Chapter 148 of One-Punch Man provides a glimpse into the Bang’s background before he rose to the rank of S-Class hero, demonstrating the parallels that exist between a student and a teacher.
A peek at the past of S-class hero Silver Fang, better known as Bang, is offered in Chapter 148 of One-Punch Man for the first time, and it provides an explanation for why he was willing to accept Garou as a student—and why that assignment was always doomed to failure.
It is revealed that Bang, like his prospective student, started his start as a cocky, aggressive thug in the chapter’s first section, which takes up the most of the chapter’s first section. He believed that his strength and might distinguished him from others and that this gave him the right to seize whatever he desired.
When it comes to martial arts, Bang, at this point, embodies the hubris that can accompany innate talent, which puts him at odds with his brother Bomb’s humble, training-focused approach to the sport. Bomb, as the older brother, takes it upon himself to reason with Bang, and despite his lack of aptitude, he manages to do just that in spite of his lack of experience. When Bang was defeated, it proved to be the catalyst for transformation in his life, which resulted in him becoming a professional hero in order to demonstrate to others that he had truly transformed.
Despite the fact that Bang and Garou share some graphic design characteristics, the old man has never alluded to the harsh and murderous nature of his previous life. The fact that Garou showed up at Bang’s dojo indicates that he recognised part of himself in the youngster and wanted to assist him in avoiding the same mistakes he had made in the past. Not only does this help to explain why Bang is taking Garou’s hero-hunting methods so personally, but it also helps to explain why he is seeing a reflection of his own flaws and failures, as well as an uncomfortable glimpse of what he might have been like had his brother not intervened in the first place.
Garou’s arrogance has not been eliminated by the dojo training; as such, Bang has resorted to the only strategy he knows will work: delivering him a humiliating setback that will cause him to reevaluate his entire existence. In the end, though, they were simply too identical to be distinguished.
There is a powerful dynamic between master and student created by the parallels between the two characters, and it is evident from reading that this backstory has been kept in mind for Bang throughout the entire manga series. At the heart of this character’s motivations is something lot deeper and more personal than the simple “he’s my responsibility” aspect that appeared to be at first glance.
Another noteworthy aspect is that these kind of martial arts master characters are sometimes given nothing in the way of backstory, as they are generally viewed only as plot devices to teach the protagonist new movements and techniques (like, say, Master Roshi in Dragon Ball). Additionally, the relationship between Bang and Bomb adds an interesting layer to this, as Bomb feels a responsibility to protect his younger brother not only because they share a common ancestor, but also because Bang’s influence on Bomb was a contributing factor to Bang accepting Garou as a student in the first place.
The manga’s illustrator Yusuke Murata has clearly been a major fan of these two boys for quite some time, as evidenced by the fact that they frequently appear prominently (together with Fubuki) on chapter and volume covers, as well as in bonus sketches that are occasionally made available online. And, at long last, fans have been given a glimpse into what it is that makes the old guys of One-Punch Man so cool—they are not only experts of martial arts, but they are also, in many ways, the moral heart of the series.