Interviews

This page will show the translations of interviews from ONE and Murata.

Weekly Shonen Jump Interview
Weekly Shonen Jump (WSJ): Since One-Punch Man was already a successful Webcomic, how did the collaboration with Murata Sensei come about? And was it strange seeing your work drawn by someone else?

ONE: Murata Sensei just happened to find my website and became interested in One-Punch Man. I had always been a fan of his, so I jumped at the oppOrtunity to work with him. I get really excited seeing my work transformed into something with so much passion and amazing art.

WSJ: What inspired ou to draw a bald average looking superhero like Saitama?

ONE: The world is full of cool looking heroes, so I didn't think that was something I wanted to write about. Plus, I believe that heroes coolness comes from their spirit and not their looks. I don't think how a hero looks is that important.

WSJ: Which would you rather be doing: saving a cleft chinned brat from a rampaging crab monster or getting great bargains?

ONE: If it's possible to save the kid, I'd rather do that.

WSJ:In the U.S., webcomics are already quite popular. How are webcomics received in Japan?

ONE: It used to be a small thing that was enjoyed by amateur creators and fans and was seen as just a hobby. But now even casual fans are starting to read webcomics. I think it's thanks to Murata Sensei.

WSJ: What are the advantages and disadvantages of drawing webcomics as opposed to traditional print manga?

One: I think a major advantage is that you can quickly upload fixes if needed. Being able to do this as often as necessary even after something has made it to the public isn't possible with a print version. I can't think of any disadvantages. Lately, I'm not even feeling that there are fewer readers than Print.

WSJ: How do you think the success of One-Punch Man will set a precedent for other Webcomics?

ONE: There are more and more examples of popular webcomics, so I think that trend will continue.

WSJ: In addition to One-Punch Man you also have to other web comics, Makai no Ossan (Old Man of the Demon World) at Tonari No Young Jump and Mob Psycho 100 at UraSunday. Can you briefly talk about these works and also let us know if you have any other projects going on?

ONE: One-Punch Man is something I originally started just to entertain myself. So, I just do whatever hte heck I want with the characters. With Makai no Ossan, I create it while thinking about how the daily readers are reacting to the story. I put in tons of characters so that fans would have more to look forward to. In contrast to One-Punch Man, the main guy in Mob Psycho 100 is emotionally weak and delicate. So the side characters act as a support for him. The series are kind of opposite, but they are both extremes, making them easier to create. Regarding my schedule, I've been given some amount of flexibility, so it isn't that difficult.

WSJ: What advice would you give webcomic artists?

ONE: I'm in no position to advise other people, I would recomeend creating a website that is easy to navigate.

WSJ: Any last messages for your international fans?

ONE: I'm so happy that an international aduience is reading ONe Punch Man! I get really excited when I recieve comments from fans in foreign languages. The series is just going to get more exciting, so please, stick with it until the end. Thank you so much!

Niconico Interview
ONE: Sonic with weapon would've defeated Sea King pre-rain form.

ONE: Sonic's last appearance was just a joke on the popularity poll (means he'll show up again)

ONE: Genos's and Sonic's fight would end in a tie.

ONE: While the most popular one in their world is Sweet Mask, King is rather high up as well.

ONE: Pri Pri Prisoner could've defeated the Giant Bird that crashed into King's home.

ONE: The origin of Boros's name is from a game ONE played.

ONE: Genos is rather powerful even among the s-class heroes.

ONE: The situation against the monster association would've changed, if Metal Bat was around.

ONE: Metal bat wasn't joking when he said "He could take care of a dragon level threat".

ONE: King's height is 187cm

ONE: Tatsumaki in her best shape could've defeated Golden Sperm

ONE: Golden Sperm is equally strong as ossan (main protagonist from makai no ossan)

ONE: Tatsumaki > Normal Mob, if he gets serious, there's no answer.

ONE: Zombieman needs 15min to recover a cut off arm.

ONE: He'll die if you reduce him to mince meat

ONE: There's the rumor that he's the weakest amongst s-class heroes, but it hasn't been confirmed

ONE: It would be difficult for him to defeat sea king

Anime Behind The Scenes Interview
WSJ: What is appealing in One-Punch Man?

Shingo: It's a hero manga about Saitama who has extraordinary strength... and can bring down a villain in one punch. It's a wild premise for a story. But aside from the setting, which is interesting in itself, the characters that appear are fun like the S-Class heroes, Genos, and Speed-o'-Sound Sonic. The world view widens as the different characters appear and makes each episode more interesting. Our goal with the television anime is to stay true to the original manga and make it even more interesting. I hope that's the appeal of One-Punch Man.

WSJ: Special attention to the action