One-Punch Man: Saitama Is Stronger Than Goku for Very Specific Reasons (2024)

Two names always come up when fans discuss the most powerful anime characters: Son Goku from the classic shonen series Dragon Ball and Saitama from the highly popular One-Punch Man. Both leads are known for their immense strength and defeating some of the strongest villains alive in their respective universes. Anime fans have always been known for their passionate loyalty, and both sides are adamant their hero would win in a battle between Goku and Saitama.

That being said, Dragon Ball fans tend to ignore the fact that Saitama is overpowered beyond logic or common sense. More importantly, One-Punch Man is something of a satire of the shonen genre, arguably making this entire debate pointless. Saitama's not just powerful — his actions have proven that he's on another level compared to countless anime heroes. It's not an easy task to definitively prove who the victor might be when it comes to Saitama vs. Goku, but One-Punch Man fans might have a tighter argument. With One-Punch Man returning for a third season, the Goku vs. Saitama debate is hotter than ever.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo on March 8, 2024: Following the tragic passing of Akira Toriyama, more people than ever are looking back at the Dragon Ball franchise that he created. The most important part of Dragon Ball is the main character, Goku, who's one of the most powerful combatants in all of shonen anime and manga. This puts him in the same weight class as Saitama from One-Punch Man, making many wonder how a Saitama vs. Goku fight would go. The answer to whether Saitama can beat Goku has perplexed several fans, and the techniques that the Saiyan warrior brings to the table make deciphering this even harder.

Is Saitama Stronger Than Goku?

Saitama's Powers Make Him Nearly Unstoppable

Saitama's main power is his incredible strength, which allows him to effortlessly defeat even the toughest foes. True to name, almost all of his enemies go down after one hit, with only the most enhanced able to withstand such an instant defeat. Saitama is incredibly fast, to the point where he actually outpaces someone whose only power is superhuman speed. His physical power extends to his durability and sturdiness, with attacks that should have done him in still leaving him without a scratch. This all makes Saitama incredibly overpowered.

Even Saitama's organs and internal systems benefit from these enhancements, allowing him to withstand radiation and direct attacks to sensitive body parts. He's also resistant to extreme temperatures and psychic attacks while being able to master techniques such as time travel. While Saitama claims that these powers are the result of his intense physical training regime, Dr. Genus hypothesized that there was something more to it. The theory is that Saitama overcame all genetic "blockers" and achieved unparalleled potential. Strangely enough, Saitama can't fly, which (along with his many times nonchalant personality) is his main weakness.

Goku's Powers

With his monkey-tail and absurd strength, Goku has been more than human since Dragon Ball's first saga. Bulma shoots him at pointblank range as a child, yet this merely hurts instead of killing him. Goku only got stronger as he trained with new martial arts masters, but he was mostly on par with his fellow human fighters throughout the classic series. Goku could only fly by using his Nimbus cloud as a child, but he and the other "Z Fighters" learned to fly after training with Korin and Kami.

Goku can channel his own Ki, namely attacks such as the Kamehameha and Genki Dama/Spirit Bomb. Most importantly, he's one of the few Saiyans who can turn Super Saiyan. Transforming into a Super Saiyan upgrades his power even more, escalating his Power Level with each subsequent form. Other abilities include Instant Transmission, which allows Goku to appear anywhere at will, and Ultra Instinct – Goku's currently strongest form. Goku is also incredibly fast, being able to move several thousands time the speed of light. This means that there are few who can beat Goku, which is why the Goku vs. Saitama debate rages so fiercely.

Breaking Down Goku and Saitama's Different Abilities Offers a Closer Look at a Potential Battle Between Them

Goku's Super Saiyan Abilities Make Him a Tough Character to Beat

When determining whether Goku can beat Saitama, it's important to understand where each character's power level and rankings lie. Saitama is a B-class hero and "seemingly" just a plain old human, at least according to the Hero Association. He experiences everything an average human does and presumably ages with time — it's too early to tell if Saitama is somehow immortal as well as omnipotent. That said, he has no special abilities like regenerative or magical powers.

Goku, on the other hand, comes from an alien warrior race with superpowers. Saiyans like Goku age slowly compared to humans, as stated by Vegeta in Dragon Ball Z, which is a huge advantage. Furthermore, Goku has battled multiple cosmic entities, while Saitama has only fought Boros at this point in the One-Punch Man anime.

Saitama's Serious Punch Is Enough to Nearly Destroy the Planet

Despite this massive gap in basic genetic makeup, Saitama displays as much strength as a regular Saiyan without any effort. In fact, even exerting a fraction more than his regular power shows that his strength is comparable to Super Saiyan levels. The anime audience can only imagine how powerful Saitama could possibly get if he goes beyond his normal and serious punches. Recent manga chapters have shown how Saitama develops newer and far more effective techniques than the average brawler, including time travel and copying his opponent's abilities. Goku would be hard-pressed to fight Saitama if the latter decided to go all out. Also, keep in mind that full force displays of strength from Goku are rare, whereas they're quite common with Saitama. This lends credence to the idea that Saitama can beat Goku, as well as vice versa.

Ironically, both Goku and Saitama incorporate elements of the Western superhero Superman into their characters. This is a bit more explicit with Saitama, who's based on a generic superhero archetype. Goku more closely emulates Superman's iconic origin story of being an alien sent to Earth as a baby. Again, the more overt concept of Saitama being a parody of "overpowered" superheroes is something of an argument in terms of whether Saitama could beat Goku. Still, Goku actually possesses the power to fly, which Saitama doesn't have. Saitama, can, however, "leap tall buildings in a single bound," as he possesses the power to jump further while in midair. This can help even the odds in the battle.

Saitama Would Be Unstoppable If He Trained Like Goku

Goku's trained in martial arts under the most extreme conditions imaginable. He's even gone to other planets to improve his skills and endurance. Since he also enjoys fighting, he regularly spars with his friends and children, all of whom are ludicrously overpowered. Goku has also had some truly impressive masters, such as Mr. Popo, Kami, Master Roshi, Korin, King Kai, Whis, and the Yardrats. Not only does he improve his techniques in battle, but his power levels also surge with each victory (or loss).

On the contrary, Saitama has only stuck to his daily workout of 100 push-ups, situps, and squats, as well as a 10 km run. He doesn't have a single trainer or mentor, either, making him one of the few entirely self-taught Shonen manga and anime heroes. This could also be why Saitama doesn't treat Genos like a typical student. Since Saitama has never lost a single battle, it appears that there's no need for him to improve or change.

If harsher training has managed to increase Goku's power, this should also apply to Saitama, who currently relies on traditional methods. It's reasonable to hypothesize that Saitama would be more powerful than Goku if both of them received the exact same training. Even with these stipulations, there are other things to consider in terms of whether Saitama can beat Goku.

Who Is Stronger, Saitama Or Goku?

With a Massive Potential for Growth, There's Only One Possible Outcome

When it comes to Saitama vs. Goku, it's obvious that both of these powerhouses have glaring differences. One is a brawl-hungry extraterrestrial being, while the other is a convenience store part-timer turned hero. The fact they can even be compared on equal footing at all shows Saitama might just have the advantage.

He exhibits the same strength effortlessly, and yet still has more room for growth. At this point, he has never needed to use his full power, whereas Goku frequently needs to reach his limits before he can become stronger. In fact, Saitama regularly holds back against his opponents, as Lord Boros himself states during their earth-shattering battle. Goku once nearly succumbed to something as mundane as a heart virus, whereas Saitama's internal organs are as hearty as he is.

All in all, the outcome of a Goku vs Saitama battle is extremely clear. Goku might have nearly destroyed Universe 7, but that doesn't mean Saitama can't perform a similar feat. After all, he doesn't seem to have any regular Shonen limitations. Of course, Goku will always be one of the greats, but the evidence of his restrictions is clear. There's no greater weapon than the infinite possibility for growth, and Saitama's potential appears to be even greater. Fans are excited to see what Saitama does next.

One-Punch Man

The story of Saitama, a hero that does it just for fun & can defeat his enemies with a single punch.

Genre

Action, Comedy, Superhero

Language

English, Japanese

Number of Seasons

2

Debut Date

October 4, 2015

Studio

Madhouse, J.C.Staff