"Whoa, Hibari actually lost?"
"So, there really are superpowers involved! And judging by Reborn's tone earlier, it seems this guy is specifically targeting Tsuna?"
"If it weren't for that mosquito from Dr. Shamal, Hibari wouldn't have lost!"
Though Hibari had appeared relatively few times in the manga so far, he was still a fan-favorite character, consistently ranking high in popularity polls. After all, he was strong, cool, and in many ways, more appealing than the main character, Tsuna.
So when Hibari was defeated by Rokudo Mukuro's illusion, many readers were understandably outraged.
Yes, illusions.
In the original *Katekyō Hitman Reborn!* anime, there was a scene that Ren found a bit ridiculous. Mukuro created a sakura blossom illusion by seemingly pressing a switch, making it look like the blossoms were projected by a slide machine. He even said, "For you, we hurriedly prepared this..."
This made the sakura blossoms seem less like an illusion and more like something out of a cheap slideshow. Ren decided to tweak this in his manga adaptation, drawing inspiration from Sasuke's Amaterasu technique in *Naruto*. In Ren's version, Mukuro unveils his illusion with a more dramatic flair.
In Ren's adaptation, when Mukuro opens his eye, a number "1" appears in his pupil, and he quietly says, "First Path: Hell Path."
Hibari, weakened by the poison from Dr. Shamal's mosquito, succumbs to Mukuro's cherry blossom illusion.
This twist led to a significant shift in the manga's reception. Fans who had been skeptical of the story's direction began to engage in heated discussions, just as intense as the battle between Gokudera and Mukuro's underling, Chikusa, at the end of Chapter 20.
"Finally! It feels like the story is starting to get exciting!"
"Haha, but what if it's just Tsuna easily defeating this 'pineapple-head' in the next chapter?"
"I doubt it. If the Porter said the story would change after this issue, then it's bound to happen. This chapter is proof of that."
"No matter what, I feel like things are changing. This 'pineapple-head' is different from the previous villains. When he used his first illusion, he called it 'First Path: Hell Path,' which reminds me of the Six Paths of Pain from *Naruto*. I bet he has more paths up his sleeve!"
"There's no way it's the same. His eyes don't have those circles."
"But what if Dr. Shamal's mosquito hadn't poisoned Hibari? Who do you think would be stronger, Mukuro or Hibari?"
This question sparked intense debate among the readers.
"I think the pineapple-head might be stronger. Hibari is just a student, after all. He's not like a ninja from *Naruto* with superhuman abilities. But this Mukuro guy? His eye clearly isn't ordinary. Even if it's not a Rinnegan, it's got to be powerful. How could a regular human beat someone with those kinds of abilities?"
"Mukuro is definitely strong, especially with his illusions. He could create countless copies of himself and overwhelm Hibari. But that doesn't mean Hibari is weak. I think Hibari is destined to be one of the main characters."
"Mukuro's only stronger because he took advantage of Hibari's condition! Without the poison, Hibari would've won!"
"Come on, in a real fight, you use every advantage you can get!"
Both sides had their supporters, and the debate was fierce. But as much as the readers were excited about the change in tone, there was also some apprehension about what was to come.
After all, previous complaints weren't unfounded. Even though Chapter 20 showed signs of a shift toward a more intense battle-oriented story, what if the next chapter just had Tsuna defeat Mukuro with a Dying Will Bullet, ignoring Mukuro's illusions entirely? That wouldn't be much of a battle manga.
Readers were relieved to see the story evolving but remained cautious.
Fortunately, *Katekyō Hitman Reborn!* wasn't the only manga of Ren's that was receiving praise. *One Punch Man* was also getting rave reviews.
Ren put a lot of effort into *One Punch Man*, capturing every detail with precision. The intense battles combined with the series' unique humor made it a hit with readers. Just like in his previous life, Ren's adaptation of *One Punch Man* was beloved by many.
Initially, readers like Daniel thought that the constant theme of "one punch to defeat any opponent" might get boring. But after a few chapters, they found themselves more invested than ever.
Ren knew that a simple narrative of an overpowered hero beating everyone in one punch could get dull, so he cleverly designed the story to build tension with other characters first. They would fight valiantly and lose, setting the stage for Saitama to step in and deliver the final blow, creating a satisfying climax.
One character who stood out was Genos, Saitama's disciple. To many, Genos seemed like the typical main character—strong, determined, with a tragic backstory. But despite his potential, Genos would charge into battle, only to be defeated every time. Then, Saitama would step in, and the contrast between the two made Saitama's victories even more thrilling.
This contrast extended to Saitama's expressions as well. The shift from his usual goofy look to a serious, determined face during battle was something readers loved.
Another memorable moment was when Saitama explained how he became so strong. Many readers were curious about his training regimen. In Chapter 3, when Saitama decided to reveal his secret in front of a powerful enemy, readers thought he was being cocky.
But it turned out that Saitama's training routine was something anyone could do—100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10 km run every day, with no air conditioning in summer or winter. The enemy was dumbfounded, and so were the readers.
This mix of humor and serious moments, along with the simple yet effective plot, made *One Punch Man* a refreshing read.
The appeal of *One Punch Man* lay in its ability to balance intense action with light-hearted humor. The story didn't need complex power-ups or convoluted training arcs. Saitama's overwhelming strength allowed the series to skip the usual drawn-out battles and get straight to the point.
In a way, Saitama's immense power created a unique dynamic. While he effortlessly defeated his enemies, the story was full of comedic moments and casual, everyday situations, making it a joy to read.
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