Recruiters from Sonic's old ninja village lure him into the Monster Association, while Zombieman shadows a stray monster only to watch Armored Gorilla cut it down, quietly opening the Monster Association Arc.
Summary
Training deep in a forest, Speed-o'-Sound Sonic is jumped by two mystery attackers who turn out to be Gale Wind and Hellfire Flame, senior figures from his old ninja village. The pair urge Sonic to join the Monster Association and to kill Flashy Flash. Sonic waves the offer off at first, but once Gale Wind shows off his speed in monster form, Sonic is caught off guard and impressed. Driven by his ambition to surpass Saitama, he accepts, takes the Monster Cell, and steels himself to abandon his humanity.
At the Hero Association, staff puzzle over the recent burst of monster attacks and how quickly the creatures vanished. The lone holdout is Marshall Gorilla, who keeps prowling the streets of W-City, sore about the disaster level he was assigned. Rabbit, Meat Pounder, and Ironet are sent to bring him down, but Zombieman offers to go in their place. Meaning to gather intelligence on the Monster Association, he trails Marshall Gorilla, only for the monster to sense someone approaching. That someone is Armored Gorilla. Stunned to find him allied with humans, Marshall Gorilla lashes out with a knife that snaps on impact, and Armored Gorilla drops him with a single strike. Having seen this, Zombieman opts to follow Armored Gorilla instead. Elsewhere, Bang and Bomb talk over Garou, with Bang insisting that if any hero is to kill him, it should be Bang himself. Meanwhile, Sonic cooks and eats his Monster Cell and is left with a stomach ache.
Key Events
Gale Wind and Hellfire Flame recruit Sonic into the Monster Association and hand him a Monster Cell. Zombieman volunteers to hunt Marshall Gorilla to gather intel, then watches Armored Gorilla kill the monster and decides to tail him instead. Bang tells Bomb that he should be the one to kill Garou. Sonic eats his Monster Cell and gets a stomach ache.
Notes
Released on July 20, 2017, this seventy-eighth chapter opens the Monster Association Arc and appears in Volume 15. Its Japanese title, Anyaku Suru Mono-tachi, is rendered by Viz as Pulling the Strings. The chapter is adapted in Episode 21 of the anime, with Speed-o'-Sound Sonic on the cover. The volume bonus page shows a Monster Cell gesturing to Sonic not to cook it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who convinces Speed-o'-Sound Sonic to join the Monster Association in Chapter 78?
Gale Wind and Hellfire Flame, senior figures from Sonic's old ninja village, recruit him in Chapter 78 of One-Punch Man, urging him to join the Monster Association and kill Flashy Flash.
What does Sonic do with the Monster Cell he receives?
After accepting membership in the Monster Association, Sonic cooks and eats the Monster Cell he was given, which leaves him with a stomach ache.
What happens to Marshall Gorilla in Chapter 78?
Marshall Gorilla is killed by Armored Gorilla with a single strike after his knife shatters on impact, while Zombieman watches from hiding to gather intelligence on the Monster Association.
Why does Zombieman decide to follow Armored Gorilla?
Zombieman had been sent to fight Marshall Gorilla but instead watches Armored Gorilla kill him. Surprised to see the gorilla allied with humans, Zombieman chooses to trail Armored Gorilla for intel instead.
What does Bang say about Garou in Chapter 78?
Bang tells Bomb that if any hero is going to kill Garou, it should be Bang himself.
Sources & Information
Looking for more on Chapter 78? The Dragon Ball Wiki on Fandom has a dedicated page with community notes.
View on FandomThis content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Dragon Ball anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
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- Manga chapter pages: Jump Comics volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Akira Toriyama.
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