Who Created One Punch Man Vol 1 And Who Illustrated It?

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 still get a little thrill when I think about the exact moment 'One-Punch Man' first popped up online. The very first incarnation was a webcomic by ONE and it debuted on July 3, 2009. That original version is rougher in art but packed with absurd charm and the deadpan humor that hooked so many of us. I discovered it after a friend pasted a panel into a forum thread and I chased the rest down, laughing into the night. A couple of years later the series got a second life when Yusuke Murata began the polished remake version on June 14, 2012, which brought 'One-Punch Man' to a much wider audience and eventually led to the anime adaptation in 2015. If you want the roots and raw comedy, start with ONE's 2009 webcomic; if you crave sleek, cinematic panels and intense fight choreography, Murata's 2012 version is your lane. I bounce between both depending on my mood — sometimes I want the nostalgic scribbles, other times I need those over-the-top splash pages to stare at while I sip terrible instant coffee.

The journey of 'One Punch Man' began with a webcomic created by the artist ONE, which was first published in 2009. I stumbled upon it a few years after it went live, and I was instantly hooked! The blend of humor and serious themes really struck a chord with me. It wasn’t long before the manga adaptation by Yusuke Murata kicked off in 2012. That was when the art truly leveled up! I still remember the excitement when I saw the first chapter in print; Murata's art was breathtaking, and it brought a fresh perspective to Saitama’s already captivating story. The quick pacing of the chapters along with Saitama’s struggle with boredom despite his immense power gave the whole thing a hilarious twist. It felt different from typical shonen fare at the time. Whether you're drawn in by the over-the-top action or Saitama's nonchalant demeanor, 'One Punch Man' really delivered something unique that was hard to put down. It's wild how a simple webcomic can evolve into such a massive phenomenon across the globe! I’ve enjoyed every chapter since then and the anime adaptation just took the excitement to a whole new level.

I've been flipping through 'One-Punch Man' vol 1 on lazy Sunday mornings more times than I care to admit, and what strikes me is how neatly it sets up the whole world without overstaying its welcome. The volume functions mostly as an introduction arc: we get Saitama's backstory and the big reveal that he's basically finished every fight in one punch (the very first monster clash that establishes this is in here), which is both hilarious and oddly melancholic. Right after that the book follows Genos — his tragic origin, the reason he becomes a cyborg, and then his encounter with Saitama. Their budding mentor-disciple dynamic is the emotional heart of this volume and carries a lot of charm. Beyond those core beats, vol 1 walks you through Saitama's awkward entry into the Hero Association and several early monster-of-the-week scenes that introduce the tone: high-quality action drawn out by absurd anti-climaxes. It spends time showing how the world judges heroes (ranks, paperwork, public perception), so you get both the comedic and worldbuilding foundations. If you loved the anime, the manga volume fills in extra visual detail and tiny character moments that made me grin on the train. It’s a compact starter arc that plants seeds for everything that follows.

Man, flipping through the first volume of 'One-Punch Man' felt like watching a favorite song get a full symphony remix. I binged the ONE webcomic late at night on my laptop, loving its off-the-cuff charm and those hilariously rough stick-figure panels that somehow nailed timing and tone. Then I picked up Volume 1 by Yusuke Murata and my jaw dropped — the art is insanely detailed, the fights have actual choreography, and tiny background jokes that were barely hinted at in the webcomic suddenly became full visual gags. The core story stays the same — Saitama beats Vaccine Man, meets Genos, joins the Hero Association — but the way those scenes land is different because Murata stretches out beats, adds reaction shots, and lets the chaos breathe. Beyond the polish, there are real structural tweaks. Murata expands or rearranges some scenes to improve pacing and dramatic tension; dialogue has been tightened or rewritten for clarity and punch. Character designs are refined — villains and side characters look more distinct and expressive — and Murata sometimes inserts brief extra scenes or visual jokes that flesh out worldbuilding (tiny details like city damage or hero rankings feel more tangible). I also noticed translation choices and lettering that make the humor pop in a different way than the webcomic’s rougher subtitles. If you loved the raw creativity of the original, the webcomic still has that spontaneous, unpredictable heartbeat. But Volume 1 feels like the deluxe stage production: same script, bigger sets, sharper lighting. I honestly love both for different reasons — the webcomic for its indie energy, the manga volume for the sheer visual joy. Depending on my mood I’ll flip between them; sometimes I want the joke stripped down and weird, other times I want to savor Murata’s ridiculous detail work while my cat knocks over a soda nearby.

I remember being absolutely blown away by the cover art for 'One-Punch Man' when I first picked it up. The vibrant colors and dynamic composition immediately caught my eye. The artist behind the iconic cover is Yusuke Murata, who is also the illustrator for the manga series. Murata's style is incredibly detailed and energetic, perfectly capturing the essence of Saitama's character. His work on the series has garnered a massive following, and it's easy to see why. The way he brings action scenes to life is nothing short of spectacular. Murata's illustrations are a huge part of what makes 'One-Punch Man' stand out in the crowded manga market.

Flipping through 'One-Punch Man vol 1' on a rainy afternoon at my favorite café, I kept getting hit by how cinematic the panels feel. The art balances two opposite energies: ridiculously clean, almost minimalist comedy for Saitama’s deadpan expressions, and hyper-detailed, kinetic sequences for fights and monsters. Yusuke Murata’s linework is impeccable—crisp inks, varied line weight, and that insane attention to anatomy and texture when a scene calls for it—while the layouts snap from tiny, quiet boxes to full-bleed splash pages that make you hear the impact. What I love as someone who scribbles fan art in the margins of my notebooks is how the artist uses negative space and contrast. Saitama often sits in sparsely detailed panels with lots of white space, which sells his blandness and heightens the punch of the next frame where backgrounds explode with halftone textures, cross-hatching, and motion lines. The panel rhythm feels like storyboarding for a blockbuster: wide establishing shots, dramatic foreshortening, and quick close-ups for comedic timing. There’s also a clear influence from superhero comics—those cinematic angles and muscular silhouettes—but it never loses its manga soul; the pacing, sound-effect placement, and sudden chibi faces are pure gag-manga choices. After reading it, I always want to redraw a scene to study how Murata shifts from calm to chaos in two pages. If you’re into composition or just love seeing a punch land with real visual weight, this volume is basically a mini masterclass in how to alternate between minimalism and maximalist detail without losing the reader.