All Chibis! February 14, April 08, June 29,July 14, all 2024.
I can't draw children to save my life, so I mostly draw Zen this way.
I enjoy talking about Zenko, since I interpret her on a completely different way than a chunk of the fandom does.
To me, it looks like the siblings are extremely close to each other, and Badd's doting has resulted in her entitled, and frankly spoiled attitude (I love her, but let's be real here xD). It seems like it's often interpreted like she's some sort of rules/manners zealot who makes sure her older brother doesn't "misbehave" when for me it's not the case at all, it's mostly a combination of Badd going to ANY lenght, no matter how ridiculous, to be the best big brother he can be, and her being too used (therefore feeling entitled, as children do) to her big bro's undivided care and attention. This is why he runs like crazy and doesn't want to be late picking her up, for example. And why he's so angry at his job getting between him and his sis, he truly doesn't want to be at that meeting and would've much, much rather stayed at her recital (until things got real and he had to be a hero).
Also, I 100% believe that, while Badd's promise of not exposing her to violence is real -he's shown several times striving to be a good example to her, see his conversation with Sitch-, her stepping in wasn't actually about rules, but her using what she had in order to protect her beloved brother.
And she ran through a monster infested city to leap right in front of the crazy guy attacking her bro -who was partially injured by monsters and by himself too. Which we know of, but Zenko doesn't. She still didn't hesitate.
Woah!
These siblings truly are the same flavor of crazy and cut straight from the same fabric. I really hope we get to hear their backstory some day!
Badd's Fighting Spirit is super cool and very admirable, but I can already picture myself tearing up at its undoubtely traumatic origin... badass as it is, I simply can't look past the self harm factor and I really hope it's addressed with the seriousness and empathy it deserves.
Same with the ultimately depressing fact that, adorable as their bond is, we have a 17 year old -himself at a really complicated age where he should be figuring himself out, making mistakes to learn from, trying new things- shouldering the massive responsablity of raising a younger sibling. It's no wonder he, despite his rebellious demeanor, respects a sensible leader/guide like Sekingar so much! That has to be covering a need, and taking some weight off his shoulders.
Unless their parents are still around, in which case I have an Argentinosaurus femur to pick with them...
I also believe, although it's just a theory, that Badd is functionally immortal. As in, he cannot die if he refuses to, he was a little sister to go back to and is casually aware of this. I think his powers might even truly be of unlimited potential, and I say this as someone who doesn't gaf about powerscaling, just as something that would be super interesting (and poignant) to see in the future. Even if it's going to hurt, horribly so.
Long entry.... feeling wordy, and red wine isn't helping either haha.
Fun and casual OPM server open to all fans looking to meet and talk with other fans. | 11 members
I can't believe I forgot to post this here! A new, casual, friendly One-Punch Man server has opened over on Discord in the hopes to keep active fans together and talking. There's a spot for everyone here.
After the latest Webcomic chapters, I'm sincerely looking forward to Amai and Badd becoming friends, high or lowkey ^^ I was so happy to see more of them, and I'd honestly not mind Amai becoming some sort of older brother/mentor figure, kinda. IDK, it's just so sweet to see them finally get to work together! I'm 100% sure Zenko approves.
And of course, this art is incredibly sweet and wholesome ;; excellently done! I adore your coloring style and expression work ^^
Hellooo... I hope this reaches you well! I have a question: For each of the boys, what do you think their lives were growing up? How were their parents (if they had/have any), education, ect ect? 😊
Hellooo!👋
Thank you for the request!😊 Yeah, I got it, everything is okay🫡
Now that's an interesting question... Considering that we have little information about their past, there is space for our imagintaion🙃 (unfortunately, it turns out that I'm not creative enough for some of men😔)
I hope that this is what you asked :)
If something is not right, please let me know, and I'll fix it. Have fun!💕
How they grew up
A/N: yaaaay, headcanons are back! :D
I do NOT claim this as a canon! My thoughts are purely subjective due to my interpretation of these characters! (I can simply forget or misunderstand or mix up something, take that into account please!)
Thanks for all the likes, comments, reblogs and following me! I truly appreciate your feedback and support, guys!🥰🫶
You can check my main masterlist to see more of my other works.
Prepare for possible OOC!
Also be aware of implied fem!reader!
(Sorry if there are any mistakes!)
And, most importantly, enjoy!
I feel like Saitama grew up in a simple, default family
His parents had him only because "each family has to raise at least one kid"
And yes, he was the only child
Though Saitama wasn't showered with attention and love
His mom and dad just covered his basic needs and believed it was enough
And surprisingly, it was
Future Caped Baldy never really anticipated any affection from his parents
(maybe because he didn't know that his parents could be affectionate)
(and when he saw other families who openly showed love to each other, he would just... cringe, lol)
However, watching superhero anime made him really happy
The characters were so bright and colourful! (even in manga)
Definitely more entertaining than his life
So yeah, young Saitama was more than okay with living in fantasies and imaginary worlds
Moreover, his favourite characters became role models for him
They inspired him to be motivated, brave and kind
(however, what Saitama didn't consider was that you gotta be aware of your surroundings in order to help others... instead of reading manga and watching anime)
Saitama wasn't a nerd, nor was he a slacker
Marks didn't matter to him as long as he passed exams
The same went with his friends
He wasn't really close with anyone
He had a few acquaintances just in case he needed someone to play with or to copy homework from
I also like to think Saitama was good at PE thanks to his admiration for superheroes
Because he wanted to be strong like them and become a real hero too
But unfortunately, he was raised under circumstances (*ahem*parents*ahem*) that encouraged having a peaceful life as an office clerk, not something ambitious and extraordinary
So he graduated from school and went to a culinary college
Saitama even moved into dormitories where he learned to save money
Because his parents kinda stopped supporting him financially once he became an adult
And that's also how he stopped interacting with them
They didn't really participate in his life, so he didn't feel like he lost anything🤷
(but still, he was grateful they provided him with a normal childhood)
Just like at school, Saitama got satisfactory grades and didn't make friends, reading manga and watching anime in his room
Though he learned some useful cooking tricks and recipes in college, which made him consider working as a chef
...
But he didn't become one after finishing college
And the only work he was accepted for was… a part-time job at a convenience store...
(considering the last events in the webcomic, it's a good question whether Genos had an actual past or not...)
(but let's ignore that altogether)
Soooo, I get vibes that Genos' family was quite lovely
His parents loved him because he was their only child
But it's not as if he was spoiled
On the contrary, he was stoic and reserved since he was born
(unlike his parents, by the way)
His mom and dad liked to joke about his seriousness, saying that he should take a "serious" job
Unironically, Genos was great at Maths and Science
He was good at all school subjects in general, but hard sciences were his favourite
And you might think that he would be called a nerd for that
But he wasn't, since he looked cool and some girls crushed on him
The funny part is that not only did Genos ignore flirting, but he also didn't understand it
"Ah, Genos, I think I like you!"
"How do you know that?"
"Well, my heart beats faster, I can't think straight, and I feel like I'm burning up!"
"I think you're mistaken. These are signs of high fever or something even worse. In any case, you should see a doctor."
"Aw, so you care about me!"
Yeah, poor delusional girls took Genos' statements for genuine concern
As for boys, they'd bug him to let them copy homework
Sometimes, he gave his work to his classmates
And when he did, he would only do that so they would stop annoying him
Since he was good at sports, he was also wanted for PE activities
But despite that, Genos didn't really have friends
He preferred to read books during breaks and in his spare time
It wasn't rare for him to come up to his parents and tell them different random facts
Even though they were proud of their son, they were also concerned for him
So they decided to take him to different clubs, such as chess, debates, and swimming
But the result was the same
So they decided to adopt a dog
Maybe a pet would change Genos and somehow bring him into the real world?
His mom and dad perfectly understood that it was risky, but they were getting desperate
They also knew that if Genos didn't see any point in anything, he wouldn't put effort into it
So that's why a psychologist was out of the question
Anyway, back to the dog
When Genos returned home from school and saw the puppy, his expression instantly grew puzzled
He scolded his parents for making an irresponsible decision as they didn't think through all the nuances that came with taking care of a dog
Meanwhile, the puppy started sniffing the boy, wagging its tail
Genos didn't know how to react, but he didn't pull away
Though his face showed that he wasn't enjoying the interaction
Suddenly, the puppy licked his cheek
Genos was stunned for a moment, but then...
A rare smile appeared on his face
Seeing that, the puppy started licking more of the boy's face, making the kid laugh
Genos' parents were beyond happy to see their son act like an innocent kid, not like a grown adult
(his mom even had welling tears in her eyes)
And that's how he made a best friend
What also surprised them was that Genos responsibly took care of his dog
(because most kids of his age usually wanted pets just to play with)
Of course, it didn't completely solve the problem of Genos' antisocial behaviour
However, he became more open to the world
And he also would talk to his pet for hours
A few years passed, and everything was fine
Genos was a great student who wanted to have a career connected to mechanics and cybernetics
His dog was well taken care of
And his parents were planning to have another child
Preferably, a daughter
One day Genos was going back home by the commuter train
(yeah, I headcanon that he went to school in another city)
(why? I don't know, to be honest)
He was in a good mood since it was Friday, meaning he could walk with his dog for longer than on previous days
He got off the train and headed towards his house
Then suddenly, there was a loud noise, and a few buildings started falling down
Genos began running away with others, not knowing what to do and what was happening
A piece of rock hit his head, making him fall
He rubbed his head and turned it towards the new noise
And the last thing he saw was building debris falling on him
...
He woke in an unfamiliar room, all tangled up in tubes and feeling rather strange
His body didn't look like it was his
Then a weird-looking old guy greeted him and ran a few tests to see if everything was okay with Genos
After that, he introduced himself as Kuseno and answered Genos' questions
To say that the boy was shocked is an understatement
His family was dead
His city was demolished
His body was shattered
He was cyberized
It was too much
Genos couldn't handle the flow of emotions that washed over him
He pulled off all tubes and started beating his fists and arms against every surface
This made Dr. Kuseno shoot a tranquilizer dart at the boy
After a few days, Genos woke up again
But this time, he felt dull, and his mind was foggy
As if there was some kind of mental block
He didn't stand up, nor move, nor say anything
He was just lying in deep depression, not knowing what to do and not wanting to live
Kuseno didn't disturb him
After a few days, Genos came to the conclusion: he needed to avenge his family and kill Mad Cyborg
So he accepted Dr. Kuseno's help and started training
A few months later, he began his journey of searching for his enemy…
As far as I'm concerned, Sonic was born out of the Ninja Village, meaning he had a little experience in "real life"
The only question is how much he remembered and at what age he was taken into the village
Nevertheless, I feel like Sonic was a mama's boy
...and he was fatherless
Sadly, his dad left his mom when she gave birth or maybe even when she was pregnant
What's worse is that she couldn't provide a good life for Sonic
(of course, she gave him a different name that was later changed in the Ninja Village)
So yeah, it was rather hard for her to feed her son properly , as she was constantly starving and hence couldn't produce milk
Sonic's mom realized that her child would actually die if she didn't take action
Unfortunately, she didn't have any acquaintances that could help her
And no one wanted to hire her
Constant robbing wouldn't improve the situation either
Sonic's mother was getting desperate as she didn't know what to do
The only thing that guaranteed her baby's survival was giving him up to foster care
It was heartbreaking, but necessary
She loved her son and wanted the best for him
And since she couldn't give him a proper life, she made the hard decision to give the child away to a camp that was nearby and actively 'hunted' homeless youngsters
(orrrrr she was killed by ninjas who forcefully took her son into the Village)
(choose whatever you like more😇)
Anyway, that's how Sonic ended up in the Ninja Village
Did his life get better?
Of course not
Yes, he at least had a place to sleep, was fed, and was given clothes
But still, he was in captivity
That's why he eagerly promoted the idea of freedom
But he wasn't understood
Other guys would just make fun of him and beat him up
Sonic was weak due to being underfed for a long time, that's why he couldn't fight back
However, he didn't give up on his idea of becoming strong and reorganizing the Village
Some time later, he tried to look for accomplices
And he found a rather promising boy named Flash
Soon enough, they became best friends
Sonic got attached to the blondie pretty quickly
Little did he know that the feeling wasn't really mutual
Anyway, the dark-haired boy tried to find more allies
But his attempts were unsuccessful
So Sonic focused on working to achieve his dream
Years passed, and his graduation was approaching
And just a few days before it, he got terribly sick
It looked like he was poisoned
Minutes grew into hours, and hours turned into days
Sonic Sonic lost track of time, being in a fever and never-ending pain
He was treated with some medicinal herbs in the beginning, but at one moment, no one would come and check on him
Was he abandoned on purpose? Did they forget about him? Was it a part of training? A sort of punishment?
All his questions were answered once he got better and could walk, despite being weak
He saw all the blood and dead bodies and started checking them, worried that his best friend was among them
Sonic didn't find him, which was a relief
But then all dots were connected: Flash was the one who poisoned him and slaughtered everyone
Sonic's best friend betrayed him
Sorry, ex-best friend*
The realization felt like a punch in the gut
Moreover, Sonic was deprived of the chance of making his dream come true
At least he got his freedom back and could live in the real world, right?
Oh, if only he were needed out there...
Sonic was thrown into the streets without any chance to live a normal life, but with hate and an urge to kill
The only thing he could do was to join the criminal world and earn a living, using his ninja skills...
I feel like Garou was an unplanned child
His parents married each other only because his mom got pregnant
And they were against abortion
But the problem was that they fell out of love and just tolerated each other
Garou's mom had other plans for her life: finding true love, becoming a successful woman and developing as a specialist
As she took care of her newborn child, a realization started creeping in her mind: that wasn't the life she wanted
She didn't plan this kid
She didn't love the man she was married to
She didn't have freedom
She wasn't happy
So she lashed out all her dissatisfaction and anger on her son
If he didn't exist, everything would be fine!
(let's not question her logic: it's pointless)
Garou's dad wasn't happy with his life either
However, he didn't take it out on his child, understanding that it wasn't his son's fault
He even tried to somehow interact with the boy
But despite that, Garou grew up in a rather cold atmosphere
It didn't get better at school
He didn't make any friends and was constantly bullied
No one would stand up for him, not even his parents
This was unfair
Thankfully, TV was there to help Garou forget about the real world
As much as he enjoyed watching cartoons, the unfairness was there too
And when he complained about it, no one, not even his dad, supported him or looked deeper
It pissed him off
He needed to change that
One day, his parents finally got divorced, and his dad left the family
And his mother? She didn't give a damn about her son
Garou took it as a chance to run away and start getting strong to prove the world that it was wrong
He found a dojo where he started living and training
Now, we aren't told how his days were at Bang's dojo
We also know that Garou was one of the best students there
(and come ooon, he definitely was Silver Fang's favourite disciple🤭)
His life got better there
He wasn't bullied and he was heard
However, no one took his words about becoming the "Absolute Evil" seriously
And that made him move forward
Garou kept working hard
He wanted to be stronger
He needed more
Garou knew that there was more to learn
But Bang didn't give him that
That's why he decided to break into a safe that contained the scroll of Bang's secret martial art
And after that, he started his path to becoming a monster...
Badd's parents were young and in love when they had him
They wanted to have at least two kids, but not so early
Nevertheless, they showered their son with love
I think that they gave him such a name not out of spite
But because it was a mix of their names or something like that
The main point is that they cherished Badd
Though his father was a role model for him
The boy would always enthusiastically listen to his dad's stories and ask for more
He even started liking baseball because his dad used to play this sport before
And of course he'd constantly ask his father to practice with him
(his requests were almost never rejected)
Duh, not only did Badd try to copy his father's style, but he also inherited his looks
A father's influence at its finest
His mom didn't mind it
Because she loved her man and boy dearly, and they loved her back
Badd liked to help his mom with chores and especially cooking
He'd always have a big smile on his face while eagerly cutting vegetables
At school, he was just a normal pupil, not a goody-two-shoes or a slacker
Undoubtedly, he joined a baseball club where he made a few pals whom he hung out with from time to time
However, Badd would sometimes end up in fights with someone
Only because he tried to stand up for someone or protect them
Even though his parents were proud of him for not being indifferent, they tried to to explain him that violence wasn't the answer
Badd shared with them that he couldn't control his strength because it seemed that he got stronger with every hit he took
His father told him that he had the same ability, but instructed his son to use it only for good
A few years later his parents started thinking about having a second child
They were pleasantly surprised to see how excited their son got at the mere idea of having a sibling
Soon enough, Zenko appeared in their family
Badd was never jealous of his little sister
In fact, he adored her and would always help with taking care of her
He even had a tradition of kissing his sister's forehead before heading out of the house
The family lived happily and in utter bliss
But all good things come to an end one day...
It was a regular baseball practice when Badd heard the alarm of a monster attack
Usually, they'd hide in a bunker in cases like this
However, the attack was near Badd's home
That's why he didn't listen to the coach who wanted to take everyone to the safe place
Freeing himself from the trainer's tight grip, he ran to his house
But it was too late
His home was destroyed
And there was no sign of his family
Dread filled his mind
Suddenly, a body was dropped near Badd
It was his dad
It turned out that Badd didn't notice the monster
His father told him to run, but the boy was paralyzed with shock
The monster swung its tentacle at him
But his dad managed to push Badd out of the way and take the hit instead of him
After that, his father lay motionless on the ground
The monster charged its attack at Badd who was still processing what was happening
The boy was crushed against the wall
And then something was awakened deep inside of him
Was it anger? Adrenaline? Maybe both?
It didn't matter to him since he felt a big wave of strength inside him
He rushed to the monster, wanting to attack it
But the creature easily deflected his attempt and sent him flying again
Badd didn't give up
He stood up, gripped his bat tighter and advanced on the monster, dodging its attacks
Three powerful swings, and the monster was done for
Badd rushed to his dad and tried to wake him up, asking about his mom and Zenko
However, his father didn't answer him
Soon, the boy realized that his dad was dead
As much as Badd wanted to cry and curl up in a ball, he understood there wasn't time for grief
He needed to find his mother and little sister
But where were they?
The boy decided to run to the nearest shelter, hoping that he would find the rest of his family there
On his way to the safe place, he accidentally stumbled and fell
When he stood up, he couldn't believe his eyes
A few meters away from him, his mother's body was lying all motionless
Just like his dad
A few seconds later, Badd heard a little girl's crying
He turned his head towards the noise and saw another monster approaching a girl
...It was Zenko, his dear little sister!
A cold feeling was burning in his chest and spreading all over his body, making him tremble
In the next moment, the boy was already on the monster, smashing its head with his bat
He continued beating the creature even after it was dead
And when his bat was broken, he stopped and stared at the mess under him, trying to slow down his breathing
After a while, Badd turned to his sobbing sister and started approaching her
But it made Zenko cry even louder and step away from him
She was afraid of him
And that hurt
The boy examined himself: his clothes were shattered and covered with the monsters' blood and insides, cuts and bruises were all over his body, blood was dripping from his head and probably his nose, his bat was twisted in a strange way
Badd threw away his weapon and knelt down, opening his arms
"It's me, Zenko," he said softly. "Your big brother who will always protect you. Don't be scared, I won't let anything happen to you... I'm sorry. I will never use violence or fight in front of you. I promise."
This made his little sister ease up and hug him tightly
Tears were streaming down their cheeks
But what mattered was that they were together and safe
But not completely safe
The monster attack was still happening, so they had to get to the shelter
Taking Zenko in his arms, he ran
Luckily, the safe place wasn't far away
When they reached the shelter, Badd made sure that his sister was taken in and then passed out
...
He woke up in a comfy bed
Maybe it was a nightmare? A rather bad dream?
Unfortunately, it was reality
He was in the hospital, and Zenko was beside him
And they had no one except each other
Badd needed to figure out what to do so they wouldn't be separated from each other
And soon enough, the Hero Association was founded, which let him provide for his little sister and take care of her
That's how Metal Bat appeared and became a professional hero...
(okay, hear me out: what if Badd was actually jealous of Zenko all the time? And when their parents died, he realized that she was the only family left and started cherishing her? Orrr what if their parents never died, but they were abusers? So siblings had to stick to each other? And that's how Badd made his promise to Zenko? And that's why he became a professional hero? Ah, thoughts, thoughts and thoughts...)
(by the way, I kiiiinda took inspiration for Genos', Garou's and Metal Bat's parts from my idea for a fic. I wanted to write about Shitty Teen Squad when they were kids with reader insert, but I'm not sure if I'm going to have enough time and energy for that + not sure if anyone would read this. I don't know why I'm telling you this, looks like my inner yapper came out, sorry :D)
Beaut's parents planned him a few years after their marriage
They had resources and prepared everything for having a child
But were they a loving mom and dad?
No, they weren't
They built expectations for the boy even before he was born
And they wanted to make a successful and popular man out of him
So yeah, Beaut didn't get "to vote"
He received parental love only when he accomplished something
For example, by getting high grades or winning contests
Maybe his appearance also influenced their attitude towards him
In their eyes, the boy wasn't handsome, so they would remind him of that from time to time
And sadly, Beaut believed them
He actually found himself unattractive
But in reality, he was pretty
Too bad he couldn't see that
With that being said, he realized that he needed to be the best to be recognized and cherished by everyone
And that's where he got his narcissism
If earlier his parents used to compare him with others and say how bad he was, now he would assert himself at the expense of others
The boy actually believed he was better than everyone else
To get excellent grades, he'd use his charm and communication skills to copy homework or to sweet-talk his teachers, getting his way out of trouble
To be pretty, he'd experiment with his looks
To be strong, he'd train at a combat sports club
To be liked, he'd help others
The latter thing would also boost his ego, making him feel good about himself
Though he actually liked helping out
Beaut wanted to be popular because, again, he wished to be recognized
So he went to an acting college after graduating from school
And also attended singing classes there
This gave him a chance to separate from his parents because he realized how toxic they were
After all, they didn't see how amazaing and awesome his son was!
Beaut even took leading roles in theatrical performances
You could think that his life was perfect
But there was one thing that hadn't changed since his childhood
He still hated his appearance
It didn't match his beauty standards
He was afraid of losing everything once people realized how gruesome he was
So he needed a back-up plan
And that was when Beaut found out about the Hero Association
It was perfect: he'd gain popularity and help people
However, he decided to hide his face behind a mask just in case
Beaut became a professional hero, but he didn't get the anticipated recognition
It must have been because of his mask
But what else could he do? Show his hideous face?
No, never
One day, his mask was broken, and Beaut thought it was over for him
But on the contrary, the crowd started admiring him
He looked into the reflection and couldn't believe his eyes
His face had changed, and he was finally handsome!
Later, he found out that he became a monster that could change its appearance
It was a lot to take in, but it wasn't like he could do anything about it
The only thing left to do was to use his new abilities for the greater good
Finally, the famous Amai Mask was born...
Flash was raised within the Village and didn't know that the outer world existed
That there was more than exhausting training and ruthless sparring
That children played and laughed with their peers instead of fighting each other for hours
That there was the sun and the rain
That there were so many things to enjoy
He thought being sleep-deprived and learning combat and swordsmanship was normal
Until he met a boy named Sonic
Well, alright, it was more like Sonic approached him
Anyway, Flash found out that he was forcefully taken from the real world
It wasn't fair
Anger was awakened somewhere deep inside him
While Sonic was sharing his dreams of reorganizing this camp, the blondie was planning on killing everyone and "shutting" this place for good
Then it meant one thing: he had to train harder
And so he did
The graduation day came, meaning it was time to conduct "justice"
Originally, Flash didn't plan on sparing anyone
However, he couldn't imagine killing Sonic
After all, he was the one who "opened" blondie's eyes and showed that he could be more than a robotic killer
So Flash settled on poisoning him because he couldn't risk the dark-haired boy ruining his massacre
Of course, it wasn't easy, but he managed to do it
Despite all the blood and dead bodies, the silence was peaceful
Flash was finally free
Slowly, he walked out of the Village and... just walked
He went wherever the road took him, enjoying the coldness of the air and calmness of the forest
He moved without a specific plan and just explored the world
After hours of wandering, he collapsed due to exhaustion
That was the moment when he realised he didn't know where he was and what he should do next
Suddenly, he noticed a poster from the Hero Association
It looked like the only chance to have a normal life
So he assigned himself as a pro hero
Finally, he had a normal life
He could eat whatever he wanted, wear clothes he liked, and be well-groomed
Soon, he was promoted to an S-class hero, Flashy Flash...
Zombieman's past is a real mystery in One-Punch Man
I hope we'll get at least a glimpse of it in the future
So, is he the same person after becoming a zombie? Or did he have a different personality when he was a human?
Let's imagine that he remembers his past life and is still the same person
So, I think he was raised in a normal, healthy family
His parents had a good relationship with each other and loved their son, supporting him
Future Zombieman was a normal pupil who got good grades
He wasn't really social, preferring to do everything on his own
He also liked reading detective books and solving different riddles
The boy dreamt of becoming a detective or investigator
And applied to a specialized college
Studying there wasn't what he imagined
It was more complicated and even boring at times, but he still tried his best
Future Zombieman finally became an investigator after graduation
He loved his work , as new cases required different approaches
(maybe he even had a fling at work)
He was happy with how his life was going and with working on solving cases
Until one day
He was assigned to investigate Dr. Genus, who was suspected of conducting unethical experiments on people in the so-called House of Evolution
Future Zombieman started gaining information on this scientist, reading articles about him and even attending some events where he'd present his ideas
It became more and more evident that Genus was obsessed with the idea of endless youth and forceful human evolution
But the scientific society didn't accept him
Not that he was fond of them from the beginning
So the man shut himself off in the House of Evolution
Meaning that future Zombieman needed to visit this place
He pretended to be a journalist and drove there
t was uncanny to see a tall building among the trees with nothing else around
But he didn't have much of a choice
The investigator rang the doorbell
He hoped that Genus would agree to the "interview"
Because if he didn't, Genus would suspect that the man was an investigator and blow his cover
It was risky
When future Zombieman heard a familiar voice, he acted like a journalist who was a fan of Genus and actually believed he was in the right
Surprisingly, the scientist let him in and showed him everything
The investigator wanted to puke
What he saw made him sick
After Genus was done, he asked the "journalist" to send him the article so he could check what was written
"As if", the man thought, but he just smiled and agreed to the conditions
On his way back, he couldn't get his head around everything that had happened
The scientist was mad and needed to be put in jail!
In the next moment, he lost control of the car
He didn't know what had happened
One moment he was driving his car, and in the next moment the world around him was spinning and he saw darkness
...
He woke up in an unfamiliar room that looked like some kind of laboratory
Then he saw... that face
Dr. Genus examined him with a contemplative expression
Then Zombieman's gaze fell upon his body: his skin was pale, there was a large Y-shaped scar on his chest, his eyes were red
He looked like a walking dead body
His mind was foggy as he tried to recall what had happened
Dr. Genus called him Subject No. 66 and explained that he was a part of his House of Evolution program
The scientist was a bit surprised when he heard his new creation ask about his life and demand answers
He was supposed to forget everything
Oh well
Genus suggested leaving behind his past because Zombieman had been dead to everyone for a long time
He died in a "car accident"
(of course, it wasn't an accident)
(Genus planned on killing Zombieman from the start, but he knew that "taking care of him" would draw unwanted suspicion, so he needed his target to move away from the House of Evolution before proceeding with his plan)
Days went on, everything was distorted
Ex-investigator was withdrawn and in a daze
He felt like he was in hell and wanted to get out of there
When Dr. Genus realized that his experiment failed, he decided to let Subject No. 66 go
The scientist warned that it'd be pointless for him to try to take down the House of Evolution
No one would recognize or believe him
He had no evidence
And the scientist would keep his eyes on him
Nevertheless, Zombieman wanted freedom and soon got it
He was finally free
But it felt strange
As if he was there and at the same time he wasn't
Like he was carrying someone else's body
And that these were not his sensations
Zombieman tried to find work or at least to take part-time jobs
It was to no avail since everyone got scared of him and took him for a monster
He felt like his world had crushed and didn't know what to do
And then the Hero Association started searching for heroes
Maybe it was his chance at a normal life?
Plus, his combat and weapon skills from his past life and his new body's abilities would come in handy
Zombieman was right: he successfully defeated monsters
People even started admiring him and stopped looking at him as a monster!
Finally, he started his new life as an S-class hero...
For some reason, I headcanon that future King didn't have a father while growing up
However, he was basking in love from his mom and grandma
Moreover, they didn't have any financial problems and lived quite happily together
And the boy never felt the need for a dad's love
Yeah, it was sad that his family wasn't complete, but his life was still great
His school life was okay too
He was a calm, quiet pupil who liked to read manga or play PSP games during breaks
And what if I told you that his reputation was also built just like his hero one?
It was made by accidents
For example, when he'd be asked in the middle of a lesson, he'd just say a random number or words that were correct
During tests, he'd also sometimes pick random answer options that turned out to be the right ones
Even at PE classes he'd accidentally throw balls right into the goal
In other words, he was always lucky
Soon, teachers started to like him and cut him some slack
As for his peers, they'd idolize him and attempt to become his friends
Future King realized that he was walking on thin ice
What if he gave a wrong hint to someone?
What if he failed in front of everyone?
What if he wasn't lucky on the exam?
So he avoided any communication and closed himself off in anime, manga and videogames
But still, he used the perks that came with his reputation
In any case, he both hoped that he'd start "a new life" in game designer college and that his reputation would work for him
Much to his surprise, the same happened at the college: his luck didn't leave him
So future King got used to it, but he still was anxious to speak to people
Even after finishing the college, his "curse' haunted him
He'd be assigned to different game projects that turned out successful and brought in money
That let the man rent his own apartment and live there, going outside only when necessary
He felt too much pressure from other people
Because of his reputation, he'd have more and more responsibilities
But there was another reason why he wouldn't leave his apartment: monsters
He was scared of them
One day, he was just going to a game store when a monster attack happened and he was injured
Luckily, there was a man in blue sports clothes that defeated the creature and calmed him down
However, future King wouldn't leave his home for weeks after this accident
When he gained the courage to go to the anime shop, another monster attack happened
But he wasn't hurt and, moreover, couldn't even register how the monster had been killed
Similar cases would happen from time to time
Rumors about him were spreading among cities
One day, he heard a knock at the door
These were representatives of the Hero Association
The man thought they came for his soul because he would steal credit from a hero
But it wasn't his intention! People started making up stories, not him!
In any case, he was ready to beg for forgiveness
However, delegates didn't come to scold him
On the contrary, they came to hire him as an S-class hero
What?
The man was stunned for a moment, but then agreed
Only after the agents went away did he realize what had happened
He couldn't think straight, and that was why he gave his consent
Though he didn't try to change his answer and just "accepted his fate"
Soon enough, S-class hero King joined the Hero Association
He's a total diva, and he's rightfully aware of it! ^^ I so so agree about OPM characters killing it with their outfits, I ADORE his confidence!! always love a reminder of how much of a total badass he is <3
Whatever it is they're looking at, there's BIG troubleandd chaos in the immediacy and the tree of them will end up having an absolutel blast (no pun intended), whether they admit it or not.
I love opening Tumblr and being blessed by your art, it makes me smile every time ^^
Basically what this last week has felt like. It wasn't even a heavy laboral work, mostly a myriad side things!
I'm probably forgetting a bunch, but I had to bring the gas man for a check in my installations, others were finishing some works outside, go buy a few materials, visited someone I wasn't especially eager to visit but was the right thing to do (and a good time was had), organized an event, got a couple of medical checkups (I'm fine! I do these roughly yearly), a few unusually long forms had to be filled, and I finally got my ass together and wrote down some dreams I've been having, in my dreams notebook (I have a literal pile of them! I love writing down my dreams).I have a lot of cleaning to do in my patio, but I kicked that for the weekend. I'm also itching to draw something serious, and to update my "Voice" fic. it's LONG overdue.
I also accientally landed my hand of a huge slug today (as I was handling a potted plant during said event) gross as that was, the slug was safely released in a damp, dense vegetation patch at the edge of the forest outside ^^
And yes, I made myself with 6 new plants today (all native), during the aphromentioned event.
Veredict? I feel insanely tired for some reason... it wasn't even close to my most intense week. Maybe it's just the short. I won't leave bed early tomorrow.
Happy Pride Month and Men's Mental Health Awareness Month! Shout-out to everyone fighting for their rights even though love is love. Shout out to the men who are living in the dumps but are still here. Proud of you all!!!
I've been really silent and liking things instead of blabbing on them as I use to (consider the likes a bookmark for later babbling <3) I just hit a really busy spot and I need it to be Friday night already!
I just finished grading a pile of zoology exams and together with a few more things, I've been crossin tasks out. A crazy lot of them! Relieved, but the weekend can't come soon enough haha.
Also, wish me luck finding someone tomorrow. If I do, I'll tell a little story. Not a super engaging one, just a story.
I think I know why many people prefer the OPM webcomic to the manga
And it's not for the frequently-given reasons. For sure, the existence of multiple rewrites in the manga is an irritant, and certainly, there are plot developments that divide people, like time travel. The fact that the manga story waxes dilatory, which means that there's a long wait for pay offs for material that's set up, nags at people as they wonder if dangling plot points will be addressed and why things have been left as they are. And of course, there's no end of bellyaching over characters not being quite what was expected from having read the webcomic. But all that is froth.
Th most recent tranche of the webcomic solidified something that's been nagging at me. When I take a snapshot of the webcomic story and look at who the plot appears to be rewarding and who it appears to be reviling, I see a picture that is very comforting to a patriarchal view of the world. Saitama is unbending in his strength and righteousness, and while he's detached from all the goings-on, he's guaranteed to act appropriately when needed. Metal Bat triumphs over all opposition through his pure stubbornness and fighting spirit, all while remaining clear-eyed and perceptive. Other men see him and want to be him. In Dr Bofoi being held up as the good guy while Dr Kuseno is the bad guy, we get reassurance that brusqueness and coldness are honest signals while niceness and kindness is to be distrusted being hypocritical at best and duplicitous at worst. Hang on, what about Mumen Rider? Yes, he's nice, but his is an appropriately detached niceness; he is the same towards everyone and admits no attachment to anyone or anything other than his concept of justice: he has no family, no friends, no comrades, no one special in any way. It's as if these guys are being held up as ideals: if you're strong enough, clever enough, brave enough, good enough, then you can always be right, never need admit vulnerability, never need admit doubt, and never need change.
There is no judgement here, just observation. As it stands, it's interesting to see that the story is the polar opposite of Mob Psycho 100, and more broadly, quite the departure from ONE's usual bailiwick about what makes for a 'good' human life. Closer to home, the OPM manga takes a different tack and explores these same characters differently, one that's not so reassuring to the 'proper' order. Let's pick three of the five characters I've mentioned: Mumen Rider, Metal Bat, and Saitama. I'll cook the doctors in another post.
As good as it gets.
From his first humble appearance to his final perfect sacrifice, Mumen Rider is as fantastic a hero as it's possible to be in the webcomic. Far from being perfectly impartial, in the manga, Mumen Rider has made a friend. Yes, it took being hospitalised for several days next to Tank Top Master to befriend him, but he has. It's lovely to see: Mumen deserves to be more than an icon to people but it goes beyond that.
I love seeing TTM challenge Mumen to be more and use his leadership capability by putting him in charge of the heroes rescuing people from the debris of City Z, and so help him, Mumen rose to the occasion. He straight up hasn't accepted Mumen's humility about being merely a C-Class hero and is broadening his outlook about what a good hero can be. A good hero can be more than someone who puts their life on the line for others.
Exceptional a hero though Mumen is, he's being challenged to be better. There's more ways for a hero to grow than in physical strength.
Metal Bat does not triumph over all in the manga. Fighting spirit is all very well, but he cannot lay a finger on Garou and is forced to take a dirty shot [1] to try to hit him. If Metal Bat were inclined to dispute this, he certainly had to admit himself overmatched when he took on Sage Centipede alongside Garou (although damn, didn't he do well?).
Even in defeat, Bad has to have the last word.
Futhermore, we get shown that Metal Bat, far from having things all worked out, is still looking for a male role model to shape how he grows up. For all his brashness, he's still a kid who has been pushed into the role of adult too soon. It is wonderful to see Sekingar acknowledge that tacitly and accept his role as mentor.
It's also interesting to see that Ryumon (and others) isn't falling over himself with admiration on setting eyes on Metal Bat: if there's inspiration to come, it'll have to be earned by good old-fashioned bone-breaking experiences. I have loved seeing Pineapple and Mohican having good reasons for admiring and wanting to follow Metal Bat: he raised them up when they were feeling at their lowest and encouraged them to look forward so they could do better. I'm hoping Ryumon doesn't change his opinion too quickly -- some pain is good!
No unexplained respect here! Everything is earned.
Webcomic Saitama can appear as if he's above everything, just watching the antics of those around him like they're children playing silly games and he's the sole adult. Yes, in the manga, Saitama makes nonsense of many peoples' grand plans, like Dr. Genus and the Tenninto, but he's very much in the world, affected by it, and has his own struggles that extend much deeper than making it to the next sale. And he talks about it.
You aren't catching webcomic Saitama blabbing about his problems, nosiree!
Like a stereotypical grown up, wc Saitama gets to tell others things but doesn't have to hear any truth bombs from anyone. It's quite the contrast when we see King in the manga calling Saitama 'immature' and telling him his outlook is 'shallow'.
It's currently unthinkable that anyone could tell Saitama off this way in the webcomic.
The webcomic often presents Saitama as the wise guru uniquely able to perceive truths others cannot. In the manga, Saitama isn't the sole person with wisdom. When it came to Garou and Amai Mask, his insights were the capstone on pillars already built by others. Whereas in the webcomic, Saitama is the only person to see that Garou really wanted to be a hero, in the manga, Garou has had others point out his frustrated heroism, so much so Saitama doesn't bother to point it out and tells Garou to look around him and figure out who he really is for himself.
From the only guy who can see the truth to the guy who points out the truth and makes it irrefutable.
Amai Mask's struggles to remain human have been noted by others and but for Iaian's efforts, he'd not have survived long enough for Saitama to make the final observation he needed to hear to resolve his internal conflict. Characters appear to be a lot more self-effective and to interact more in the manga, which means that they're not waiting as much for Saitama to tell them what's what.
The interconnected web: Saitama is able to reach Amai Mask because Iaian's efforts kept Amai human long enough to be reached. The world may need Saitama, but it's not waiting for him.
In the webcomic, Saitama declares that he cannot be defeated and so far, that's been that, case closed, nothing more to be said. The manga shows us that Saitama cannot physically be beaten --- but he can lose. He can lose strategically, spiritually, morally, his sense of rationality, his humanity, his purpose, his people, his place in the world, indeed, the very world itself. And that's scary. How can absolute strength not be enough? There are a lot of readers who have a big problem with this.
From a simple, bald truth (pun intended) to a nuanced and painful victory. Superman has feet of clay.
Even the more humanising moments these characters get serve to break down any pedestal we might have wanted to put them on. When we see Mumen Rider tell a student to report bullying, we know that he's speaking from lived experience. We see Saitama's joy in joining yet another competition despite being horribly unprepared for it and how much he loves thrill rides. And we see Metal Bat's foolish over-sentimentality when it comes to anything his sister does. Instead of avatars, the manga has delivered mere humans.
damn, it's like they're no better than you or I. Disappointing!
To be sure, there are plenty of broken characters in the webcomic, lots of characters who are vulnerable, doubting, confronted with their weaknesses, and have to strive to become better people. However, the OPM webcomic is also full of certainties when it comes to the 'best' characters: independence, strength, emotional detachment (save in very limited circumstances), and virtue seem to be the ideals to strive for. The manga is busy unpicking all that, showing that even (heck, especially in some ways) the characters who seem to have it all together are fallible, vulnerable, don't necessarily know what they're doing, and can become better people if they let others into their lives. Which is all good and true, but it's not as satisfyingly definitive and reassuring of there being a proper hierarchy of goodness as the webcomic appears to be at present, and that's discomforting.
Or to put it even more briefly, I think the webcomic flatters the idea of individual strength and triumph while the manga goes, nope, you can't do it all on your own, no matter how strong or smart or good or determined you are. And given a choice, many people would rather read the individualistic fantasy.
That said...
The reason I've been using seeming and apparently and other similar words so much is because the webcomic story isn't over. Knowing ONE, he can turn the characters' fortunes around on a dime. When he decides that a character's cup is full, he pours it all down their throat in one go, and won't let them up until they've gagged down every last bitter drop. The webcomic treats critical change as an event rather than a process and boy is it good at it: things change very suddenly in the webcomic. What are the chances that ONE *isn't* going to challenge some of these cosily self-assured characters at some point? I wouldn't take that bet.
Asides
[1] I use that term advisedly. Truth be told, there's no fairness in fighting -- there's only effective and ineffective.
I hope I can properly order this!! going out with no proper planning and scattered thoughts alone, hahah. I apologize in advance about possible typos, I'll fix them as I see them.
I love the big and epic scenes in OPM. However, my favourite parts are, in the end, character interactions: the little scenes that tell us so much about who everybody is, outside of their hero works. I have a huge soft spot for images and/or scenes depicting many characters just hanging around, slice of life is delightful. We see much of who the characters truly are when they're pushed and in serious distress, and we rightfully love to see it! however, the little scenes are the reminders of how they carry themselves through life. And with that, of their humanity as well.
One thing I noticed, much to my annoyment, is that there is a nonsmall part of the fandom who only seems to enjoy the "highlights", the fights, and mostly the major ones at that. There are people imaptient about Garou vs Suiryu in the manga, despite not only the importance of everything that comes before it, but also, a quick check to the WC showing that It'll still be a bit until we get there.... I can understand looking forward to Blorbo (I know I'm always looking forward to mine!) but not at the expense of the entire worldbuilding. Which, by the way, is incredibly enjoyable. The little character interactions are, at the end, the context in which our favs exist, and we NEED it.
Especially when *the* scenes are built up to... Suiryu is already heading to Garou, why the rush if the plot itself is reassuring us its gonna happen?
This might sound a bit off the rails but I elaborated there because I think it essentially comes from:
1- WC rushes through things, therefore, there's a much more concentrated focus on the major scenes, most of which are fundamental to moving the plot forward. It doesn't help most of us read the manga already knowing what's gonna happen. In this sense, the Manga has a HUGE disadvantage.
Needles to say, I love and enjoy both, but too many go through the Manga pages not soaking into the story in its own right, but with a checklist in hand, and oftentimes with an "X chapters until this one specific scene"- mindset. Not a way to enjoy anything, IMHO.
2- WC also skips showing scenes that shoud absolutely be onscreen, which focus secondary characters rather than Saitama. As much as I love our MC, I think the rest of the cast are immensely enriching and necessary, but there is part of the fandom that seems to not enjoy when Saitama isn't around- or, when Saitama isn't punching things. So us fans of secondary characters often only get development via spoken dialogue... if we get it at all.
3- Since we mostly see the "big", plot changing scenes, and the focus on Saitama is stronger (see: Garou's ultimate defeat), they're "distilled", or rather, they're closer to the skeleton of the plot. We spend less time exploring the characters, at their good and bad times, therefore the characterization feels more straightforward and less nuanced. I find it funny that some that argue the opposite, these are still heroes putting their lives and well being on the line for the sake of others/their ideals, after all! (and seriously, among many others, compare Bang and Garou relationship in WC vs Manga)
4- I read complaints about Saitama and the heroes not being the same person 150/200+ chapters into it, than they were at their intro. Focusing on saitama alone, he's going through his journey and finally relating to multiple people, beggining to define his place and who he is as a person.... it would be absolutely awful if he didn't change. People are shaped by their experiences and relationships, and what character is to be had if the only allowed emotion is anger? its so bizarre to me. Getting over our personal obstacles and limitations is what makes us grow... and the lack of them is what sunk Saitama into depression to begin with. He just wasn't aware, at least at the beggining, that a big fight wasn't what was missing in his life. He's still on that path, an we're here to see it shape up and unfold ^^
5- I'm also more than a tiny bit disturbed at hero characters displaying emotion, kindness and empathy being scorned by a portion of the fandom.. which I can only attribute to this patriarchal mindset we already talked about... being seen as a sign of weakness when even the webcomic is clear about this, if less warm and having characters smile less often?
To be honest, everything I spoke about can basically be attributed to that patriarchal mindset, distiilling a story of heroes down to a 30 second clip of the powerful protagonist during "aura" moments, with litlle regard to the buildup leading to it all.
Speaking of Metal bat, I'm still annoyed WC gives him so little screentime, because truthfully these (amazing! beautiful! fantastic!) chapters were his ONE time actually getting focus there. WC never gave us a reason for him not participating in MA arc.... gimme at least a "His little sister depends on him, we cannot risk his death -we'll still send the 10 yo to the battlefield-" excuse at least! we know HA sucks less than Neo, or at least what Neo ended up being, but it still sucks.
And also, controversial take but IMHO Badd wasn't "forced" into that one shot win.... let me babble as a Metal Bat nerd =p : I agree on his way of addressing fights being very much questionable and needing refination, but I wholeheatedly think that was very much his strategy. Metal Bat never seemed out of control or desperate while fighting Garou. For example, right before that halted final strike, when he corners Garou with Savage tornado, we get a closeup of his face -sporting a big nosebleed- where he looks very calm and focused. Of course I can't find the image now, but I'll add it when I do! as if he planned that "play dead" trick. It seems that his fights pretty consistently are won by a single hit (rafflesidon, senior centipede, robot Destro and Erimin, he did exchange blows with both before though)
What I mean to say with this is, the problem of his strategy isn't whether he lands the big hi or not, he'll land it sooner or later ot at least so he trusts. It's the personal cost of it, and it should be absolutely addressed because it IS a big problem. As Erimin said, he wastes a lot of energy and it's best to tire him out, which Bang applied in that audio! without needing to hurt him to boot, but actual enemies won't have this consideration. It seems like he jumps headfirst and figures out what to do via trial and error -his tendency to strike and see what happens- ... but yes, as seen with sage Centipede, he can absolutely lose and no matter in how many brawls he's been involved in, he's a kid with little experience who needs to improve on his strategy, as its limitations have definitively bitten him back.
--To be clear I never thought you meant this, but I've seen takes around about Badd being essentially an incompetent weakling, or inherently "inferior" to garou because of that fight... and IMO huge HUGE NOPE :') his problems comes from being severely inefficient and self destructing!--
