How strong is Garou in One Punch Man? While the “Hero Hunter” was introduced later in the series, it did not take him much time to cause chaos for the Hero and Monster Association. Garou is perhaps one of the few characters in the anime and manga who forces Saitama to use his “Serious Punch” on him.
While Saitama defeats most of his opponents with a single punch, Garou is the only known character who survived Caped Baldy’s “Serious Punch.”
So far, he has been the only antagonist in the series who has given Saitama some fight. It is not easy to last long against Saitama, and despite this, Garou managed to force his rival to unleash his ultimate move on him.
This left fans wondering just how strong Garou is. Let’s dive into the antagonists of ONE’s magnum opus.
- Garou’s Origin in One Punch Man
- Garou’s Powers in One Punch Man
- Garou vs. Saitama in One Punch Man
- Garou’s Notable Feats in One Punch Man
- Conclusion
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Garou Origin in One Punch Man
Early in childhood, Garou always wanted to be a hero, but his perspective changed toward heroes when a boy named Tacchan severely bullied him. He often bullies him while they used to play hero and villain and always make Garou the villain.
Despite his actions, many loved Tacchan, while Garou was seen as a monster. This incident proved to be a turning point in Garou’s life as he grew up to become a man who loved being called a monster.
Being obsessed with strength and power, Garou trained under Bang for years, learning and mastering the art of “Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.” However, his obsession for more strength and power blinds him completely, and he goes on a rampage against his fellow students. This led him to get expelled and kicked out of the dojo.
As the story progresses, the author introduces fans to Garou’s morals, including not killing his opponents and hurting innocent lives like children. Despite causing trouble for the Hero Association and being considered a major threat, he is one of the fan favourite characters.
Garou Powers in One Punch Man
As Bang’s former disciple, Garou learned and mastered the “Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist”, a legendary technique known for its perfect offence and defence capabilities. This technique allows him to deflect attacks that are stronger than his strength.
While “Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist” was founded by Silver Fang” Bang, Garou showed complete mastery, which makes him the only second character in the series who knows the technique.
Garou’s strength knows no bounds, as he could easily defeat A-rank heroes. However, his martial arts techniques are at a new level when fighting with Metal Bat. He almost defeated Metal Bat if it was not for his sister’s intervention.
But his true power was demonstrated when he transformed into Cosmic Garou. In this form, Garou’s strength is boosted and he can copy his opponent’s move and strength.
Garou vs. Saitama in One Punch Man
Despite Garou’s new abilities and years of experience in martial arts, he couldn’t do a single bit of damage to Saitama. While one might think Saitama got this win because of plot armour, one must remember that Garou was one of the few characters in the manga and anime who forced Caped Baldy to use his “Serious Punch” on him.
In the entire series, Saitama is shown using his ultimate move three times, and each time he does so, no one has been able to survive except for Garou.
As Genos mentioned, Saitama is the most powerful hero and probably the only one who never needed to unleash his full power.
The One Punch Man manga gave fans the long-awaited Garou vs. Saitama fight. But it could have been more interesting if it wasn’t so one-sided.
Garou’s Notable Feats in One Punch Man
The Hero Hunter and perhaps the most wanted criminal by the Hero Association, Garou was considered the force of pure evil in One Punch Man. He is the main antagonist of the upcoming season.
One cannot simply overlook Garou’s feats despite his past deeds. If an enemy with tremendous feats in his belt like Garou, he could be a great antagonist and a perfect sparring partner for Saitama in One Punch Man. As a “Hero Hunter,” Garou’s strength only grows. He honed his martial arts perfectly and became the best in it.
His first notable feat came after he defeated the Tank Top Master and sent him to the hospital. Despite his opponent being more powerful than him, he defeats by using “Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.” Not only Tank Top Master but also Garou sent the entire team of his and Mumen Rider to the hospital.
However, his most talked-about feat came after he turned to Cosmic Garou, gaining incredible powers of destruction. In this form, Garou was unstoppable, causing chaos and destruction wherever he went. But after he kills Genos and forces Saitama to use his ultimate move, he becomes a character with feats greater than others in the series.
Conclusion
As explained above, Garou, the “Hero Hunter,” is one of the strongest One Punch Man characters. But not stronger than certain characters like Tatsumaki, Bang, Blast, and Flashy Flash. Those are a few One Punch Man characters whose actual strengths haven’t reveal in the anime and manga. Whatever little has been shown in the series about them, it can be safe to say that they can make Garou run for his money. Not defeat, but can give him a fair fight. They cannot defeat but can give him a fair fight.
So, in conclusion, if Garou had to go head to head in a fight with each of the S-Class Heroes, chances are he would win and defeat most of them. However, there’s a slight chance that some of them may be able to beat him, like Blast, Bang, or Tatsumaki.
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