10 Second Anime - One Punch Man S2 - Episode 8

Former champion Gouketsu recruits monster candidates at Super Fight. Saitama comes to Suiryu's rescue.

Episode 8 - "The Strong Ones Fight Back"

Hmm.

One of the things about Saitama's world that's never really explained, but is definitely important to the whole premise, is how heroes are made. We know, from how often the monsters egomaniacally spout off to the bored Saitama, is that monsters are made through obsession. "I liked engines so much, I became an Engine Monster!" is just one of the more ridiculous ones I've seen. But what about the heroes?

Many of them are just as powerful and fearsome (ahem, Saitama and Tatsumaki) as the monster kings they come across and several of them have similar powers to these monsters. The only difference I can see is that the Heroes retain their human form, although that Pig God guy is stretching it a little. Is the superpower development exactly the same as becoming a monster, but the ethics and inspiration behind that obsession being the only difference?

This is why I find the whole monster cell plan for the Monster Association so interesting. I'm sure Gyoro-gyoro will explain to Orochi (who somehow needs as much reminding of his plan as if he's heard it for the first time like the audience) where the monster cells came from, but they appear to short-circuit the whole monster obsession path to mere moments. Perhaps just choosing to eat one is what turns the development off the ethical hero path straight to the monster form.

A couple of things bolstering my line of thought are how Bang and Bomb are going after Garou to turn him away from the monster path and how Watchdog Man smells a mingling of both human and monster in Garou. If Garou does complete his journey to full monster, I wonder what he'll look like. "I liked hunting heroes so much, I became a hero hunting monster!" covers a lot of ground if he takes in all the attributes of the heroes he defeated along the way.

The other fun thing about this episode, while not so fun for Suiryu, is that he realized he is just a civilian who needs to cry out for help during a monster attack. This was a deserving comeuppance to the martial artists who look down on Pro Heroes. Saitama heard you, Suiryu. A true hero always comes to the rescue at the last and most dramatic moment.

Heh.

Nobody's really happy about this trophy ceremony, but at least Suiryu has time to flirt with the ring card girl.

And there's Gouketsu, who stomped Genos. He's a former champion who was killed by a monster. Apparently not!

He plans on turning some of the martial arts guys into monsters like that swordsmen guy tried to do with his fellow sword wielders like Atomic Samurai.

Snek and Max, see ya! No match for Gouketsu.

Gouketsu explains how he became a monster by eating a monster cell instead of dying at the hands of Gyoro-gyoro and Orochi.

Metal Knight is a literal armchair warrior. He's still talking to Gyoro-gyoro though is captured Metal Knight body.

And the GMO corn Choze goes full Monsanto.

Hellboy's little brother wants to one punch Saitama. Good luck with that.

Suiryu will fight monsters for a date with the ring card girl. Of course, she says yes.

Monster Choze actually made Suiryu bleed. That's not a good sign for the not serious martial artist.

Suiryu would rather not be ugly than become a monster.

And he's swatted down. Now he understands the scales of power.

Oh yeah. Watchdog Man vs Garou. Garou is impressed with how quickly the S-Class hero dispatched all the monsters.

There's a big hint, via Watchdog Man's nose, that Garou is actually becoming a monster.

Putting that aside, back to the Suiryu beat down show.

Bakuzan doesn't want to help. He wants revenge!

Mumen Rider talks to Tank Top Master, hero to hero. Respect.

Speaking of heroes, Snek and Lightning Max have returned. Suited up for monster patrol!

Well, that's a shot of false hope before the utter defeat comes down.

Heroes will fight until they can't so civilians can escape. That means you, Suiryu.

There's the face of pure fear and despair. Saitama warned you that being strong attracts trouble.

Bakuzan monster finally completed the transformation. Is a tarantula? A ring-tailed lemur with extra arms?

Gyoro-gyoro explains the Monster Association plan to him as if he's never heard it. Thank you so much, expository device.

First, terrify humans, second, kidnap a Hero Association member (someone's child is good too), and third, recruit monster candidates. We saw the swordsmen guy try to do that, Gouketsu is going after his own tribe of martial artists, and there's a cat monster thing inside a prison. That's not Pri-pri Prisoner's prison, is it? He's gonna be mad...

Monsters respect S-Class heroes, too bad for Bakuzan some other kind of hero is coming soon.

The monsters are regrouping just outside of Z City. Yes, that's where Saitama lives.

Suiryu begs for his life and acts like a regular person screaming for help from a hero.

A hero has appeared. Saitama!

And thank you to the French Open for delaying the next episode so I can catch up.