly outstanding adaptation so far, given their monetary constraints, and so it feels like I'm nitpicking.
Akka
December 14, 2015 at 10:44 amAs I said in a previous comment, I don't feel the Saitama fights are in any way anti-climactic, if only through the cathartic pleasure of seeing the subversion of the typical drawn-out final fight in shounen.
I'm pretty sure this will be one of such anti-fights, especially considering how it's been set up through textbook shounen conventions.
I'd expect the fight being very quickly resolved, and the meat of the next episode being more Saitama realizing how close his history and the one of his foe are close, and maybe taking in how the indifference born through overpowered boredom might lead to evil and be a road he should be wary about.
Earthling Zing
December 14, 2015 at 3:21 pmThe show has gotten a pretty predictable so far, lets hope that next week shakes things up a bit for the finale…
Chrysostomus
December 14, 2015 at 9:06 pmI agree that it's somewhat predictable, but I think that in the craft of storytelling, HOW it happens is a lot more important than WHAT happens.
Earthling Zing
December 15, 2015 at 1:05 amIsn't how it happens pretty predictable in this show as well? I'm most curious about whether Saitama gets any recognition after the fight…
Chrysostomus
December 15, 2015 at 4:57 pmSo were you able to predict that the world-ending threat was gonna happen during the same day they're being told about it and that it was gonna be aliens?
Earthling Zing
December 18, 2015 at 12:02 amIf that is what you meant by 'how' I probably misunderstood what you meant, those events just didn't feel that important to me.
That Latin@ Chick
December 15, 2015 at 12:43 amAs happy as i am to see the S-Class do their thing at least its nice to know when they do work together they go all out because they worked really hard to get there, but after everything we have seen in the series it still sucks they are very choosy about the kinds of the heroic deeds they decide to get involved in. I hope like some of the class-A heroes that showed up to help Muman Rider that at least some of them change for the better. The animation team have really done a good job on the action sequences especially since they are working with a normal budget.
As usual Saitama has the best faces ever. I look forward the the last episode.
Merry Smithy
December 15, 2015 at 3:45 pmI wouldn't call what Saitama threw a serious punch. If you looked at his posture, it looks like he thrusted from a resting position, which means it was probably as casual as reaching for a toothbrush to him.