Episode 2 Production Details

Episode Director: Shinichiro Ushijima (Episode Director on Hunter x Hunter 2011 episodes 96, 109, 115, 122, 129, 136 and 143 / Episode Director on Death Parade episode 4 / Storyboards on Ore Monogatari!! episode 8)

Storyboards: Shingo Natsume ( Director on Space Dandy / 2nd Key Animator on Naruto Shippuuden episode 167 / Producer and Key Animator on FullMetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos)

Script: Tomohiro Suzuki ( Script Writer on Lupin The Third 2015 episodes 2, 4, 8 and 14)

Just a side note before I begin these screenshots are taken from my ONE-PUNCH MAN Blu-ray discs.  The TV broadcast of this series was pretty to look at but the Blu-rays are an improvement in characters’ facial expressions down to the background designs.

Fluid movements over consistent artistic detail.  I’m sold on this show.  Mosquito Girl’s design was fascinating and just one of many monsters that showed up in this episode of ONE-PUNCH MAN.  This anime series is as creative in it’s conceptual designs of its creatures as Space Dandy is–every one of them has unique abilities!

Genos’ dynamic movements as a cyborg trace back to the first episode’s general flow–it’s ridiculous but extremely cool.  Typically, anime series tend to throw their budget way up for the first episode but not this show.  It runs on an average budget of around $150,000 per episode.  Studio MADHOUSE is known for distributing their money out to the fast-paced battle scenes rather than the slow moving ones.  Which is why Saitama’s design from the manga works exceptionally well on this budget.  I recently got a chance to be a part of a live stream event chatting session with Bartender’s and Ben-To‘s TV anime producer Tatsuya Ishiguro and I’ve had the chance to learn a lot about what goes into an animated production.

ONE-PUNCH MAN‘s success stems from the collaborative efforts of its producer and how he works with Shingo Natsume on approving scenes from the manga that would translate well into anime format.  The closeup shot of Mosquito Girl as Genos lights up her minions of mosquitoes was amazing.  The fire animation throughout this episode highlights the difference in power between Saitama and Genos.  The comedy didn’t let up here either–Mosquito Girl gets slapped rather than punched and I like how it’s that scene without music that throws Genos for a loop.  He’s a hero that’s pretty well grounded in his ideals and it’s great to see that his pride as well as his body is destroyed by Mosquito Girl.  He’s willing to sacrifice himself in order to save humans and the sacrificial trope is dismantled by a slap from Saitama!

Saitama saves his life and it’s funny how Genos’ backstory is a quick introduction from him–really spells out the fact that he’s a robot. I’m not usually a fan of backstory’s but this was quite funny.

This show didn’t let up on the action either!  More monsters getting wiped out by Saitama it’s about time that Genos takes one of them out!  The story goes from serious to comedic in an instant and I like how this episode manages to flow these two elements together smoothly!

Miyuki Sawashiro’s voice is so incredible in this episode.  Popular seiyu are cast throughout this series–Vaccine Man from the first episode was the same actor that voiced famous villain Frieza from Dragon Ball Z.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 9/10

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