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The world ofOne Punch Manis one filled with heroes and monsters, with humanity always being on the brink of destruction due to the constant threat from multiple creatures. These so-called “monsters” are often former humans, transformed into horrific creatures via a process known as Monsterization.
But what exactly is Monsterization, and what causes it? While some isolated cases tend to be explained by science, most creatures seem to become monsters for no real reason, simply letting their most destructive emotions take hold, prompting them into bursts of violence that only the greatest heroes can stop.
What Is A Monster?
A monster (sometimes referred to as a Mysterious Being) in One Punch Man isa self-aware creature that poses a threat to humanity.Aliens fit into this categorization, as well as creatures native to the planet, likethe Seafolk and the Subterranean People.
Whether civilizations like the Seafolk used to be regular humans, animals, or were always “monsters,” is unknown.
Yetmonsters are often created, with characters like Dr. Genus making many, his crowning achievement being Carnage Kabuto.Genus is alsothe creator of Zombieman, but the lack of bloodlust makes Zombieman a hero rather than a monster.
However,genetic or mechanical modifications aren’t Monsterization, even if the end result can be perceived as a monster. The villain Hammerhead, for example, used a special suit to enhance his physical abilities, but he wasn’t a monster.
What Is Monsterization?
The most common way of monster creation is Monsterization, where a human, animal, or even an inanimate objectinstantly becomes a monster. This type of monster is highly chaotic in nature, withmore and more being seen in recent yearswhen the story takes place.
There are two types of Monsterization:spontaneous and induced. The most common and least explained is the spontaneous process, while the induced method has only been used by the characters Psykos and God, with each having very different results.
Induced Monsterization
Induced Monsterization happens whenan individual becomes a monster via an external influence, enhancing their already present strengths. The transformation tends to come with heavy physical alterations, but it isn’t always the case.
There are only two known methods of induced Monsterization, and one of them iseating a Monster Cell. The Cells were created by Psykos using the biology of the monster Orochi as a base, andanyone that consumes it willingly becomes a monsterwith enhanced physical prowess.
Goketsu was among the mightiest subjects to be transformed into a monster with this method, likely due to him already being a skilled martial artist in life. Yetthe Cell needs to be eaten raw, otherwise it has no effect.
This transformation can be cured, as shown with the ninjas Gale Wind and Hellfire Flame. Their case seems to be an extreme one, though, since they died and came back to life, soexactly how this Monsterization can be cured is still unknown.
The other method of induced Monsterization is ifa creature is influenced by the mysterious character known as God. The powers granted seem to also depend on the individual, althoughhow strong that power is depends entirely on God itself.
Homeless Emperor was given great power over energy, but nowhere near the level of power that was given to Garou to fight Saitama. This might also be whyHomeless Emperor suffered no physical transformation, while both Garou and Void both underwent significant change.
While God can’t control how his chosen ones use their power,the entity can take that power away,killing the host in the process. The only one known to have the powers removed and survive is Garou, but more on him later.
Spontaneous Monsterization
The world of One Punch Man hasplenty of people becoming monsters spontaneously, without being affiliated with anyone. These peoplebecome monsters due to a negative emotion overwhelming them, transforming into creatures that represent their obsession.
The main differences with induced Monsterization arethe increased bloodlust, the unpredictability of the power, and the drastic levels of transformation. A trained mercenary might become a Wolf level monster, while a house cat could become a fearsome Dragon level monster.
The monster threat levels as designed by the Hero Association are: Wolf, Tiger, Demon, Dragon, and God.
Whilenot every person that has negative feelings becomes a monster, it is the key ingredient for the transformation.Garou underwent a slow but constant spontaneous Monsterization, as more of his humanity left him and his desire for power overwhelmed him.
Garou’s transformation ended due to a punch from Saitama, but his state of mind was key when receiving the punch. It is unlikely that Saitama has the ability to undo the Monsterization process, rather it was Garou himself that wanted to get rid of that power to begin with.
What Is The Difference Between A Hero And A Monster?
Unlike the humans in the real world,the ones in One Punch Man are capable of incredible feats of strength, reaching unfathomable heights with the right training. Yet even among these outstanding people are individuals with powers that make little sense, andseem more like monsters than regular people.
If you glance at Watchdog Man and Phoenix Man, they seem to have very similar abilities: They are wearing an animal suit that they are reluctant or unable to remove, but can perform feats far beyond human limits while wearing their outfit.
Yet Watchdog Man is one of the greatest S-Class heroes, while Phoenix Man is an incredibly dangerous villain. They are roughly equal in power, butthe key difference is their role in society: One dedicates his life to protecting others, while the other wants to destroy everything.
The will and mental state of a person shape what they can do, and this manifests greatly in their physical abilities. Thus,heroes and monsters aren’t that different, but heroes retain their humanity, hence why they go through fewer transformations while becoming just as strong as monsters.
It could be that characters like Metal Bat, Pig God,or even Saitamawent througha process similar to Monsterization, but since they were able to retain their humanity, they still look roughly as they did before attaining their powers. There are still many mysteries as to how the world of One Punch Man works, but we are closer to the answers with each passing chapter.
