Genji

Genji appears only in the Yusuke Murata illustrated remake of One-Punch Man.

His real name is Genji, and he is affiliated with the Hero Association as a professional hero.

He is an A-Class Rank 17 hero at the time he appears.

Despite his small stature, he wears a distinctive armor that resembles a firefly, giving him a “glowing insect” aesthetic.

Genji rose to A-Class in less than a year after registering as a professional hero.

This marks him as a highly capable individual who advanced through the ranks unusually quickly.

He is assigned to conduct routine disaster cause surveys in City D, working as part of the Hero Association’s regular patrol and inspection operations.

He is also said to be responsible for patrolling the neighborhood where Tareo lives.

In the anime adaptation, his voice actor is Gen Sato.

Genji is described as a small-built man in a Genji-firefly-style armor, complete with a helmet and gear that reinforces his insect motif.

He wears powered roller skates on his feet, which not only aid his mobility but also serve as a visual homage to old-school idol aesthetics.

While his personality is not heavily explored, his willingness to patrol dangerous regions and fight high-level monsters suggests he is diligent and courageous.

In combat, he often acts as a support fighter, showing a cooperative mindset when working with other heroes like Stinger.

Genji specializes in electric shock attacks combined with high mobility.

His fighting style relies on closing the distance quickly and delivering rapid, electrified strikes.

He wields a pair of weapons called “Stun Batons”, one in each hand.

These are similar to police batons with built-in stun gun functionality, combining blunt force with electric discharge.

On his feet, he uses powered roller skates equipped with mechanical drive systems.

These skates grant him excellent speed and agility, allowing him to dart around the battlefield and strike from unexpected angles.

Genji’s main offensive style is to layer electric shock over physical blows, stunning or slowing enemies while landing strikes.

However, because his equipment is mechanically powered, he ironically has a weakness to enemy electricity, which can interfere with or damage his gear.

Battle Against the Monster Association

During the conflict with the Monster Association, Genji is targeted with a particularly bad matchup.

The monsters send a husband-and-wife team specializing in electricity: Electric Catfish Man and Maiko Plasma.

Electric Catfish Man is completely resistant to electric attacks, so Genji’s core fighting style becomes useless.

Maiko Plasma also manipulates electricity, further turning the battlefield against him.

Because his stun-based attacks do not work on Electric Catfish Man at all, and his own mechanical skates are vulnerable to their electric powers, Genji is completely outmatched by type disadvantage.

He is ultimately defeated by this monster couple due to the terrible matchup rather than a lack of courage.

Side Story Appearance

In a bonus side story, Genji accepts a monster extermination request as part of a four-hero A-Class team.

Among these heroes is Stinger, with whom Genji coordinates closely during combat.

They go up against Grisnyar, a demon-level (Threat Level: Demon) monster.

Stinger takes the more direct offensive role, while Genji focuses heavily on supporting attacks.

In this fight, Genji uses his stun batons at maximum output, slamming them into Grisnyar’s face.

He manages to break the monster’s teeth and slow its movements with powerful electric shocks, helping create openings for further attacks.

Genji’s actions in this battle highlight his strengths as a support-oriented fighter, who can disrupt enemy movements and enhance the effectiveness of his allies.

Even when not the main finisher, he plays a crucial role in turning the tide of combat.

Within the Hero Association, Genji is positioned as a mid-to-high tier A-Class hero.

His rapid promotion from rookie to A-Class in under a year suggests a strong performance record in missions and patrols.

His duty stations include City D, where he participates in routine Disaster Cause Surveys for the Association.

This means he is regularly sent out to investigate, prevent, and respond to threats before they escalate.

He also serves as a local patrol hero around the area where Tareo lives, providing protection in an area known to be dangerous.

His presence in that neighborhood emphasizes the Association’s reliance on him as a reliable early-response hero.

According to Yusuke Murata, Genji’s concept is inspired by the 1980s idol group “Hikaru Genji.”

That group was famous for performing in roller skates, which directly informs Genji’s design motif.

Because of this homage, Genji uses quad skates rather than modern inline skates.

The choice of classic roller skates is a deliberate design decision to match the retro idol reference.

His firefly-themed look, electrified weapons, and skating gimmick combine into a unique “roller-skating lightning hero” image.

Even though he suffers from bad type matchups, his concept stands out as one of the more playful and nostalgic designs among A-Class heroes.