One Punch Man Season 3 has been one of the most anticipated anime releases in recent years. After the disappointment that was the Season 2’s animation, the fans hoped that J.C. Staff would redeem themselves.
The release has finally been announced. It is slated for the Fall of this year, but the preview and the key visuals that J.C. Staff brought out were not at all encouraging any trust or hope from the fans.
It looks more like a fan animation
After six years the constant delays, fans believed that they were trying their best to match up to the expectations of the legendary Season 1 of Madhouse. But it seems that the studio has been slacking off.
Instead of showcasing fluid animation (at least at a level that was above Season 2), the preview disappoints with below-average quality.
ONE PUNCH MAN SEASON 3
Anime X Manga pic.twitter.com/7MsdE8w685
— One Punch Man (@Everything_OPM_) March 7, 2025
It’s kinda weird how these weren’t even animation, just still shots with effects on them, wonder if it’s just a trailer thing because there’s no way they can’t animate their mouth moving
— HannahXEva (@REALHannahXEva) March 7, 2025
The fans immediately pointed this out, but they gave out still shots of the characters with effects. It is the same as in the manga, but the fans are questioning why this has not been animated.
honestly this looks good and bad at the same time. it looks like fan animation tbh
— Toufu (@NafsuX15) March 7, 2025
Since they are making an anime series, it makes sense that the promotion would use animated material to hype up and gather more attention from the fans. But the way the stills have been showcased seems like what you would find on a Reddit page: a fan animation.
This is a hard time for J.C. Staff, with the second season of Frieren by Madhouse releasing sometime this year, the competition and comparison is on again. It makes one wonder if they are doing this on purpose to decrease the fans’ expectations.
Why fans are so concerned about Season 3
If what J.C.Staff has shown is actually the quality that is going to be seen in the series, then the fans have to prepare themselves for the blow. The One Punch Man series cannot survive another flop Season.
A battle anime thrives on smooth animation and well-choreographed fight scenes, especially in One Punch Man.
Most of the episode goes into the battles of other heroes and hyping up the villain before Saitama comes in to land a punch to end it all. It is the essence of the series, and it cannot be compromised.
We do not know what is going on at J.C.Staff, but we should keep our expectations low and pray for a miracle. Season 3 adapts one of the most beloved and hyped arcs in the manga- The Monster Association arc, yet without proper visuals and fluid animation, it would be better for fans to stick to the manga instead.
One Punch Man is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
