Saitama, the protagonist of the anime One Punch Man, is known for being one of the strongest characters in the series. Often compared to Goku from Dragon Ball, the bald hero can defeat even the most powerful enemies with just one punch. He appears to be an unbeatable and invincible character. While many believe that Saitama is unbeatable, the reality is quite different. His strength comes from intensive training that made him bald and elevated his status above the average human. However, that does not change the fact that he is still just a normal human being. Despite facing all kinds of opponents, from monsters to aliens, Saitama remains undefeated with his powerful punch. Nevertheless, this cannot hide the fact that he has some weaknesses that are quite evident.
Saitama may be the strongest living human being, but he is not immune to procrastination and laziness. His laziness often leads to his disadvantage throughout the series, as Saitama usually arrives at the scene of an incident quite late. When he arrives, the attack is usually already over, without any sight of the culprit. Combined with Saitama’s lack of responsibility as a hero, this can become a serious problem for him. Furthermore, he sees being a hero as nothing more than a hobby that keeps him away from the boredom that awaits him every day. With such a mindset, it’s no wonder that he is lazy when it comes to being a hero.
Saitama’s main method of attack is his punch, which is effective against large targets. However, the same cannot be said for smaller targets, as it is impossible for Saitama to focus his punch strength in one area. Because the impact area of his punch is so large, concentrating on a small object and moving around it is quite difficult. This becomes evident when Saitama tries to kill a mosquito. The small insect seems to be too quick for him, and he cannot seem to hit it no matter how hard he tries. The lack of strategic training is also apparent here, as Saitama cannot predict or prevent the mosquito’s movements.
Saitama only needs one punch to finish his enemy. His powerful punch has become his signature move to end every fight. The problem is, his fighting style has become too predictable. Because Saitama’s power only involves speed, strength, and physical endurance, finding weaknesses in his fighting style can be quite easy. Without martial arts training and strategic thinking, Saitama always enters a fight just like that. He faces every enemy with his punch. It’s only a matter of time before Saitama’s unique fighting style becomes too wasteful and his weakness is exploited.
While Saitama demonstrates that he is slightly clever, he is clearly not the brightest character in the series. His lack of intelligence can be one of his biggest weaknesses, as cunning villains can easily outsmart him. Saitama’s response to most obstacles is to punch. While this may work for him, some problems require a little more brainpower. Any situation that involves using a little brainpower can easily hinder Saitama, such as hostage situations.
One of Saitama’s most famous weaknesses is that he never undergoes combat training. He may have gained god-like strength through rigorous exercise, consisting of doing 100 sit-ups, squats, and push-ups, followed by a 10 km run. While this training undoubtedly gave him unparalleled strength, it is not combat training. Other heroes have trained in several martial arts schools, honing their combat skills through proper training. Saitama has never received such training, which means his fighting style only relies on his punch. This weakness can easily be exploited by those who are more skilled in martial arts, with Garou being one of the characters who understands and exploits Saitama’s weakness.
Despite having superhuman strength, Saitama is still just a regular human being. He is vulnerable to injury and other human weaknesses. His body undergoes some additional stress due to his strength, as seen when he went to space without any gear. Although his body can survive the harsh conditions of space, it is only temporary. He still needs to return to Earth to breathe. This opens up several avenues for Saitama’s opponents to defeat him, as they can use tactics that can exploit his human weakness. Trapping him in space or drowning him are ways that could weaken Saitama. His human weakness can easily revoke his title as the strongest hero.
