Murata may have already foreshadowed the ending of One Punch Man with Saitama’s character description

Despite its initial appearance as a typical superhero manga, One Punch Man proves to be a complex story as it delves into themes such as limiters and the existence of God. This sets it apart from other manga and makes it challenging to predict how the series will ultimately end.

A fan’s One Punch Man manga theory may offer some insight. According to the theory, the manga’s creator, Yusuke Murata, may have already hinted at how the series will end through the characterization of the protagonist, Saitama. The theory is surprisingly convincing.

Please note: This article includes spoilers from the One Punch Man manga.

One Punch Man’s Ending and Saitama’s Character Description

Saitama as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

As per the theory proposed by Reddit user u/Nattyy3D, a fan of One Punch Man, the finale of the manga would involve Saitama defeating God with one punch, as it aligns with his character description that has been hinted at throughout the story.

The notion was initially suggested by Cosmic Garou’s words to Saitama, as he expressed his belief that Saitama was the sole individual who could harness God’s powers without assistance. This was further evidenced by Saitama’s ability to time travel immediately after receiving the power from Garou.

This is also the reason why God stripped Garou of his powers, as Saitama’s ability to reverse time posed a threat to God’s predetermined future.

God as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

Despite this, it could be argued that from a “God’s”perspective, he should have been able to recognize Saitama’s strength and potential to defeat him. It was clear that God had passed his abilities, including time travel, onto Garou. With this knowledge, God should have been able to see Saitama as a formidable opponent and taken steps to avoid confrontation with him.

Despite the unexpected turn of events, it is highly likely that the ultimate battle in the series will be between Saitama and God. This raises the question of why God would choose to fight Saitama, even though he must be aware of the inevitable outcome. The most probable reason for this is that Saitama is the one who brought God into existence.

Saitama's character description from the manga (Image via Shueisha) — Saitama’s character description from the manga (Image via Shueisha)

The character’s description revealed that Saitama’s greatest aspiration was to encounter a formidable opponent and defeat them with a single strike, a dream that he had held since becoming incredibly powerful.

According to the theory proposed by u/Nattyy3D, it is speculated that Saitama could potentially be the “True God”within the story. This would explain how he was able to manifest his ultimate dream of defeating a formidable opponent with just one punch.

This theory also accounts for the possibility that God remains unaware of Saitama’s existence and does not openly recognize him, as he may be programmed to not confront the “True God”until they both reach the final stage.

Saitama as seen in the anime (Image via J.C.Staff)

The ultimate battle between Saitama and God may result in the protagonist coming to understand the truth and achieving his lifelong dream. This could also provide an explanation for Saitama’s hair loss and memory loss, as these changes may have been caused by his “True God”abilities.

In an instant, Saitama possessed the power to defeat God with just one punch. Although he would be seen as the ultimate hero by all, he could choose to retain his memories as he desired. This would bring the manga full circle, with Saitama potentially revising his original character description in the past tense, similar to how it all began.

Ultimately, it can be argued that the One Punch Man manga revolves around Saitama’s manifestation of his deepest desire, as well as his journey to understand the complexities of being human.