One Punch Man: Garou’s characterization in the manga was underwhelming 

The One Punch Man series has garnered millions of fans from across the world. While many often confuse it for a Shonen title, a closer inspection reveals its Seinen nature.

The high-octane fights combined with real-life themes that most adults relate to result in an entertaining reading experience. It is difficult to discuss the manga title without bringing up Garou. He is one of the most beloved characters in the series, all thanks to his contributions in the Monster Association arc.

There is no doubt that the manga adaptation is the most popular medium to experience this story. The details on the illustrations are unparalleled, and it’s nearly impossible to replicate that in the anime adaptation.

While visuals are great, the manga did not do the character justice in the Monster Association arc. It deviated from the source material, which is the webcomic series, and his characterization was negatively impacted.

For those who haven’t read the manga or the webcomic series, Garou was introduced as the primary antagonist in the Monster Association arc. There are plenty of reasons why fans love this character. However, the main reason for his popularity is his character development.

He is introduced as an angry, yet gifted martial artist who is on a path of vengeance. But he soon realizes that his violent, hateful ways are far from ideal and eventually reunites with his master, Bang.

Fans’ gripe with the One Punch Man manga was that Garou’s personality was revealed all at once, and it seemed unidimensional. This cuts away from the excitement of understanding the character. The webcomic, on the other hand, revealed his character slowly, as if the author was trying to peel each and every layer of an onion.

Garou in the webcomic was the result of nothing but his own efforts. He became the embodiment of fear by purely perfecting his martial arts skills. The manga, on the other hand, introduced God into the equation, and this changed the way fans perceived the character. The manga Garou reached the pinnacle of his abilities only because God partially lent its powers to him.

The webcomic version of the character also seemed like a product of his ideals, whereas the manga version of the character lacked that. Garou was portrayed as a better anti-villain in the source material, which is why fans prefer reading it over the manga series.

Is the One Punch Man webcomic worth reading?

The webcomic is certainly an ideal medium to consume this story. The main reason for the aforementioned statement is that fans can consume the story in a manner that the author intended to do so.

ONE’s biggest strength is their ability to write characters and establish nuanced dynamics between various characters. Therefore, the character interactions in the source material are a lot more entertaining.

However, there is one downside to the source material. The One Punch Man webcomic series doesn’t have the most appealing art style. The illustrations are rather crude, and not everyone will be able to enjoy them. The art style can be a barrier for newer readers. However, if they can look past the illustrations, the readers will be treated to some incredible storytelling.

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In essence, Garou’s characterization in the One Punch Man manga was all sizzle and no steak. It was lacking substance. The webcomic, on the other hand, focused on the fundamentals of character writing and featured a character progression that felt much more organic and mature.

Furthermore, the introduction of new forms in the manga adaptation broke away from the Seinen-esque storytelling. These are some of the issues with the manga adaptation and its treatment of Garou in the One Punch Man series.

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