A failed fish farmer in China who found inspiration in the Japanese manga ‘One Punch Man’ managed to turn his life around after 1,000 days of grueling physical training.

Born in a poor rural family in Shandong province, Li Shuangyong never had the easiest life, but he hit rock bottom in 2021 when his fish farming business collapsed. His marriage collapsed shortly after, and he was left to shoulder the debt he had accumulated over the years. Looking back, Li describes his old self as a “life loser” who spent his days lost and wandering aimlessly. It was around this time that he came across “One Punch Man”, the popular Japanese manga whose protagonist, Saitama, starts out as a broke average Joe struggling to pay the rent for his shabby apartment, only to become the world’s strongest man after training religiously for three years.