Scrapped Garou vs Metal Bat Fight

(Garou has such long, slender, and pretty fingers, the fuck?)

Going back over the OPM manga and webcomic for a second time, and finally getting around to reading the scrapped /changed chapters.

One thing that stood out to me with the original and unedited fight between Garou and Metal Bat is the tone was more playful and less serious, compared to the final version we have now.

It was more 2 teenage dorks one upping each other in a (violent) game, but the final version has more of a serious "it's my job to take you down" feel to it.

Funny how big a difference 3 pages makes.

It starts off the same, with Garou being a little shit and hurtling a manhole cover towards MB. His "what the heck face" in the first page wasn't as incredulous compared to the final version (he looks sooo young and cute here), so that was changed for the better imo.

Exquisite shot of Garou's back muscles. Thank you very much murata sensei.

Here is where the content got scrapped (to make the fight flow better, which I think it did, much as it pains me to say)

I can see why Murata cut it, since it appears that the shit talking and tackling had to take place in between the time MB hit the manhole, and it having to hit something on the horizon, which would've been way too short a time frame for all this to happen, let alone Garou ending up in front of said manhole cover.

Anyway, I just really like how playful MB is here. He just wants to knock some sense into Garou and mess around with him, not kill him or anything that serious.

It also reinforces the idea that MB just sees Garou as some young punk who needs a beating, not as a monster beyond saving.

This sets up a very interesting precedent for what's going to happen later in the manga now that MB is joining the battle at the MA (he just wants to get more details on him, most likely to teach him a lesson and he's curious about him too), not kill the guy I reckon)

It's a small thing, but this introductory fight between the two was so impactful on both boys that they even think about the other in later chapters.

(Garou remembering Badd's fighting spirit, and MB when he leaves the hospital to head to the MA HQ)

Not just that, but there's something about how they've been handled in the manga that leaves me feeling there is going to be more interaction between these two in the future, and maybe not just for this arc...

Other than that crash tackle igniting the fuel for Batarou shippers out there (hehe), it would be nice to see these two becoming friends somewhere down the line (or someone Garou tolerates and doesn't want to beat up lol)

Their dynamic would be one of constant shit talking, fighting, and trying to one up each other. So rivals (with the occasional shipping fanservice material to please fans, as murata does)

Not only that, but other than Saitama and King, it would be nice to see more different types of friendship dynamics in the OPM world.

Seeing Garou have someone on his side, other than Tareo, would be nice too.

Webcomic Spoilers below.

Given Garou's whereabouts in the WC, and what could potentially be in store for him (still up in the air at this point), some allies would be nice, and I think Metal Bat would make a good one.

Someone who won't tolerate his shit, close to him in age, won't hesitate to beat some sense into his thick skull every now and again, and goddamit the guy just needs friends lol.

Great analysis. I enjoyed the less serious tone to the fight before the edits, personally. I hope Badd and Garou do interact more in the future and lean into the banter.

Hero catcher! 🕹️🧸✨

Metal Bat returns in the latest update!

garou: i can't believe you watch sentai too. hah

badd: you're an idiot

Batarou in a nutshell. @kaincuro

He-he... Yes😈🍑

@kaincuro @aforrestofstuff @dies-first

god i love band aus

Metal Bat (Hero S-Class Rank 16)- One Punch Man

one punch man icons. # like or 🔁 if you save.

Guys, let's thank Murata and One for making canon the fact that these airheads can coordinate in a battle without knowing it 🙌🏻🐺🦇

What? am i reading well???? Is it canon that they complement each other???? That's all, I think I can retire now....

@kaincuro @aforrestofstuff @metalbatandzenko

first collab with @juste-une-etudiante 🥺🥰 thank you so much for doing this with me hh <3

We Will Meet Again (Day 1 of Batarou Week 2022)

YEAH LET’S GO

Where have you gone My love, my friend Somewhere without the rain I feel afraid now, I feel alone Will we meet again

For as much as Badd knew they shouldn’t, he couldn’t push Garou away. Everytime Garou sank into him, filling him entirely to the point of too much, he thought, stop, stop, stop, you should not be doing this. And then Garou would kiss him and he’d wonder if he was thinking the same thing. Those gold eyes and sharp teeth said that he probably didn’t. Garou was an animal, on the battlefield and here, in front of the fire, the trees standing guard around them, and Badd showed his throat to him.

Like this, with Garou crowding out the moonlight and painted only by the yellow contrast of the flames, he couldn’t really see the marks drawn over his skin, smudged now. And Badd wasn’t wearing his armor, tossed away, the indentations from the tight material smoothed away. They were just men. Hungry and lonely and cold, seeking out something that only the other could give.

The matching twin marks were still healing, blood oozing under the bandages on each of their shoulders as they ignored them. Badd gave Garou his with a sword. Garou gave Badd his with a dagger. There were probably other marks too—bites, bruises, scratches. In fact, Badd was adding a few when Garou sank in the last time, filling him with heat, making him cry out as he added his own between their bodies.

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Day In and Day Out (Day 3 of Batarou Week)

When Garou came to live with Badd, the hero resigned himself to having adopted another animal rather than living with a partner. It was accurate at first, with how Garou prowled around, situating himself wherever he liked (even if it wasn’t in a place he had been invited to be), taking things that he wanted without asking, and lazing the day away while Badd went out to pummel monsters.

Of course, the good part was that in many ways Garou was as affectionate as a pet too. When Badd came home, he met him at the door, excitedly rubbing against him, regardless of his gross state. He crawled into bed with him, resting his head on his chest, nosing at his neck and ear and insisting that he pet him until they both fell asleep. And there was humping, but…Badd didn’t exactly use rolled-up newspapers to handle that.

Days off were a bit more complicated.

“Garou, I gotta clean up the apartment.”

“Noooo…stay in bed with me.”

“This is the first day all week I don’t gotta patrol! Zenko’s gonna kill me if it gets any worse.”

Garou let out a thin, high whine, latching himself onto Badd’s body. Somehow he had managed to keep the human monster’s hand out of his pants but now he was literally wrapped around him with all his long, tight limbs.

“Fine.” Badd used the deep stores of energy that he usually got paid to employ and hoisted himself out of bed, Garou in tow. “Have it your way, Stretch.”

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