In the world of One-Punch Man, Saitama stands as the symbol of absolute power. No matter how strong the enemy, they vanish after just one ordinary punch, let alone a serious one. However, the Caped Baldy is far from perfect. Beyond his extraordinary fighting ability, Saitama is surprisingly average in many other areas.
In fact, there are things Saitama is so bad at that fans can’t help but laugh. Here are five clear examples of things Saitama just can’t do well, mostly outside of battling monsters.
1. Lacks Formal Martial Arts Skills
Saitama never trained in any specialized martial art. He doesn’t need to, since his basic punches can destroy almost any opponent.
Still, this lack of formal technique can sometimes be a weakness.
In the original webcomic, Garou’s monster form reaches a level of strength and skill that lets him predict and dodge Saitama’s basic attacks for a short time. Though Garou ultimately can’t defeat Saitama’s overwhelming power, his ability to hold out longer than others shows how technique can matter in certain situations.
2. Terrible at Competitive Games
This is probably Saitama’s most famous and humorous weakness. Whether it’s traditional or modern games, Saitama always seems to lack the luck and skill needed to win.
In the OVA episode “Bang, Who Is Too Overbearing,” Saitama loses repeatedly at rock-paper-scissors against Bang. Despite his super-fast reflexes, he can’t beat the randomness of the game.
When it comes to modern games, Saitama stands no chance against King. As seen in the manga, even with lightning-fast hands, Saitama is easily and frequently defeated by King, known as the world’s strongest gamer. He even suffers an embarrassing instant loss in a virtual reality online tournament.
3. Helpless Against Mosquitoes
If the opponent is a human-sized monster mosquito like Mosquito Girl, Saitama can handle it quickly. But when it comes to regular mosquitoes, he becomes extremely helpless and frustrated.
In a classic scene, Saitama frantically tries to use all his speed and strength to swat a buzzing mosquito in his room but fails every time. These tiny, agile creatures are ironically the hardest for him to deal with. This moment highlights the humorous contrast between his immense power and everyday struggles, making fans relate to his plight.
4. Never Arrives on Time to Battle Zones
To keep the story dramatic, Saitama rarely shows up right on time at major battle hotspots. He often arrives late or gets caught up in silly troubles like getting lost, mixing up schedules, or just shopping, delaying his fight.
This even made its way into the game One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows. If Saitama is on your team, you start the match with fewer players and have to wait for him to arrive. But just like in the story, once Saitama shows up, he quickly resolves all problems in an instant.
5. Poor at Promoting Himself
Despite being the strongest individual in the world, Saitama is one of the least recognized heroes among the public.
He rarely reports his achievements to the Hero Association, and when he does, his accomplishments are often mistakenly credited to others like King. At first, he didn’t even join the Association, so his great feats went unacknowledged.
Another factor is Saitama’s plain appearance and calm attitude, which cause others to underestimate and look down on him. Even when he wins, his credit is often attributed to the efforts of higher-ranked heroes who weakened the monsters beforehand.