Manga Artist One's Defining Work Reminds Fans That Content Is More Important Than Appearance (2024)

There's no question that the anime and manga series One-Punch Man is one of the most iconic anime to date. Its popularity stems from its original story and characters as well as its jaw-dropping art. Season 1's animation is done by Madhouse and is considered to be top-tier among anime. Fans of the series might be shocked to see that the original series lacked any professional artwork.

Though the manga of One-Punch Man found immense success when it was published back in 2012, the creator, One, found his own success back in 2009 when he self-published the original version of the now-famous series. Back then, One-Punch Man was a small webcomic that One created by himself. Though his inexperience in art might have put off some readers, a vast majority were captivated by Saitama's enthralling story.

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From Casual to Professional Manga Artist

According to an interview he did in 2012, One began uploading still drawings of his unique artwork online in the late 2000s. Despite its lack of finesse, the cartoon-style artwork built him a small following -- he credits this to the fact that, at the time, artists were so focused on copying the work of professionals. Since his art was so far removed from the typical styles of the time, he stood out and was given great online support. After some trial and error, One learned the art and technical know-how of uploading webcomics on the site NEETsha.

Dozens of fans flocked to One-Punch Man once it was uploaded to NEETsha, including a couple of popular manga artists who shared the webcomic on their blogs. This success was completely unexpected on One's part. His initial plan with One-Punch Man was to upload only one chapter to practice a new manga-creating software, but he continued making uploads upon seeing the series' success. In order to build up enough funds to support himself, he stopped working on the series in 2010, only a year after its premiere. When he announced on Twitter his hesitance to return to webcomics, numerous fans reached out to him and encouraged him to continue his work. One of those supporting fans was the manga illustrator Yusuke Murata.

Murata was already a huge fan of One's work after he discovered it on Twitter, and from his love of the series came the dream to illustrate it. Despite already being in a contract with Shonen Jump, Murata reached out to One asking him to return to his creative work and for them to work together. Murata's editor helped him connect with the publisher Tonari no Young Jump, and this became the company to officially publish the manga.

The series easily rose in fame, potentially due to One's already large following of fans. Certainly, Murata's professional artwork and Young Jump's access to a greater audience added to One-Punch Man's success, but at the center of it all is One's creative genius as a storyteller. Even as an independent publisher, One was paving the way for his own success because the content of his story has always been the series' strongest point.

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One's Work Stands Out Among Aspiring Artists

One-Punch Man's original art might be a little messy and not as advanced or technical as the acclaimed work of the likes of Masashi Kishimoto or Tite Kubo, but it has charm and mixes well with One's absurd humor. More importantly, it never took away from the unique story that One wanted to share. Rather than following popular cliches and formulas, One created an original and appealing story, especially with his protagonist hero Saitama.

The story opens with Saitama at his strongest and then follows with a deconstruction of his character. Rather than having the typical heroic protagonist who gradually grows in physical strength, Saitama is already there, and the plot proves that some heroes couldn't care less for strength alone. While Saitama has a good heart and began his career wanting to save others, it proved to be not enough for this imperfect character. His desire to have more interesting fights as he balances his mundane life with fighting villains makes him relatable. When One's webcomic began in 2009, the ideas behind Saitama's character were refreshing and the reason why the character has become so beloved in the anime community today.

On top of having an original character like Saitama, One never took himself too seriously and approaches his storytelling with a welcoming blend of comedy. In fact, One's humor is one of the major reasons why fans fell in love with the series. Looking back, he credits the originality of his work to the freedom that comes with making webcomics. By creating a story he knew people would enjoy, regardless of the art, One not only inspires aspiring artists but also teaches creators that the greatest success is found with creative ideas from the heart.