After nearly a decade, One Punch Man Season 3 is actually happening.
The original season dropped back in 2015, when the MCU was still figuring out Phase 3, Netflix still mailed DVDs, and Saitama punching stuff into oblivion was the coolest thing on TV. It was fast, funny, and jaw-droppingly animated. And then... nothing. For years.
So what happened?
Season 1: Lightning in a Bottle
Season 1 wasn't just a hit — it was a perfect storm. Director Shingo Natsume ignored the usual studio workflow at Madhouse and brought in his own team of top-tier freelance animators. The result looked nothing like standard TV anime — it was cinematic, detailed, and wildly expressive.
As character designer Chikashi Kubota put it, "The animation community isn't tied to one studio… they're just borrowing desks."
So when Natsume left, the whole magic team went with him. And Madhouse? They were left with desks — and no idea how to replicate what they never actually owned.
Season 2: Expectations Meet a Wall
In 2017, production shifted to J.C. Staff, with Chikara Sakurai directing. It aired in 2019, and fans immediately noticed: something was off. The backgrounds were photos, the fight scenes looked stiff, and the punch sound effects might as well have come from a stock library. When asked about the downgrade, Natsume said:
"I personally, of course, wanted to do it. But that could not be done despite myself… I wish J.C. Staff did way more with the show."
No wonder fans were bitter. Especially after Natsume later said at AnimeFest that he'd love to return.
Season 3: High Hopes, Low Trust
Now it's 2025, and J.C. Staff has had six years to get it right. In March, producer Atsushi Fujishiro said:
"Preparations for the third season are steadily progressing… we're committed to delivering a season that won't disappoint."
But fans aren't sold. Character designer Kubota hinted there may already be "problems" behind the scenes. And in December 2024, when fans were expecting a real trailer, they got a promo video made entirely by one guy — Kazunori Ozawa — who later admitted he was the "only animation director" involved. Fans called it a "PowerPoint presentation." Ozawa publicly said the backlash killed morale.
So that's where we are now: a demoralized animation team, a skeptical fanbase, and a franchise trying to recapture lightning without the guy who first bottled it.