One-Punch Man has a variety of shocking characters, but two in particular have caused offense. Based on the crudely-drawn original webcomic by ONE, the story of One-Punch Man is now an internationally popular anime and manga series with art by Yusuke Murata. Subverting both traditional Shonen and superhero tropes, One-Punch Man’s lead character is Saitama, a superhero so strong he is yet to be seriously challenged, but who also rarely gets the credit and public adulation he deserves.
At the core of One-Punch Man, there is both a Heroes Association and a Monster Association, and the characters in each are some of the wackiest, most outrageous designs that anime has to offer. The Monster Association in particular includes a figure called Black Sperm, who appears exactly as described, and a scantily clad dominatrix-style character who controls others with her whip. The heroes aren’t any more conventional. Pig God is a giant, constantly-eating slob who devours his enemies whole, while there exists an entire team of heroes solely defined by their love of tank tops.
While One-Punch Man’s cast is well-known for being an out-there bunch, some have suggested two specific heroes might cross the line: Puri-Puri Prisoner and Superalloy Darkshine. Both characters are said to perpetuate harmful stereotypes, the first with regards to homosexuality, and the second with racial stereotypes.
Puri-Puri Prisoner is essentially a large, muscular inmate who can break out of jail whenever he likes, but chooses to stay inside because he enjoys the “company” of his male cellmates. There’s a strong implication that Puri’s relationships are not consensual, forcing them to become part of his harem, and they eventually turn against their leader in retaliation for years of abuse. Some have argued that Puri-Puri Prisoner is an exaggerated play on the stereotypical burly homosexual prisoner “don’t drop the soap” caricature, and that the lack of more realistic gay characters in One-Punch Man means there’s nothing to balance out Puri’s potentially offensive representation.
Similar problems exist with Superalloy Darkshine. There are very few black characters in One-Punch Man (or, indeed, anime in general) and Darkshine is alleged to be a stereotypical representation that encompasses numerous historic prejudices relating to blackface. This issue became more prominent when the character made his debut in One-Punch Man season 2 last year, and the series’ international fan base did not respond well to the Darkshine (or “Blackluster” for TV) design, which they claimed was more offensive than in the original manga.
Firstly, it’s important to recognize that both characters are indicative of problems not just in One-Punch Man, but in anime as a whole. Whether it be Bon Clay from One Piece or Mr. Popo from Dragon Ball Z, the art form does have a checkered history in its depiction of race, gender and sexuality. It’s an unfortunate and uncomfortable truth that many anime fans dive into a new series almost expecting a lack of racial diversity, over-sexualized female characters and exaggeratedly camp depictions of homosexuality. But while some series at least have the excuse of age, One-Punch Man is a very modern series that found international acclaim very quickly.
Part of the issue is a stark difference in social cultures between Japanese and Western audiences. For example, Japanese fans are generally less concerned when white actors are cast as previously Asian characters (Ghost In The Shell, Death Note), whereas whitewashing is a major concern over in Hollywood at present. Japan comprises a less racially diverse population than the West and Europe, so it’s perhaps to be expected that such issues are more pressing elsewhere. Additionally, LBGT rights are progressing somewhat slower in Japan compared to Western countries, with same-sex marriage currently not legalized.
While the difference in cultures certainly isn’t an excuse for offensive stereotypes in One-Punch Man or any other anime, especially with the medium now very much catering for a worldwide audience, it perhaps does at least provide some level of explanation as to why Puri-Puri Prisoner and Superalloy Darkshine, who certainly wouldn’t fly in even the most mature Marvel or DC comic, exist. However, that isn’t to say the anime industry doesn’t need to improve its representation, especially as its international viewership continues to grow.
More: One-Punch Man Theory: Blast Is Connected To Saitama’s Power
