One-Punch Man

[MFauli]

Convincing argument. Maybe, shinta, you could try articulate in your own words what makes OPM a parody ASIDE the ridiculous origins of Saitama´s power. And keep in mind that I know a lot of shounen-anime that aren´t labeld parody, so don´t argue with "that guy has balls for a chin!".

[shinta|hikari]

I already said my piece in my previous posts. Read them again instead of skimming them this time.

And here's a crutch for you.

[Ryllharu]

Let's expand on shinta reference to Speed-o`-Sound Sonic losing to Saitama. Or that episode.

Bunch of terrorists in super suits running around...and oh yeah, their character design in intended to look like DBZ aliens. Saitama starts to get ready to go after them....but not because they're terrorists. Because they also have shaved heads, and it will look bad for him.

Mumen Rider shows up, in typical super hero costume (like Kamen Rider). The people's reaction is that their hero has arrived to save them. He gets defeated out of frame...single punch to the face likely, bleeding on the pavement.

Speed-o`-Sound Sonic so super fast. He's so fast, that no one can even see him. He beheads the terrorists one by one.

Saitama appears, declares his disappointment, but they fight, and Saitama ends up sympathizing with the guy and lets him flee.

Speed-o`-Sound Sonic finds Saitama, misunderstands and thinks he's with the terrorists.

They fight, Speed-o`-Sound Sonic's ego starts flaring, Saitama shows him repeatedly that he's faster just by countering him. Saitama discusses Speed-o`-Sound Sonic's "innocent smile" proving he's a good guy (16:51 on HS ver).

Instead of being the weaker party and fighting Speed-o`-Sound Sonic intelligently, using a secret weapon, a new form of his power, or with a trick, Saitama just beats him with pure speed of his own. And holds up his fist, which Speed-o`-Sound Sonic promptly runs into with his balls. Saitama explains what just transpired was an accident.

Speed-o`-Sound Sonic poses exactly like a humiliated tsundere, declaring that the next time they meet, it things will go differently (It's pretty much the exact line tsundere girls' use too).

Genos and Saitama discuss what a stupid name "Speed-o`-Sound Sonic" is. Then Genos realizes that Saitama isn't in the official hero registry. Saitama, who has been trying to be a hero for some time, doesn't know that such a thing existed.

---

Yeah, none of that is parody at all. Clearly "typical shonen."

[shinta|hikari]

The names of most of the characters alone screams parody.

[KrayZ33]

OPM = not a parody... I've heard it all now.

hmmm, that means:

Kick-ass = super heavy, honest superhero vs. bad guy story that is supposed to teach us about courage and love.

Honestly, if you don't see OPM as a parody, you might as well say that you don't know or understand what a parody is. There is like...no room, at all, for discussion about that matter. A parody can have a story too, you know.

I don't even... hmpf.

This show is to the superhero shounen-genre, what Spaceballs is to Star Wars.

[MFauli]

Ryll, thanks for the attempt of making an argument, something shinta has yet to learn.

Still, your example involves Saitama. I already said that Saitama is parody. Everything else is not. Not necessarily. Where was the parody in the fight against that sea monster, prior to Saitama´s arrival? It was as serious a fight as any shounen-fights. And it was an exciting fight, to make it clear - I enjoyed it vastly. The only "fun" part was when at the very end, Saitama arrived and one-shotted the monster. PARODY. :/

When Saitama´s power is involved, it becomes parody. But more than half of the anime didn´t even feature Saitama, we saw other heroes fight monsters, and there was no "fun" in it, these were serious fights. Parody is a show like Bata to Testo to Shuukanju, when they spend two episodes mocking Neon Genesis Evangelion. Parody is, indeed, Spaceballs, where no scene goes by without a silly joke. But OPM spends entire episodes without any joke, just showing us awesome battle scenes between serious opponents. Then somewhere at the end Saitama appears, uses his power => JOKE. okay.

I don´t see how you can read this posting of mine and disagree. Please tell me which part I´m wrong.

[shinta|hikari]

I can't believe after all I've said about this topic, this buffoon is saying I didn't make an argument.

[Kraco]

So, the main character makes scenes he's in parody, but other characters necessarily don't, so the show can't be a parody?

MFauli must enjoy his double act comedy entirely without either the straight man or the funny man. Dunno how that works and still remains a double act, but the sense of humour is personal, after all.

[shinta|hikari]

I think I made the mistake of being the straight man for 2 pages.

[MFauli]

shinta, you could have responded to my last posting and I would have been convinced if you showed me where I was wrong. Instead you continue to insult me, make whataboutisms and post links to websites declaring the anime a parody, which is worthless, because it´s us discussing.

Ill give you one more chance to un-make a fool of yourself

[shinta|hikari]

I think everyone knows who is the fool here, except himself. Because you know, a fool.

[David75]

It's better to remain silent and be taken for a fool, than talking and leave no doubt about it.
There's probably a better translation, or an equivalent for Guitry's words.

Another one from the same guy:
To be seen as an idiot by a fool is one of life's delicacies

[MFauli]

Again, if you can tell me where I´m wrong in posting #307, I´ll admit to being wrong. Ofc it´s easier to throw around insults.

[shinta|hikari]

I'm not replying because I've already explained it. Here, I'll quote myself you lazy bum.

But most of the characters in OPM are parodies of established archetypes, not just funny characters. They take a trope and go wild with it, like super fast ninja whose balls get pawned, super serious cyborg with ridiculous powers but always gets pawned, super bragging enemies that still get pawned, super bully seniors that still get pawned, super gay macho men that escape from prison to rape bishounens, super heroic powerless heroes on a bicycle. This is that kind of show. You just seem to gloss over that pattern and say it's "normal" shounen just because they resemble other shows you've seen (well of course it does, it is parodying them FFS).

Most of the powers and characters actually make no sense and are exaggerated on intention. This show isn't trying to build a logical shounen world and stick to its own rules. The only rule is OPM will OP all.

It is a subversion of shounen. Heroic characters get pawned by villains, only for Saitama, who doesn't really give a fuck most of the time, to destroy said villain with a flick of a finger.

None of the bolded parts are about Saitama. Then you have the silly names of the characters and the ridiculous situations they are always put in. Heck, they even parodied Kamen Rider... Mumen Rider is no coincidence.

[Abdula]

Oh have I been missing out. This thread is golden, pure comedy. All the Mfauli hate, though I still don't understand it, is an extremely entertaining read. He reminds me of Animeniax though Ani's contrariness was a deliberate act whereas Mfauli's seems to be genuine. Either way I don't know why you would argue with him except for the sake of arguing, which to be clear I am all for. Just as long you understand, that there is little hope of changing his mind, something that should be well established at this point.

As far as this particular argument goes though Kraco, as he tends to, got right to the heart of it

So, the main character makes scenes he's in parody, but other characters necessarily don't, so the show can't be a parody?

Essentially yes. Mfauli seems to possess a very narrow and limited understanding of genre, I've been there. He believes that if OPM has serious characters, serious fight scenes, a serious plot etc it cannot be parody. Parody is limited to something like an SNL skit or Madtv back when that was a thing or Key and Peele, whatever your preference.
To him this definition is incontrovertible, though he has difficulty articulating it and Shinta and Ryll are too fixated on pointing out what seems obvious to them to notice Mfauli's unique perspective. Makes for a great read though.

Mfauli, Bill and I had this issue before when we discovered our definitions of words were different and we simply decided, well I did anyway can't speak for him, to concede the point. The point in this case being that your definition of parody is not the same as the rest of the forum and that is where you are wrong in post 307 and I agree there isn't any need to insult you.

[shinta|hikari]

But insulting him is fun. Mfauli isn't sensitive, as he himself said. He knows I mean it half in jest. We disagree, but we're cool. We are, right?

[MFauli]

But insulting him is fun. Mfauli isn't sensitive, as he himself said. He knows I mean it half in jest. We disagree, but we're cool. We are, right?

We are, asshole.

@topic: Here´s a simple question: If you take away Saitama from the anime, would it still be parody? If your answer is yes, then please tell me why Boku no Hero no Academia is not parody, too. Yes, there are stereotypical hero-characters with stilly powers in OPM, but ... you have those in other "serious" shounen, too. You simply choose to connotate the characters in OPM as parody, because you see it as logical consequence of Saitama being a parody character. I see that. But my point is that this isn´t a necessity. There are genuine shounen elements and if you choose to take them seriously (as seriously as in other shounen anime), then they work, too.

[shinta|hikari]

Mumen Rider is a parody of Kamen Rider, not just a random nor original silly character. And he would be in that world regardless of Saitama's existence.

[MFauli]

Yes. But now look at Mumen Rider without the knowledge of Kamen Rider. Would it still work? I say: Yes.

Connotations.

[shinta|hikari]

Well, sure. But a parody only works because the audience knows the original. Any parody, when seen without prior knowledge of what it is parodying, will seem to be just an ordinary story. Seem is the operative word, because it doesn't change the fact that it is a parody, and was made to be that way.