One Punch Man: How Strong Is Garou in the Anime?

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Summary

  • Garou’s strength grows with each encounter, making him a formidable opponent in the One Punch Man series.
  • Despite being human, Garou can adapt to any fighting style, posing an underrated threat to the heroes.
  • Garou’s strength at the end of Season 2 places him at least equivalent to a top-tier S-rank hero but still below the highest-level threats in the universe.

In the anime “One Punch Man,” Garou is strongly hinted to be a formidable force. In the first season, he was casually mentioned by high-ranking hero Bang as being stronger than all of his students combined. When we finally meet Garou in the second season, he displays remarkable feats against some of the world’s strongest heroes, even while badly hurt.

It appears that Garou’s primary talent lies in becoming increasingly powerful in each confrontation, prompting speculation about his true strength at this moment and whether the hype surrounding him is genuine and if he could potentially match Saitama in a future battle. This article aims to determine Garou’s current strength level in the anime, providing an estimate of where he stands among the power tiers.

Garou’s Scary Potential

Strength That Isn’t Obvious on the Surface

In the realm of One Punch Man, Garou’s power may appear deceptively modest and challenging to quantify, as everyday encounters with colossal monsters capable of leveling entire cities might make him seem insignificant. However, it’s easy to underestimate this ordinary human being who excels in martial arts.

In my perspective, I didn’t hesitate due to his humanity. But this individual… I can’t help but question if he’s truly of the same kind as me. – Tanktop Master, observing Garou.

Despite not towering over several skyscrapers in height, Garou’s unique abilities make him an exceptional contender for taking down heroes. Unlike many monsters who rely on sheer physical power to overpower their opponents, Garou’s talent for mimicking any fighting style he witnesses makes him a formidable adversary to the predominantly human hero lineup.

Initially seen as a weaker contender against powerful heroes, Garou has demonstrated an exceptional ability to adapt and conquer each challenge he’s faced, becoming stronger in the process. Adopting the water stream rock smashing fist fighting style, Garou mirrors opponents’ attacks who may surpass him in strength, such as Tanktop Master. By learning additional techniques from various adversaries, Garou skillfully blends these moves to develop a distinct and powerful fighting style and arsenal. Consequently, any hero who engages with him for an extended period will find themselves facing a formidable opponent, despite the apparent difference in raw power.

Where Does Garou Rank at the End of Season 2?

Figuring Out Where to Place Him

To determine Garou’s current standing within the power hierarchy of the show, it’s essential to scrutinize his recent battles. Notably, he came close to vanquishing S-rank hero Metal Bat in their encounter, even though the battle was halted prematurely. This is significant as Metal Bat had been dealing with a dragon-level monster, Elder Centipede, prior to their fight. If we assess Garou using the Hero Association’s monster scale, this suggests that he is at least of dragon level strength.

Garou demonstrates his immense power during confrontations with numerous top-tier A-class and S-class heroes, even when wounded and swathed in bandages. He manages to stand toe-to-toe against the demon cyborg Genos, and engages simultaneously in combat with Bang, the #3 S-rank hero, and his brother Bomb without being overwhelmed by their attacks. Although Garou often finds himself at a disadvantage throughout these battles, his resilience in the face of ambush and severe injury showcases just how formidable his strength truly is.

It’s safe to say, considering Garou’s current power level in the series, he likely matches or even surpasses his previous master Bang when at full strength. The fact that Bang felt compelled to enlist Bomb to battle Garou indicates he recognized he might struggle facing him alone. Consequently, if assessed based on hero rankings, it’s likely Garou would be categorized as an elite S-rank hero at the very least.

Although Garou holds a high rank, it appears quite improbable that he would be able to withstand Terrible Tornado, the next highest ranked hero, in a confrontation. In Season 1, Tornado demonstrated esoteric powers capable of halting a city-devastating attack from Boros’ spaceship effortlessly. These mental abilities make her an effective counter to Garou, who predominantly relies on physical martial arts. Given her powers, she could easily lift and suspend Garou in mid-air, thereby neutralizing his martial arts skills. Moreover, since Tornado doesn’t employ a specific fighting style, Garou would be unable to mimic it during their encounter.

In summary, Garou stands out as incredibly powerful within the context of the One Punch Man anime, surpassing most characters except for the top-tier monsters, heroes, and even Saitama who can defeat an opponent with a single punch.

One Punch Man can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

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2025-04-02 17:38