Origins: From Hobby to Phenomenon
ONE created the OPM webcomic as a hobby project with deliberately crude art. Its appeal was pure storytelling: sharp comedy, surprising emotional depth, and a deceptively simple premise. Murata, one of the most technically skilled manga artists alive, approached ONE about creating a professional adaptation.
The collaboration gives OPM a unique position in manga: two versions of the same story by different artists, each with distinct strengths. The webcomic is rawer and more spontaneous. The manga is polished and visually spectacular.
Art: Crude Charm vs Technical Mastery
ONE's webcomic art is intentionally basic. Characters are simple shapes. Backgrounds are minimal. Action scenes are conveyed through impact rather than detail. This crude style paradoxically enhances the comedy because Saitama's blank expression is funnier when drawn simply.
Murata's manga art is some of the most detailed in the medium. Every panel is a showcase of technical skill. The tradeoff is that Murata's detailed art sometimes makes the comedy feel less immediate, while adding spectacular visual experiences the webcomic cannot provide.
Story Differences: Additions and Changes
Murata's manga adds significant content not in the webcomic: expanded fights, new characters, additional backstories, and entirely original arcs. The Tournament arc, where Saitama enters a martial arts competition disguised as Charanko, is a manga-only addition that many fans consider a highlight.
Some webcomic plot points are altered in the manga. The Monster Association arc's conclusion differs significantly between versions. The manga tends to expand and elaborate where the webcomic is concise and direct.
Pacing and Tone
The webcomic moves faster because ONE does not linger on fights or visual spectacle. An entire battle might take five pages in the webcomic and fifty in the manga. This creates a different reading experience: the webcomic rewards binge-reading while the manga rewards panel-by-panel appreciation.
Tonally, the webcomic is more consistently comedic. The manga introduces more serious moments and dramatic tension, which enriches the story but occasionally shifts the vibe from satirical comedy to earnest action.
Which Should You Read?
Read both. The webcomic provides ONE's unfiltered creative vision with pacing that respects your time. The manga provides the same story with world-class art and expanded content. They complement rather than compete.
If forced to choose: start with the manga for the superior visual experience, then read the webcomic to see ONE's original intentions and to get ahead of the manga's current plot. Together, they offer the most complete OPM experience available.