Bakuzan

Bakuzan is a male martial artist known as the user of the assassination style “Dark Hell Killing Arts.”

He appears in the One-Punch Man manga illustrated by Yusuke Murata.

He wears a torn white gi with a ripped shoulder and has a noticeable jaw beard, giving him a rough, intimidating look.

Within the Super Fight world, he is infamous for brutalizing opponents and ending multiple fighters’ careers.

Bakuzan believes that when martial artists clash fists, it is not a sport but a fight to the death.

He openly treats martial arts as a means to kill or permanently cripple, not as competition or self-improvement.

He has won the Super Fight tournament twice in a row before the story’s events.

Every one of his past matches ended in one-sided massacres, with some opponents losing their ability to continue their careers.

Despite this, Bakuzan claims he has never gone all out in any of his tournament fights.

He enters the tournament where Suiryu is participating because he wants to defeat the “legendary” Suiryu and prove himself as the strongest active fighter.

Bakuzan directs intense killing intent at Suiryu, but Suiryu brushes him off and laments that he wished for stronger opponents.

This fuels Bakuzan’s resentment and ambition to surpass and destroy Suiryu.

His voice actor in the anime adaptation is Taro Yamaguchi.

Bakuzan is sadistic, arrogant, and obsessed with dominance over weaker people.

He is convinced that “martial arts is not sport but a life-or-death struggle,” and he behaves accordingly.

He enjoys breaking his opponents physically and psychologically.

Even before becoming a monster, he leaves fighters maimed and unable to continue their careers.

At first, he frames his desire for strength as wanting to become “the strongest living being.”

However, after becoming a monster and confronting truly superior monsters like Gouketsu, he realizes that what he really loves is tormenting those weaker than himself.

He is jealous and resentful of Suiryu’s youth, talent, and popularity with women.

During their interactions, he openly admits this jealousy, showing how much Suiryu’s existence irritates him.

Interestingly, he is not purely reckless or chaotic before becoming a monster.

He once suggests that if a monster appeared in the tournament arena, he alone should handle it to prevent mass panic among the crowd.

This shows that, without contact with the Monster Association, he might never have crossed fully into open, organized evil.

The story implies that many people like Bakuzan, Gouketsu, and Hamukichi might have stayed on the “human” side if they had not been tempted by monsterification.

Status in Super Fight

As a human, Bakuzan is a two-time consecutive champion of the Super Fight martial arts tournament.

He has an intimidating reputation as a fighter whose matches always end in horrific beatdowns.

He uses a lethal style called Dark Hell Killing Arts, focused on killing or permanently disabling opponents.

Despite this, he consistently claims he still has not revealed his full power in official matches.

In terms of pure martial skill and tournament results, he is one of the most feared human fighters.

However, he personally acknowledges that his strength is inferior to that of Suiryu.

From the point of view of the wider One-Punch Man world, he exudes an aura of at least high A-Class level combat power.

His later successful monsterification into a Dragon-level monster supports the idea that his human base power was already very high.

Encounter with Saitama in Disguise

Bakuzan’s first major on-screen clash is against Charanko – who is secretly Saitama in disguise.

Before the fight, Bakuzan warns “Charanko” to focus every nerve on defense and treat the match like a real fight to the death.

Unlike Suiryu, who quickly senses something off about Saitama, Bakuzan fails to perceive Saitama’s true strength at all.

He simply sees him as a weak martial arts novice who wants to “experience” martial arts.

Bakuzan sadistically explains a “full-course” execution plan to Saitama, detailing how he will systematically torture and destroy him in the ring.

He calls this sequence of murderous techniques the full-course of his Dark Hell Killing Arts.

During this explanation, he touches Saitama’s head, accidentally brushing the wig that Saitama is using as a disguise.

Saitama reflexively punches him in irritation.

That casual, reflexive punch sends Bakuzan flying out of the ring and slams him headfirst into the ground outside.

He is instantly knocked out, losing by knockout in his very first match of the tournament.

On the ring side, a doctor and stretcher had been stationed specifically to handle Bakuzan’s future victims.

Ironically, those preparations end up being used for Bakuzan himself after his humiliating defeat.

Monsterification and Physical Changes

After Saitama leaves the tournament venue, Gouketsu arrives with monster cells, offering fighters the chance to become monsters.

Driven by frustration and his desire to be the strongest, Bakuzan chooses to become a monster.

Bakuzan greedily eats a large quantity of monster cells, far more than a typical candidate would consume.

The overload causes his body to fail initially, and he collapses, seemingly having died from consuming too many cells.

However, after a time delay, he suddenly awakens in a new monstrous form.

His monsterification is ultimately successful, and he gains tremendous power.

As a monster, Bakuzan grows to a huge size comparable to Gouketsu.

He gains four arms, three tails, and a total of nine horns protruding from his head, shoulders, and elbows.

His body becomes extremely hairy, with a build that evokes a massive, brutal ape-like creature.

His new appearance visually emphasizes power, aggression, and raw brutality.

Gouketsu estimates that Monster Bakuzan has reached at least Disaster Level Dragon, placing him among very dangerous threats.

Among the fighters who monsterify at the tournament, Bakuzan becomes one of the strongest.

Gouketsu himself says that, although he will need to discipline Bakuzan’s attitude later, Bakuzan is a “jackpot” result from the monster cells.

That comment shows how high Gouketsu rates Bakuzan’s potential as a monster soldier.

Combat Power and Limits

Even as a Dragon-level monster, Bakuzan is at the lower end of that category.

He cannot compare to top Dragon threats like Elder Centipede or powerful Monster Association executives.

His combination of human martial arts expertise and monstrous physical power still makes him extremely dangerous.

He is implied to surpass typical S-Class heroes in raw combat power, or at least to be competitive with them.

However, when he fights Gouketsu, the gap in ability is overwhelming.

Bakuzan’s attacks are casually deflected and neutralized by Gouketsu using only his fingers.

Gouketsu’s straight punch produces a shockwave of such magnitude that Bakuzan is paralyzed with fear.

The experience crushes his earlier feeling of omnipotence and shows him that he is still far from being “the strongest.”

His defeat in spirit during this confrontation also removes any illusion he has of being a top monster.

He comes to understand that the Monster Association contains many monsters stronger than he is.

He is shocked to learn that the Monster Association’s leader is even stronger than Gouketsu.

Upon realizing this, Bakuzan quickly abandons his dream of being the absolute strongest.

True Motivation Revealed

Once he has seen the terrifying scale of the Monster Association’s power, Bakuzan stops caring about chasing absolute strength.

Instead, he recognizes his real desire: he simply loves tormenting the weak.

He admits that he never truly trained “to become the strongest,” but to gain the power to abuse those beneath him.

This revelation explains his long history of leaving opponents crippled and his sadistic behavior in the tournament.

With Suiryu badly injured and demoralized after fighting monsters, Bakuzan finds the perfect victim.

He begins to beat Suiryu even more viciously, taking pleasure in his helplessness.

He also stomps on the already defeated hero Sneck, who is lying on the ground and unable to fight back.

Bakuzan does this deliberately to deepen Suiryu’s despair as Suiryu calls out for a hero to save them.

In these moments, Bakuzan is no longer a martial artist with a warped code but a sadistic bully fully immersed in cruelty.

His jealousy of Suiryu’s abilities, looks, and popularity resurfaces as he mocks and brutalizes him.

Clash with Gouketsu

Shortly after monsterifying, Bakuzan tries to assert himself even in front of Gouketsu.

He dislikes being ordered around and is irritated that Gouketsu dares to command him.

Gouketsu invites him to join the Monster Association’s headquarters, impressed by his raw power.

Bakuzan responds with hostility and attacks, attempting to challenge Gouketsu.

Gouketsu easily parries everything with minimal effort, swatting away Bakuzan’s attacks with just his fingers.

Bakuzan is completely outclassed, learning firsthand the vast difference in their strength.

Gouketsu’s demonstration punch, which obliterates the environment with its shockwave, terrifies Bakuzan.

From that moment, Bakuzan gives up on the notion of surpassing monsters like Gouketsu or their leader Orochi.

Instead of aiming higher, he retreats into the only role he can comfortably occupy: tormentor of the weak.

Gouketsu leaves, and Bakuzan decides to stay at the arena to play with his injured victims.

Tormenting Suiryu and the Heroes

Suiryu, already battered from fighting multiple monsters and exhausted from his earlier matches, is hanging onto life.

Bakuzan takes perverse satisfaction in beating him further, now totally uninterested in a “fair fight.”

He mocks Suiryu’s dreams and pride while kicking him around the arena.

His attacks are no longer tests of skill but deliberate acts of torture.

When Suiryu desperately calls out for a hero to save him, Bakuzan responds by targeting the heroes nearby.

He cruelly stomps on Sneck’s body to make Suiryu feel even more helpless and hopeless.

The scene highlights the full extent of Bakuzan’s cruelty and the depth of Suiryu’s despair.

Suiryu, formerly the carefree champion of martial arts, is reduced to a broken man begging for rescue.

At the last moment, Saitama returns to the arena in his hero costume.

He intervenes in time to prevent Bakuzan from killing Sneck.

Final Battle with Saitama

At first, Bakuzan does not recognize Saitama because of his different clothing.

Once he sees Saitama’s bald head, however, he realizes this is the same man who humiliated him in the tournament.

Enraged by the memory of his first-round defeat, Bakuzan resolves to take revenge.

He unleashes the full “full-course” of his Dark Hell Killing Arts against Saitama, using all his moves without holding back.

He throws every technique, combination, and monstrous blow he has, believing that this time he will crush Saitama.

However, none of his attacks have any effect.

Saitama is completely unaffected, showing no damage or concern.

Bakuzan’s greatest techniques might as well be light taps.

In a mirror of their first encounter, Saitama answers with a single punch.

This one blow obliterates Bakuzan’s upper body entirely.

Bakuzan dies instantly, erased by Saitama’s casual power.

Even in his final moments, Saitama does not remember his name or who he was.

Only after talking with Suiryu does Saitama realize that the monster he just defeated used to be Bakuzan.

Saitama’s indifference underscores the enormous gap in significance between them.

Dark Hell Killing Arts

Bakuzan’s personal martial arts style is called Dark Hell Killing Arts.

Unlike more traditional martial arts, it is designed around lethal strikes and crippling attacks.

The style emphasizes ruthless efficiency, targeted strikes at vital points, and sequences meant to maim or kill.

Within the Super Fight circuit, this made him notorious for ending opponents’ careers.

His so-called “full-course” is a sequence of planned attacks treated like a sadistic menu of suffering.

He proudly describes this to Saitama, outlining exactly how he intends to break him piece by piece.

Even after monsterification, Bakuzan retains his martial arts training and combines it with his new physical power.

This makes him much more than a mindless brute; he is a disciplined killer with monstrous stats.

Physical Strength and Endurance

Human Bakuzan is strong enough to be feared as a top Super Fight competitor and to project killing intent that intimidates other fighters.

His durability and offensive power put him at least in the realm of high-ranking heroes in terms of combat ability.

His successful monsterification after consuming multiple monster cells suggests an unusually tough body.

Most humans would likely die or be destroyed by overconsumption, but Bakuzan survives and fully transforms.

As a monster, he gains a huge, muscular frame, four arms, and multiple tails and horns.

His strikes gain immense weight and destructive power, and he can easily overpower human fighters and many heroes.

Even so, he is still nowhere near Saitama’s level and is outclassed by genuine top-tier Dragons like Gouketsu.

His fear when witnessing Gouketsu’s shockwave punch shows the ceiling he cannot reach.

Perception and Martial Instinct

While he cannot sense Saitama’s true power, Bakuzan is still a seasoned fighter with sharp combat senses.

He can read movements, exploit weaknesses, and respond quickly in a typical fight.

During the chaotic monster-occupied tournament, he remains unfazed by high-speed battles.

He is able to observe electric-fast clashes, such as those involving monsterified fighters like Choze and other top martial artists, without losing composure.

This reinforces his status as an elite-level martial artist, even if he is eclipsed by Suiryu and utterly dwarfed by Saitama.

When scaled against ordinary heroes and fighters, he clearly stands above the majority.

Bakuzan’s monstrous cruelty often overshadows any redeeming qualities he may have had.

However, his earlier proposal to handle any invading monster alone in the arena shows he was capable of thinking about civilian safety.

This hints that not all potential monsters are inherently doomed to evil.

Many, like Bakuzan or Hamukichi, might only fall into villainy after direct contact with the Monster Association and its promises.

Even though Saitama defeats him in a single hit both times, Bakuzan is not weak by normal standards.

Suiryu himself admits that he could have been one-punched by Saitama as well, if Saitama had chosen to seriously counterattack.

Bakuzan’s ability to survive consuming multiple monster cells, becoming a Dragon-level monster, and his status among monsterified tournament fighters all suggest he was a genuine powerhouse.

He ultimately serves as a vivid example of how terrifying Saitama’s casual strength is: someone powerful enough to threaten S-Class heroes is erased with a single punch and barely remembered.