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One Punch Man features several interesting elements and plotlines, but the main focus remains on the sheer strength of Saitama, the protagonist. Since he is the most powerful character in the entire story, no one poses a challenge to him. However, although executed in a comedic manner, there are times when the character also goes through the ordeal of pain. The situation with the cat Torako serves as a very good example.
Torako first showed up in an extra chapter of volume 8 of the One Punch Man manga, called Lost Cat, which focuses on Saitama trying to rescue her. In his attempt to help the cat, he gets hurt, thus feeling pain. This scene has generated many memes and discussions as to how a simple cat managed to hurt someone who has defeated galactic overlords with ease.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.
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Explaining how the cat Torako hurt Saitama in the One Punch Man series
Saitama being hurt by Torako is just a comedic moment that author ONE and artist Yusuke Murata wanted to play with in the manga. A lot of fans have made jokes that this cat is extremely powerful because she managed to hurt Saitama when even galactic tyrants like Boros were unable to land powerful enough attacks to harm him.
Torako showed up in an extra chapter for the eighth volume of the manga, which centered around her. Saitama was assigned the job of rescuing the female cat by the Heroes Association. The mission is straightforward, and he gets the job done with ease, despite being attacked.
This episode highlights a different aspect of Saitama's nature. He seemingly lowered his guard when he was close to the cat, an innocent animal who was also the mother of two kittens.
The struggles of Saitama in the series
In One Punch Man, Saitama has peaked as a fighter, so he no longer has any challenges, and that is something that keeps him from fully enjoying himself in other aspects of life. Although the series focuses on the protagonist's daily struggles, episodes featuring Torako have a lighter tone and highlight the character's multifaceted nature.
The Torako moment is especially hilarious in the fandom because it illustrates how much the character craves a challenge. Similar instances of comedic relief have been shown in other moments, such as his battle with Boros or his memorable clash with Garou, highlighting Saitama's struggle with accepting that he does not have a new height to reach as a fighter.
Saitama rescuing the cat and getting hurt in the process elevates him from being a mere parody character to someone with a lot more substance.
Final thoughts
The flurry of memes and fan comments about how Torako managed to be the first one to hurt Saitama continues to flood social media platforms. Naturally, that is all intended to be a comedic moment and does not in any way represent the character's strength.
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