The world of One Punch Man is filled with superheroes wielding extraordinary abilities. While Saitama reigns supreme as the most powerful being in the series, discussions continue among fans about who holds the second spot.
With numerous contenders boasting distinct skill sets, making direct comparisons isn’t always simple. Despite this, Blast is often regarded as the strongest hero after Saitama, thanks to the hints about his immense power scattered throughout the story.
Ranked S-Class 1, Blast stands above the strongest heroes (Photo: One Punch Man/Madhouse)Among the many formidable figures in One Punch Man, Blast stands out as one of the strongest. As an elite member of the Hero Association, he holds the prestigious title of S-Class Rank 1.
This ranking designates him as the most capable hero among the S-Class, a division reserved only for the most powerful fighters, which currently consists of 15 members. Based on this classification alone, Blast is theoretically superior to every other hero currently serving in the organization.
Blast Has Not Been Seen Often
One intriguing aspect of Blast is how little has been revealed about him by the end of the anime’s second season. Viewers have only caught glimpses of him in silhouettes, flashbacks, or the recollections of other characters.
This limited presence has fueled speculation about just how powerful he truly is. Unlike most heroes, who are closely monitored by the Hero Association, Blast appears to operate on his own terms, free from the organization’s usual restrictions. Evidence of this can be seen in episode 10, where he skips an emergency S-Class meeting.
Despite his absence, Sitch, the Minister Officer of Justice, merely acknowledges it rather than attempting to reprimand him, suggesting that Blast’s actions are either tolerated due to his importance or that the association prefers to avoid jeopardizing his continued cooperation.
Even with the minimal information available, Blast is often placed second only to Saitama in terms of power, especially when considering the events in episode 24, “The Wiping of the Disciple’s Butt.”
This episode features a confrontation between the heroes and Garou, which takes a drastic turn when Phoenix Man intervenes and spirits Garou away. During their escape, Phoenix Man summons Elder Centipede, a massive dragon-level monster that erupts from the ground, creating chaos and destruction.
While the battle comes to play, Garou insists on returning to the fight, but Phoenix Man dismisses his demands, citing orders from Gyoro Gyoro, a key strategist for the Monster Association. According to him, only four S-Class heroes possess the strength necessary to defeat Elder Centipede—Tatsumaki, Metal Knight, King, and Blast.
As Phoenix Man speaks of Blast, a shadowed representation of the hero is briefly shown, offering little insight into his actual appearance. He also reveals that Blast nearly defeated Elder Centipede two years prior, a fact that deeply frustrates the creature.
Elder Centipede’s cooperation with the Monster Association stems from its desire for revenge, as it hopes to lure Blast into another battle. King later reinforces this history when he deceives the monster by claiming that Blast has arrived, taunting it by recalling the humiliating defeat it suffered in their previous encounter.
He even goes so far as to say that the creature fled in disgrace, terrified and unable to fight back.
During this battle, the heroes struggle to inflict meaningful damage on Elder Centipede. The creature withstands repeated assaults, including multiple incineration cannon blasts from Genos.
Even when Bang and Bomb join forces to execute their Whirlwind Water Stream Roaring Aura Sky Ripping Fist technique, the monster recovers swiftly. As a last-ditch effort, Genos launches himself into the beast’s mouth, unleashing an Ultra Spiral Incineration Cannon, but this too fails to bring it down.
When the situation becomes dire and the monster turns its attention to King, he calls out for Saitama, who arrives and obliterates Elder Centipede with a single Serious Punch, reducing it to nothing in an instant.
Why Blast is Second Strongest
The durability of Elder Centipede highlights just how powerful the heroes must be to pose a real threat to it. While Saitama remains in a league of his own, Blast appears to be stronger than nearly all other S-Class heroes. Given that King sought out information to provoke Elder Centipede, his claims likely hold some truth.
If Blast had truly defeated the creature so convincingly in the past, it stands to reason that the monster fled because it recognized the fight was unwinnable. This suggests that Blast was capable of finishing it off but, for some reason, did not deliver the final blow.
The unseen power of Blast remains one of the series’ biggest enigmas (Photo: One Punch Man/Madhouse)Another point worth considering is that the Hero Association has classified the details of Blast’s previous encounter with Elder Centipede. This secrecy implies that there may be unknown factors behind why Blast let the creature escape or why the fight ended the way it did.
Despite these unanswered questions, one fact remains clear—Blast ranks above heroes like Genos, Bang, and Bomb, reinforcing his status as one of the strongest figures in One Punch Man.
Among the many mysteries in the series, Blast remains one of the most intriguing characters. Though much about him is still unknown, the way other characters speak of him confirms that he has participated in legendary battles and earned his reputation.
His fight with Elder Centipede offers the only concrete proof of his strength, and based on that encounter, he appears to be the second-most powerful hero. Aside from Saitama, who effortlessly destroyed the beast, Blast is the only one known to have severely wounded it.
Future episodes may provide deeper insight into his abilities, and perhaps one day, fans will get to witness firsthand just how strong he truly is.