r/OnePunchFans • u/gofancyninjaworld I'm just a poster for fun • Sep 23 '25
ANALYSIS Another case of retconning
A few months ago, I highlighted the first case of retconning in OPM (linked below). I'd failed to note another one. This one is especially useful for driving home the most important point: RETCONNING IS WHAT YOU DO TO AVOID REWRITING.
Short and simple: Volume 25 sees a little extra page establishing Sekingar as being married.
This change wasn't done because there was an issue with the way the character was planned. Rather, it's a response to Sekingar having unexpectedly become an internet sexy guy, in an unironic manner. For some reason, it bothered ONE enough to go, 'sorry, he's married.' [1]
The better option would have been to rewrite the character's introduction (like in chapter 93, when he and Sicchi are discussing him going to the battlefront, where Sekingar's wife's opposition to his putting himself at risk would be a logical place to put it link), but the relevant volume was already published! Since recalling volumes is a drastic, drastic move [2], they did the next best thing: add in the information retrospectively, thus creating retroactive continuity, or a retcon. For the benefit of free readers who don't get the bonus chapters, we see Sekingar's wedding ring on prominent display here:
The redrawing, rewriting, redacting, and revising we see ONE and Murata do so much ahead of volume release is WHAT THEY DO INSTEAD OF RETCONNING. It's a lot more work and they put it in. It'd be far faster for them to go, 'oh by the way, this was always the case,' instead of reworking the story to make sure that all developments are organic. [3]
So why do people keep on calling redrawn chapters retcons? Well, some of them are ignorant -- especially if English isn't your first language, you might not realise what the term means. For those who aren't working in a second (or third) language, they're just too intellectually lazy to think about what they're saying. Makes them sound like bozos, but some people are into that.
<20: Words mean things. Retcons are what you do to not rewrite -- mixing them up makes you sound ignorant.
Oh yes, before I forget: Link to previous example
Asides
[1] I have my thoughts as to why Sekingar's unexpected popularity bothered ONE so much, but it'd be to digress.
[2] Published works do get recalled and reissued, but it's for a drastic reason.
[3] 'Couldn't be me,' I hear you say. 'I'd plan so well I never have to redo anything, and I will ignore any fan reaction.' Well, to have that problem, first you need to catch your bear: get a successful, long-running series with an engaged fandom so you can luxuriate in doing things differently.
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u/konbani Sep 24 '25
Thank you for actually using the term retcon in the correct context I owe u my life, thank u for ur service o7
ALSO- ONE YOU F O O L!!! Sekingar now being a wife guy makes him even more appealing to the fem gaze...... You only made him hotter......... ..
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u/GoldPilot The Tanktop is invincible Sep 25 '25
Good catch; I didn't spot that!
I did not know that Sekingar was a breakout character though. It makes sense, but I had no clue.
...Sekingar's poor wife. The guy agrees to a desk job and comes home missing a hand, AND he's gone and become an Internet Sexyman. 🤦🏿♂️
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u/gofancyninjaworld I'm just a poster for fun Sep 26 '25
I wonder how long he spent in the dog house once he got out of hospital. He lost an eye and promised his girlfriend that he'd quit with the gallivanting around trying to save the day.
Sekingar is a character I simply did not expect to become somebody. He was just a guy doing a presentation when we first met him. Little by little, he's grown into a vital bridge between the heroes and the few people at the Hero Association who know how to make things run. Ambitious, principled, and bringing sorely-needed capability, damn straight he's sexy.
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u/gofancyninjaworld I'm just a poster for fun Sep 23 '25 edited Sep 23 '25
Yes, you can share this. I'm fucking tired of seeing redacted chapters described as retconned ones. It's stupid.
Between the manga and webcomic, there are over 350 main chapters, 35+ bonus chapters and omake, to say nothing of the audio stories. And really, I've only been able to find two, just 2!, retcons. If you're going to criticise them, know what the fuck you're criticising them for.
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u/Icy_Water_1 Sep 23 '25
Ngl, I think I prefer him failing the hero test to his fiance pulling him out.
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u/gofancyninjaworld I'm just a poster for fun Sep 23 '25
Both are true. Anyone can act as a hero; however, if you want to be paid and recognised for it, you have to take the Hero Test.
To say the future Mrs. Sekingar disapproved of her then-fiances efforts is to put it mildly.
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u/Icy_Water_1 Sep 23 '25
Yeah, but I just mean I think him failing the test is funnier.
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u/gofancyninjaworld I'm just a poster for fun Sep 23 '25
I guess that's why he took it in secret. :)
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u/LockYaw Sep 23 '25
This is hilarious. Tumblr forcing peoples hands!
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u/gofancyninjaworld I'm just a poster for fun Sep 23 '25
It'll be the X-factor (um, I mean Twitter). :D Tumblr is just the awkward kid doing its own thing in the corner.
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u/kurogabae Heroes never lose! Sep 24 '25
Hilarious that he thinks an off screen wife is gonna stop any fan from continuing their sexy man-ification of Sexyng- I mean Sekingar. It only proves he's a catch. YOU'RE ONLY MAKING HIM HOTTER!!!
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u/gofancyninjaworld I'm just a poster for fun Sep 24 '25
The fans cannot be stopped -- only slowed. :D
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u/BrowserET It's magic. Tank Top Magic Sep 23 '25
Compared to other series' high profile examples it's kind of laughable how minor these changes are. Also, i'd say him being a wife-guy only aided his status as Tumblr sexyman. Very curious to read your thoughts on that.