A recurring theme in One-Punch Man is how Saitama never gets the credit he deserves for his heroism. Since his fights typically end within seconds, there are rarely any witnesses to confirm his victories or spread the word about his achievements. Interestingly, this does not seem to bother him at all.
His focus is usually elsewhere, as he is more interested in not missing out on sales and discounts than in taking credit for defeating monsters. However, when he learns about the salary structure of heroes, he begins to aim for a more comfortable and well-paying position.
Luxury living for a hero who just wants discount sales (Photo: One Punch Man/Madhouse)Despite his unmatched physical strength, Saitama had to begin his career at the lowest rank, Class C, because his written test scores were embarrassingly poor.
Saitama’s Actions Despite His Lack of Recognition
Regardless of his status, he continues to go about his usual activities. He shows up at nearly every major event and eliminates any monster that crosses his path. Yet, just like before, his contributions go largely unacknowledged. However, his latest promotion might have finally altered this trend.
What Rank Is Saitama Now?
Following the intense battle against the Monster Association, the Hero Association had a lot of work to do. They were tasked with treating the wounded and clearing out the wreckage left behind by the large-scale fights, which had completely reduced Z-City to rubble.
Unfortunately for Saitama, this destruction included his rented apartment, leaving him without a place to stay. This situation led directly to his new rank playing a role in his relocation.
After A-City was completely wiped out by the Dark Matter Thieves, Metal Knight constructed a massive, advanced headquarters for the Hero Association.
This new structure was designed as a large-scale facility capable of housing thousands of people. Since a lot of the space remained unoccupied, the Hero Association decided to market it as an exclusive, high-security residence for heroes ranked Class A and above.
Among those given a place in this luxury facility was none other than the newly promoted Class A, Rank 39 Hero, Bald Cape.
Why Has Saitama Only Been Promoted to Class A?
This latest promotion is not the first time Saitama has moved up in rank. Before making it to Class A, he was elevated from Class C to Class B following his role in stopping the meteor and the Deep Sea King. Just like his earlier promotions, however, his rank did not increase nearly as much as his contributions warranted.
Saving the world in seconds, but still waiting for the credit (Photo: One Punch Man/Madhouse)The reason for this is tied to the ongoing joke in the series—only a small group of top-ranking heroes have witnessed what he is capable of. These high-level heroes choose not to publicize his achievements, likely because they understand his personality and know he is not interested in fame.
As a result, the Hero Association evaluates his rank based solely on the fact that he was present during major battles and managed to survive, without truly understanding his power. There is no doubt that Saitama is the most powerful character in One-Punch Man, yet he continues to be largely overlooked as a hero.
Following the events of the Monster Association arc, he finally starts to gain a little more recognition, though it still falls far short of what he deserves. This outcome is hardly surprising, as the Hero Association remains unaware of the true extent of his abilities.