She’s short. She’s loud. She’s incredibly arrogant. If you’ve spent any time in the One Punch Man fandom, you know exactly who I’m talking about. Terrible Tornado, or Tatsumaki, is a force of nature—literally and figuratively. Most fans look at her and see a bratty psychic who needs a reality check. But honestly? That’s barely scratching the surface of who she is.
Tatsumaki isn't just a plot device to show off how strong Saitama is. She is the S-Class Rank 2 hero for a reason. While other heroes are busy posing for cameras or getting caught up in petty rivalries, Tatsumaki is usually the one actually holding the planet together when the monsters show up. Her power isn't just "telekinesis." It’s a total mastery over the physical world that makes most other "powerhouse" characters look like they're playing with blocks in a sandbox.
The True Scale of Her Power
Let's talk about what she can actually do. In the manga, specifically during the Monster Association arc, we saw her lift an entire underground base—which was basically a subterranean city—thousands of feet into the air without breaking a sweat. Most psychics in anime have to focus, bleed from their nose, or scream to do something like that. Tatsumaki did it while having a conversation.
Her barrier technique is probably her most underrated skill. It isn't just a bubble. It's a multilayered, automatic defense system. She can survive attacks that would vaporize a mountain because her subconscious mind keeps those shields up even when she's exhausted. We saw this when she fought Psykos-Orochi. That beam cut through a literal slice of the Earth's crust. Tatsumaki took the brunt of that fight and kept going. It's ridiculous.
Why Terrible Tornado is the Hero the Association Needs
People hate her attitude. I get it. She’s dismissive of the lower-ranked heroes and treats everyone like they’re incompetent. But if you look at the track record of the Hero Association, she’s kinda right. Most of the heroes are, well, not that great. They get in the way. They require saving.
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Tatsumaki views hero work as a solitary burden. This isn't just her being a jerk; it’s trauma. Her backstory, which involves being sold by her parents and experimented on for years, shaped her worldview: "If you think someone is going to save you, you're wrong." This line, given to her by Blast, became the core of her entire personality. She doesn't want to rely on anyone because, in her experience, people only let you down or use you.
She’s the ultimate insurance policy. When the S-Class fails, she steps in. When a meteor is falling (even if that was a bit of a weird filler-style moment in the anime), she’s the one they call. Her efficiency is terrifying. She doesn't monolog. She just twists her finger and the threat is gone.
The Relationship with Fubuki: It’s Messy
You can’t talk about Terrible Tornado without talking about Blizzard (Fubuki). Their dynamic is the emotional heartbeat of her character. Tatsumaki is incredibly overprotective, but it manifests as psychological bullying. She tries to force Fubuki to quit being a hero because she knows how dangerous it is.
It’s toxic.
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There's no other way to put it. She dismantles Fubuki's group because she thinks "friends" are just weaknesses that will get her sister killed. But underneath that jagged exterior is a woman who is terrified of losing the only family she has left. It’s a classic case of an elder sibling projecting their own trauma onto the younger one. She wants Fubuki to be safe, but her definition of "safe" is "alone and under my thumb."
The Fight with Saitama (Manga Spoilers)
If you’ve been following the manga recently, you know the showdown between Saitama and Tatsumaki was a turning point. It wasn't a fight to the death; it was a tantrum vs. a brick wall. Tatsumaki threw everything she had at the Caped Baldy. She threw him through buildings, tried to crush him with gravity, and basically used him as a stress ball.
What was fascinating wasn't just the spectacle. It was the realization she had. For the first time in years, she found someone she couldn't break. For a woman who defined herself by being the strongest person in the room, finding Saitama was a shock to the system. It was one of the few times we saw her actually let loose without having to worry about collateral damage or killing her opponent.
She’s lonely. That’s the takeaway from that arc. She’s at the top of the mountain, and it’s freezing up there.
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Misconceptions about her Design
People often mistake her age. She’s 28. She’s not a child, despite her height. The artist, Yusuke Murata, and the creator, ONE, use her diminutive stature to contrast with her massive ego and power. It’s a visual gag that turned into a character study. When she’s serious, her art style shifts—her lines become sharper, more detailed, and she looks like the god-tier threat she actually is. When she’s being a brat, she turns into a "chibi" doodle.
This duality is why she’s a fan favorite. She can be the coolest person on the page and the most annoying person in the next panel.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Powerscalers
If you're trying to truly understand where Tatsumaki sits in the hierarchy of anime powerhouses or just want to appreciate the writing of One Punch Man more, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the background details: In the manga, Murata often draws Tatsumaki slightly hovering or vibrating when she’s angry. It’s a subtle nod to her constant psychic output.
- Analyze the "Webcomic vs. Manga" differences: The manga gives her a much more sympathetic edge. If you find her too unlikable in the anime, check out the Monster Association arc in the manga. Her heroism there is undeniable; she took massive internal damage to ensure the other heroes were shielded.
- Look at the "Blast" connection: Her obsession with the Rank 1 hero isn't a crush. It’s a philosophical tether. Every time she pushes people away, she’s trying to live up to the "standard" Blast set for her.
- Acknowledge her limits: She isn't invincible. Her power is tied to her physical brain. If she suffers a head injury or overexerts herself to the point of a concussion, her output drops drastically. This makes her fights more tactical than just "I win because I'm psychic."
Terrible Tornado isn't a hero because she's nice. She’s a hero because she’s the only one willing to do the heavy lifting when the world is ending. She’s flawed, she’s difficult, and she’s arguably one of the best-written characters in modern Shonen precisely because she doesn't fit into the "kind-hearted protector" trope. She’s a weapon that happens to have a very complicated soul.
To get the full picture of her development, focus on the chapters following the defeat of Monster King Orochi. Pay attention to how her internal monologue shifts from pure arrogance to a desperate need to protect the status quo. That’s where the real Tatsumaki lives.