In the world of manga and anime, Saitama stands as an unprecedented symbol of absolute power. However, by the strict standards of a traditional shonen protagonist, the “Caped Baldy” feels like an outlier. Instead, Garou embodies all the qualities needed to lead a true hero’s journey.
1. Garou: The Perfect Blend of Classic Shonen Hero Traits
When you peel back the layers of the story, Garou’s journey is far more compelling and human than Saitama’s straightforward dominance. While Saitama is established as the strongest from the start, bypassing any character growth, Garou rises from nothing with a perfectly crafted progression.
Like Naruto, Garou is an outcast, bullied for sympathizing with monsters and desperate for recognition. Similar to Luffy, he harbors a grand and wild dream: to become the “Ultimate Evil” and unify humanity.
Garou’s constant evolution mirrors Ichigo from Bleach. We see him fail, reflect, push past limits, and unlock new levels of power after every battle.
Saitama is essentially a satire of power scaling, a full stop to all dramatic tension. In contrast, Garou follows the classic formula: defeat, growth, and breakthrough.
Even without Saitama in the Monster Association arc, the story holds strong around Garou. But without Garou, the arc loses its ideological conflict and emotional weight entirely.
2. Inner Depth and Moral Conflict
Garou’s strength isn’t just physical. He possesses a complex inner world filled with questions about justice and hypocrisy. His special care for the boy Tareo reveals a kindness that never truly fades. This struggle between wanting to become a monster and refusing to lose his compassion makes Garou the most layered character in the series.
3. The Final Battle: When the Hero’s Glow is Shattered
The theory that Garou is the true protagonist only falls apart in the final fight against Saitama. This is when the author uses Saitama to upend every shonen convention.
At his peak as Cosmic Garou, in any other story, this would be the moment the hero overcomes adversity to claim victory. But here, no matter how much power Garou copies from Saitama, Saitama instantly surpasses him. Even more heartbreaking, Garou accidentally kills Tareo, the one person he wanted to protect, shattering all his ideals in an instant.
The most painful blow comes when Saitama delivers a “time-reversing punch.” While other protagonists must struggle to secure the future, Saitama simply erases the entire epic battle from existence. All of Garou’s character growth, evolution, and moral conflict are wiped away as if they never happened.