5 Dragon Ball characters One Punch Man’s Saitama can beat (& 5 he can't touch)
One Punch Man chapter 168, which has been a turning point in the series, provided a great deal of information on Saitama’s limit-breaker ability. Much like a Saiyan from Dragon Ball, Saitama has limitless potential, in the sense that he keeps growing the more he exerts himself.
In the fight with Garou, the series protagonist was able to outgrow the final antagonist, even when the fight started with Saitama getting overwhelmed. Over the course of the exchange, he grew exponentially, with Garou finally realizing that Saitama will keep growing to Infinitum, the more he puts his abilities to the test.
The exchange ended with Garou repenting his actions and teaching Saitama his Zero Causality Fist, which is the strongest ability in the game. With this technique, Saitama can land a punch even before he channels the animation for it.
Many in the community have felt that as One Punch Man’s Saitama is today, he will very much be able to go all out with Ultra Instinct Goku.
Hence, now with him having leveled up exponentially, it’s once again time to judge his rankings in the Dragon Ball universe and talk about some of the characters that he can now beat, and some that he will still not be able to touch (unless he has another growth spurt).
Disclaimer: Before heading into the list, it’s important to keep in mind that the choices produced below are subjective and the writer’s personal opinions on the matter.
5 Dragon Ball characters that One Punch Man’s Saitama can now beat
1) Hit
The “Legendary Hitman”, Hit, was first introduced as one of the strongest antagonists in Dragon Ball Super who is capable of manipulating time to his will. Goku was completely outclassed by him early on in the series, but the Saiyan was able to keep growing and eventually became powerful enough to stop Hit’s attacks.
Hit was one of the prime catalysts who helped Goku achieve the Ultra Instinct state, and it was only after beating the hitman that Goku was able to move on to fight Jiren, the toughest enemy during the Tournament of Power.
Now, as One Punch Man’s Saitama is considered to be almost as powerful as UI Goku, it’s highly likely that Saitama will be able to destroy Hit during their encounter.
The Zero Causality Fist is sure to be faster than every ability Hit brings to the table, and Saitama can just beat him with one punch.
2) Jiren
Before One Punch Man chapter 168, it was not considered possible that Saitama could beat the being who was a heavy favorite in the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super.
Jiren was one of the main reasons why Goku surpassed his limits and achieved his Ultra Instinct form. He was one of the biggest hurdles in the mainline Dragon Ball thus far, and Saitama will likely beat him as he is after chapter 168.
While the fight might start with both of them equally matched, Saitama is likely to get the edge because of his innate ability to keep growing.
Much like the fight with Garou, in this case, Saitama is expected to keep growing the more Jiren lands his blows on him until he eventually surpasses the strongest member of the Pride Troopers.
3) Broly
The Dragon Ball fandom was elated when mangaka Akira Toriyama decided to make Broly canon in the Super universe. With his reincarnation in the latest series, it’s quite interesting to see how the narrative around him will evolve from here on out.
Out of all the Saiyans, Broly perhaps has the most growth potential. He fuels his power with raw rage, which makes him an immeasurable threat to those he goes up against.
He is also a quick learner, and the legendary Super Saiyan was sweeping the floors with both Goku and Vegeta even with their Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (SSGSS) mode active.
However, it’s highly unlikely that Broly will be able to go toe-to-toe with Ultra Instinct Goku, considering the level he is at. It is for this very reason that one can confidently suggest that Broly doesn't stand a chance against Saitama, especially if the One Punch Man protagonist decides to get serious and use the Zero Causality Fist.
4) Kefla
Kefla is the Potara fusion between Caulifla and Kale, who, as a result, became one of the strongest contenders in the Tournament of Power. Their fusion was a perfect amalgamation of their skills and techniques, which made them highly compatible with each other.
The two showed what the Saiyan race stood for in their universe, as the two never gave up no matter how hard the struggles got. Kefla even started besting both Goku and Vegeta while they were in their Super Saiyan Blue form.
It was during this encounter that Goku showed the first sparks of going into Ultra Instinct mode. Goku defeated the Potara fusion when he was just beginning to surpass his limits. Hence, this is why Saitama won't have much of a problem facing them either.
5) Toppo
The second strongest member of the Pride Troopers is way more powerful than what he puts on. He is so strong that he is even considered to be the next candidate for Universe 11’s God of Destruction, and during the Tournament of Power, audiences could see just how powerful he really was.
Toppo is not just known for his brawn, he is also a mastermind when it comes to fighting tactics. He was able to very easily counter Super Saiyan Blue Goku even when he was using his Kaio-Ken.
As the fight progressed, Toppo eventually tapped into his God of Destruction powers, where he almost killed Golden Frieza in the process. However, he was eventually defeated, and it was evident that even with his god-like powers he was no match for Ultra Instinct Goku.
Applying the same theory as before, if Ultra Instinct Goku can beat the Pride Trooper member, then One Punch Man’s Saitama will be able to do the same.
5 Dragon Ball characters that One Punch Man’s Saitama still won’t be able to beat
1) Zeno
Zeno is by far the most powerful being in canon Dragon Ball ore. He represents the peak of all supreme beings in the universe, boasting the ability to erase complete universes with the flick of his hands.
He started the Tournament of Power when Goku suggested it. However, Zeno kept the clause that he would delete the universe of those participants who would lose and get knocked out of the ring.
The tournament followed a “last universe standing" sort of trope, and as the narrative progressed, audiences could see how effortlessly Zeno was able to wipe out entire constellations and planets in the blink of an eye.
While Saitama is strong and has limitless potential, the One Punch Man protagonist does not stand a chance against the all-mighty supreme being, especially if Zeno ever decides that Saitama needs to be erased from the face of the universe.
2) Zeno’s Guards
Zeno’s guards are often considered to be similar in strength to the supreme being and the Grand Priest, but they are still weaker when it comes to their overall capabilities.
Zeno’s guards were not exactly shown to do anything, and the community's conceptions about their powers have to do directly with the fact that they are protecting the most powerful being in the universe.
Hence, if they are not capable of taking down an entire army of Gods of Destruction, then there is not much point in having them as guards.
While their power rankings in the Dragon Ball universe are yet to be officially revealed, the theory that puts them on par with the Grand Priest is sound. Many even feel that they will be able to swat away Ultra Instinct Goku as if he were a fly.
Hence, One Punch Man’s Saitama too is not likely to be able to hold his own against either one of them.
3) Grand Priest
Considered to be the most powerful warrior in the entire multiverse, the Grand Priest is a close advisor to Zeno. He is an incredibly strong cosmic being, whose strength can only be rivaled by Zeno. He is the head of the Angels, which puts him on par with the two guards in terms of power scaling.
While the canon narrative is yet to show the Grand Priest fight, glimpses of his immeasurable power were shown when he effortlessly constructed the entire Tournament of Power arena with the flick of his wrist.
Ultra Instinct Goku is yet to amass such power, and the Grand Priest is likely to wipe the floor with him even before Goku gets to channel his inner ki.
The situation might be quite similar for Saitama, and the Grand Priest might just defeat the “One Punch Man” with one Punch.
4) Whis
The Angels are technically more powerful than the Gods of Destruction they are assigned to. Gods of Destruction tend to lose their cool every time they go on a rampage, and the Angels act as a failsafe to keep them in check, and to make them perform their duties of balancing the scales of creation and destruction in a particular universe.
Whis is capable of using Autonomous Ultra Instinct, which is a step above Goku’s form. Thus, he still acts as a master to both Goku and Vegeta.
This is why Whis is considered to be one of the most powerful beings in the universe after the Grand Priest. As Ultra Instinct Goku is still miles away from reaching the same power level as Whis, One Punch Man’s Saitama too is bound to face defeat at his hands.
5) Beerus
Even with Ultra Instinct, it’s still unlikely that Goku will be able to go up against a God of Destruction like Beerus. Earlier in Dragon Ball Super, fans got a glimpse of just how massive the power gap between them was, and it’s unlikely that Goku would be able to bridge it enough to take out Beerus.
While Ultra Instinct has helped narrow the disparity, it’s unlikely that the Saiyan will be able to best him before he reaches Autonomous Ultra Instinct. Hence, if Ultra Instinct Goku is not a match to take on the full might of Beerus, One Punch Man’s Saitama will have a slim chance of escaping the encounter alive.
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Shreya Das