It seems like the punch of the third season has whiffed quite spectacularly.
The anime One Punch Man has faced enormous backlash over its animation quality. The once-celebrated series is now bearing the full brunt of fan outrage. However, the line of what is appropriate has clearly been crossed.
Back When Every Punch Hit: The Glory Days of One Punch Man
The first season of One Punch Man was nothing short of a phenomenon. The series cleverly parodied the classic shonen formula. Instead of a long journey to become the strongest, the protagonist of One Punch Man, Saitama, is already the most powerful hero in his universe at the very start of the show, yet nobody knows about him. This unique premise made the show internationally famous. On top of that, Season 1 of One Punch Man offered stunning animation and lovable characters.
With Season 2, the production studio changed and so did the animation quality. People criticized the noticeable drop in animation quality. The second season is widely considered a step back in comparison to Season 1. However, the true outrage would come with Season 3.
Season 3: When the Hype Turned into Outrage
Fans had high hopes for Season 3. The season was originally announced in 2022, and with Season 2 having aired back in 2019, fans had to wait quite a while. Now, in 2025, the long-awaited season has finally arrived and fans are more than disappointed. Many are complaining about the abysmal animation quality. The lack of good animation is especially painful for those who know what happens in the manga and were excited to see the intense battles brought to life, since the show had been building up its main antagonist ever since Season 2.
The third season of One Punch Man has sparked an outrage among fans unlike anything we’ve seen since the infamous downfall of The Seven Deadly Sins. The backlash has gone so far that the director of Season 3, Shinpei Nagai, deleted his X account after receiving waves of harassment. A fan’s passion is understandable, but this clearly crosses the line.
A Hero Deserved Better
One Punch Man deserves a worthy adaptation, but what we have right now is far from that. The series, once praised for its sharp humor and incredible animation, should have received the same level of care and attention that made the first season a modern classic. Instead, what could have been a triumphant return has turned into a visual disappointment.
While it’s understandable that many fans are angry, directing that anger toward the show’s staff or the director himself is not the answer. Shinpei Nagai likely isn’t the one making the big production decisions that affect animation quality. Those choices are usually made at a much higher level within the studio or by producers managing budgets and schedules. Criticism is fair, but harassment never is.
What do you think? Have you watched One Punch Man season 3? Let us know in the comments!
