When Did The First One Punch Man Comics Release?

If I want to reread 'One-Punch Man' I usually go straight to the official digital sources—it's fast and helps the creators. The most reliable place for English readers is Viz’s Shonen Jump service and the Viz website, which host the official chapters and volumes of the Yusuke Murata remake. For a small monthly fee you get access to a ton of manga including 'One-Punch Man', and they release chapters close to the Japanese schedule. Besides that, I buy collected volumes on Kindle or Comixology when a nice sale pops up. Physical copies from bookstores like Barnes & Noble or indie comic shops are great for shelf pride, and they often have the paperback and deluxe editions. If you prefer borrowing, check your library app (OverDrive/Libby) since many libraries carry the volumes digitally or in print. Little tip: supporting official releases keeps the series healthy and more merch/prints coming, which is why I try to buy at least one volume every arc.

Man, talk about a saga — 'One-Punch Man' actually exists in a couple of different forms, so the volume count depends on which version you mean. The version most people think of is the Yusuke Murata–illustrated remake that runs in the weekly/online magazines; that one is collected into tankōbon volumes and by mid-2025 sits at just over 30 collected volumes (it’s been steadily releasing new volumes over the years). Publishers like Shueisha in Japan and Viz Media in English keep updating their pages, so the exact count can tick up whenever a new volume drops. If you’re referring to ONE’s original webcomic, that’s a bit different — it began earlier and wasn’t always compiled into standard tankōbon the same way, so its “volumes” are treated differently and are fewer if you look at official book releases. There are also spin-offs, digital-only editions, and omnibus releases that can change how many physical volumes you see on store shelves. Bottom line: for the Murata manga expect roughly 30+ volumes as of now; check your local publisher’s site for the most current tally. I still get giddy flipping through each new volume whenever it lands on my desk.

Whenever someone asks who makes 'One-Punch Man', I get a little giddy — it's one of those collabs that really clicked. The original creator is ONE: he wrote and drew the rough, hugely popular webcomic that launched the whole phenomenon. His art is famously crude but full of energy and brilliant ideas; that's his voice right there. Then Yusuke Murata came in and reimagined the series as the polished, serialized manga most people know. In the remake Murata handles the detailed, cinematic artwork and layouts while ONE is credited as the original author and continues to provide story direction. The anime adaptations then adapted Murata’s visuals (Madhouse for season 1, J.C. Staff for season 2), so you get that sleek look on screen. If you want the raw creator voice, read ONE's webcomic; if you want jaw-dropping panels, Murata's remake is your jam. Personally I love both — they feel like two different desserts made from the same recipe.

I get this question all the time when I'm swapping recs with friends: yes, the comics and the anime of 'One Punch Man' feel pretty different, and in ways that actually make both worth checking out. On paper the core story is the same — Saitama vs ridiculously overpowered threats — but the original webcomic by ONE, the remake manga illustrated by Yusuke Murata, and the anime each bring different flavors. Murata's manga is a visual feast: cleaner, highly detailed, and he often expands fights and adds little character moments that the webcomic glossed over. The anime translates that into motion, music, and voice acting, which turns some jokes and boss fights into visceral, hilarious scenes. But pacing changes happen: the anime sometimes stretches or compresses arcs for TV flow, and season-to-season animation/studio differences affect how epic a fight looks. There are also some omitted panels or dialogue from the manga, and the webcomic has unique beats since ONE's rough art focuses more on quirky timing and tone. My habit is to watch a season for the soundtrack and spectacle, then flip to the manga to savor the art and extra details. If you want the raw, oddball origin, hunt down the webcomic too — it's charmingly scrappy and surprisingly generous with differences.

If you want the clearest path through 'One-Punch Man', I usually tell people to start with the Yusuke Murata manga remake. The art is gorgeous, the pacing is tightened up from the original webcomic, and the storytelling feels polished—start at chapter 1 (Volume 1) and read straight through the tankōbon/collected chapters in order. That gives you the main continuity that most readers follow today and matches what the anime adapts for the most part. After you finish what Murata’s done so far, I like to go back and read the original webcomic by ONE. It’s rougher visually but wildly creative, and you’ll spot plot and character differences that are fascinating. Read the webcomic either after the Murata manga or interleave it if you’re curious about alternate beats; it’s a nice way to see how an idea evolves. Also, if you care about adaptations, watch the anime seasons as you go—season 1 roughly covers early arcs up through the Boros fight. For buying/reading legally, check official digital/print releases from the licensed publishers so you support the creators. Have fun — the two versions are both delightful in different ways, and I bounce between them like a kid with two favorite snacks.

I get the most excited talking about the long, messy, gloriously drawn parts of 'One-Punch Man', and for me the crown goes to the 'Monster Association' arc. Reading those chapters on a rainy Sunday, sprawled on my couch with a cup of terrible instant coffee, I kept flipping back just to stare at the big spreads—Murata's art turns chaotic mob battles and emotional beats into pure, cinematic joy. The pacing gives everyone a moment: Garou's breakdown and growth, Tatsumaki's raw power, Bang's weary dignity, and the way even minor heroes get tiny arcs that matter. Early stuff still hooks me though—'House of Evolution' and the 'Deep Sea King' arc are compact and charming in different ways. They show the series' genius for mixing goofy humor with genuine stakes, and they introduce Saitama's weird loneliness alongside his ridiculous strength. Then there's the 'Boros' showdown, which is pure spectacle and really sells how the manga can flip from absurd comedy to full-on action movie energy. If you want emotional depth and long, satisfying fights, start with 'Monster Association', then loop back to the earlier arcs to appreciate how sharp the character work becomes. I still grin whenever I reread certain panels—it's the kind of series that gives you both belly laughs and actual feels.

I've picked up copies of 'One-Punch Man' in so many places that my shelves look like a little map of my book-hoarding habits. If you want new English-language volumes, start with big bookstores like Barnes & Noble (US), Waterstones (UK), or Kinokuniya if you're lucky enough to have one nearby — they usually stock the latest volumes and sometimes omnibus box sets. Online retailers that reliably carry print manga include Amazon, the Viz Media shop (they publish the English release), Right Stuf Anime, and Bookshop.org for indie-store support. For Japanese editions I use CDJapan or YesAsia when I'm hunting for original tankobon or special editions. If you're after cheaper or out-of-print runs, check eBay, AbeBooks, Mercari, and local secondhand bookstores. Comic shops and conventions are great too: many dealers bring back issues and box sets, and you can physically inspect condition before buying. Pro tip — verify ISBNs and the publisher so you get the English translation (or the Japanese edition if that’s what you want). Happy hunting — there’s something so satisfying about cracking open a fresh manga volume on a rainy afternoon.

I'm a huge fan who binges stuff into the night, and honestly, the world around 'One-Punch Man' is bigger than people realize. There aren't a bunch of long-running spin-off manga series centered on other heroes in the way some franchises do, but there are plenty of official side things that scratch that itch. First off, the original webcomic by ONE and the later redrawn manga with Yusuke Murata are two different experiences of the same story — both feel like separate branches in a way. Beyond that, you'll find short side-chapters and omakes tacked onto tankōbon volumes that spotlight goofy everyday moments for Saitama, Genos, and other heroes. There are also crossover bits, artbooks, anthologies, and a few special promotional comics that explore minor characters. If you want media spin-offs rather than comics, there's the anime (and OVAs) as well as the fighter game 'One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows'. For someone who loves collecting small character moments, those short manga extras and special chapters are my favorite hidden gems — they make the world feel lived-in without being full-blown series.