A powerful yet unaffiliated hero residing in Z-City, Saitama is well-known for his effortless victories over enemies with a single punch. Unlike others who strive for recognition, he initially takes on heroism as a personal hobby, deriving satisfaction from defeating villains without much effort.
His ultimate aspiration, however, is to gain widespread fame. As the strongest individual in the series, no character has ever come close to challenging him in combat. The lack of worthy opponents leaves Saitama disillusioned, as his overwhelming strength prevents him from experiencing the thrill of a real fight.
From an ordinary man to an unstoppable hero, Saitama’s transformation is legendary (Photo: One Punch Man/Madhouse)Though he begins his journey as a hobbyist, he later enlists with the Hero Association to establish himself as a professional hero. Currently positioned at rank 39 in A-Class, the organization bestows upon him the title “Caped Baldy,” a moniker reflecting his simple yet formidable persona.
Saitama’s Early Life and Transformation
Before gaining his legendary strength, Saitama lived as an ordinary man, dealing with the everyday struggles that most people encounter. He followed a structured lifestyle, balancing work and personal responsibilities, but soon found himself dissatisfied with his mundane existence.
Seeking purpose, he decided to go on a strict training regimen in pursuit of something greater. For three consecutive years, he rigorously followed an intense workout plan consisting of a rigid diet and disciplined schedule.
This unwavering commitment to self-improvement led to an extraordinary transformation, granting him unparalleled power. However, despite becoming an unstoppable force, recognition eluded him.
It wasn’t until he officially joined the Hero Association that he sought validation through structured heroism, hoping to engage in battles that would challenge his abilities.
Saitama’s Abilities: A Level Beyond Superhuman
Holding the title of the most formidable character in the series, Saitama’s strength surpasses even those specifically engineered for superhuman combat. The full extent of his abilities remains unknown, as he has yet to encounter an adversary capable of truly testing his limits.
Unlike some characters who wield supernatural powers such as energy manipulation or flight, Saitama’s dominance is solely based on amplified human traits, which more than compensate for any lack of variety in abilities.
The origins of his incredible strength remain unexplained, leading many to question whether his claims of achieving it through simple physical training are legitimate. According to Saitama, he acquired his power by committing to a strict daily routine for over a year and a half—performing 100 push-ups, sit-ups, and squats while running 10 kilometers every day.
Though this explanation is widely met with skepticism, his abilities undeniably place him in a class of his own. Despite his physical dominance, those with superior technique or unique skill sets can occasionally challenge him in non-strength-related areas.
He also appears to maintain a normal human appetite, showing no signs of requiring excessive sustenance to sustain his power.
Physical Abilities
Unparalleled Strength: The sheer magnitude of Saitama’s strength has no known limits, allowing him to obliterate monsters and villains with little to no effort. Even the lightest of his attacks can cause devastating destruction, with some enemies disintegrating upon impact.
His strength is so immense that, in moments of frustration, he has threatened to destroy the planet, and many characters have described his power as incomprehensible.
Enhanced Jumping Power: Though he cannot fly, his unmatched leg strength enables him to leap extraordinary distances and heights. Demonstrating this capability, he once launched himself from a rooftop and crashed into the building’s base with ease.
His strength even allows him to adjust his trajectory mid-air, altering his ascent or descent as needed.
Shockwave Generation: When Saitama throws a punch, the force it generates is powerful enough to produce immense shockwaves, further amplifying the devastation caused by his strikes.
Unmatched Speed and Reflexes: Saitama possesses agility and quickness that surpass all known limits. On one occasion, he ran down a building at such an incredible speed that he returned to his original position before anyone noticed he had even left, all to prevent his lunch from falling.
Strangely enough, despite his phenomenal reflexes, he struggles to swat a simple mosquito.
Afterimage Creation: Due to his extreme speed, Saitama is capable of leaving afterimages behind as he moves, making it appear as though multiple copies of himself are attacking simultaneously.
Superhuman Dexterity and Agility: With precise and rapid limb movements, he executes every action flawlessly, whether in combat or daily activities. His exceptional reflexes allow him to traverse the narrowest spaces and evade attacks from close range with perfect accuracy.
During the Hero Association’s entrance exam, he effortlessly struck every mole on a Whack-A-Mole machine, displaying an uncanny level of precision.
Water Running: High-speed movement enables Saitama to dash across the surface of the ocean without sinking as if he were running on solid ground.
Limitless Endurance: Even in prolonged battles, fatigue has never affected Saitama. The only time he was seen gasping for breath was after sprinting non-stop, yet he recovered in mere seconds.
Even before obtaining his overwhelming power, his pain tolerance was remarkable, as evidenced by several instances throughout his past.
Superhuman Vision: His eyesight surpasses human capabilities, allowing him to track high-speed objects over extended distances without losing focus. Additionally, he possesses night vision, enabling him to see even in complete darkness.
Invulnerability: The toughest of Mysterious Beings have failed to inflict even the slightest scratch on Saitama. Whether facing blunt-force trauma or edged weapons, he remains completely unscathed.
While he occasionally avoids attacks rather than absorbing them head-on, it is unclear whether he does so out of necessity or simple preference.
Internal Durability: Beyond his external toughness, his internal organs exhibit extreme resilience, making him resistant to internal injuries or damage.
Resistance to Extreme Temperatures: He remains entirely unaffected by temperature-based attacks. Whether exposed to intense heat or freezing conditions, he shows no signs of discomfort.
His training, which involved enduring various climates without the aid of heaters or air conditioning, may have contributed to this adaptation.
Radiation Resistance: Nuclear-level radiation does not affect Saitama’s body, further highlighting his immunity to environmental hazards.
Psychic Resistance: Abilities that manipulate the mind or body through psychic energy fail against Saitama. In the webcomic, Fubuki theorizes that his sheer willpower acts as a natural barrier against such forces.
Vacuum Adaptation: Oxygen deprivation poses no threat to him, as he can hold his breath indefinitely, even in outer space. This adaptability allows him to survive in environments where oxygen is absent or in limited supply.
Unlimited Potential for Growth: Upon surpassing his body’s natural limitations, Saitama entered a state where his strength continued to expand without constraint. His rapid improvement stems from removing his limiter, granting him an ever-increasing level of power.
His body can withstand and adapt to environments on other planets where oxygen is either extremely limited or completely absent. These feats suggest that Saitama can also survive the extreme conditions of space, at least for a reasonable duration, due to his extraordinary resistance to cosmic radiation and his exceptional endurance.
Rapid Advancement: After following his intense training routine for almost a year, Saitama noticed that his body had adjusted, allowing him to move with the level of strength he had always envisioned for a true hero.
As a result, his power increased at an astonishing rate, granting him unparalleled physical abilities, which highlight his exceptional growth potential. Since breaking through his natural limiter, Saitama seems to possess an endless capacity for improvement.
Supernatural Abilities
Indomitable Willpower: Saitama’s resolve remains unshaken regardless of the circumstances. He never experiences doubt or hesitation and does not succumb to fear, even when facing supposedly godlike beings. His ability to remain composed in any situation allows him to act with absolute confidence and efficiency.
Intimidation: Although he typically maintains a relaxed and unimposing demeanor, Saitama can exude an overwhelming aura when serious. This presence is so intense that even powerful individuals, including high-ranking heroes and formidable villains, have felt paralyzed by it.
Breaking the Fourth Wall: Saitama occasionally displays an awareness that transcends the fictional world he inhabits. Whether through self-aware remarks or interactions with others, he demonstrates an understanding of his role within the story’s universe, making him a uniquely meta character.
Fighting Style
Mastery of Close-Quarter Combat: Despite his casual attitude toward fighting, Saitama exhibits exceptional skill in unarmed combat. His ability to eliminate enemies with minimal movement and energy demonstrates both efficiency and mastery.
A hero for fun, but with strength beyond comprehension (Photo: One Punch Man/Madhouse)Whether facing off against martial artists, monsters, or psychics, his straightforward yet highly effective approach ensures victory.
One-Handed Combat: Saitama rarely requires the use of both hands in battle, as a single strike is usually more than enough to end a fight. Even when using just one arm, his attacks remain devastating, reinforcing his superior strength.
Pressure Point Attacks: Though rarely needed, he has demonstrated the ability to target and exploit pressure points to render opponents unconscious instantly.
Unorthodox Evasion Tactics: When dodging attacks, Saitama often employs unconventional and humorous methods. He has been seen avoiding blows by moving in a completely unexpected manner, such as ducking casually or shifting his body in an almost cartoonish way.
Special Moves: Saitama’s fighting techniques fall under his self-named combat style, which he calls “One Punch Style.”
Normal Series: This category consists of attacks that, while considered “normal” by Saitama, are still overwhelmingly powerful when compared to other characters’ best techniques.
Normal Punch: A simple forward punch with no extra effort, yet strong enough to obliterate most opponents instantly.
Consecutive Normal Punches: A rapid barrage of seemingly effortless punches that can decimate multiple enemies at once. Each punch alone carries enough force to annihilate anything in its path.
Serious Series: Although Saitama has never needed to fight at full strength, he occasionally decides to increase the intensity of his attacks. His “Serious Series” consists of techniques where he exerts slightly more effort than usual.
Serious Punch: While still not utilizing his full strength, this punch is vastly more powerful than his standard attacks. When used against an opponent as strong as Boros, it generated enough energy to completely neutralize a planet-destroying blast.
Serious Side Hops: An evasive maneuver in which Saitama moves at extreme speed from side to side, creating multiple afterimages. The sheer force of this movement alone can crack the ground beneath him.
Serious Table Flip: A technique where Saitama uses his immense strength to upheave the battlefield itself, sending massive chunks of the ground flying in every direction.
Serious Headbutt: A powerful headbutt, used with enough force to counter and overpower an opponent’s headbutt attack.
Killer Move: Serious Squirt Gun: A comedic yet strangely effective move in which Saitama expels a jet of water from his mouth with such force that it disrupts enemy attacks.