One Punch Man was once one of the biggest examples of how anime could combine comedy, superheroes and spectacular action. The first season, released in 2015, became a worldwide success thanks to Madhouse’s impressive animation and visual direction. The story follows Saitama, a bald superhero who became ridiculously powerful after three years of training and can be defeat most enemies with a single punch. His ridiculous strength is contrasted with his bored personality and lack of recognition, turned him into an international anime icon. However, after two more seasons and major production changes, the strongest hero has lost some of his punch.
I consider Season 1 the best superhero anime I have ever watched. Madhouse, with director Shingo Natsume and character designer and animation director Chikashi Kubota, delivered explosive action, expressive character animation and impressive visual direction.
The biggest change came with Season 2. J.C. Staff took over animation production, while Chikara Sakurai replaced Natsume as director. I would not call J.C.Staff a bad animation studio. It has produced on many successful series such as Food Wars! and Toaru franchise. However, Season 1 had established an exceptionally high visual standard. Although I found Season 2 watchable, its action scenes felt less dynamic, making the difference in animation quality was difficult to ignore.
Then came Season 3 in October 2025, again produced by J.C. Staff and directed by Shinpei Nagai. Unfortunately, the season received heavy criticism from viewers who felt that its animation did not match the expectations created by Season 1.
Season 3’s biggest problem is not simply that it looks worse than Season 1. The animation sometimes fails to communicate movement, weight and impact. This is especially damaging for an action series built around superhuman battles.
One infamous example is Garou sliding down a grassy hill. The sequence widely mocked because Garou appears almost like a static image moving across the background rather than a character physically sliding through an environment. Fans jokingly nicknamed the anime “One Frame Man”, turning the scene into an internet meme.
Another questionable choice is the heavy use of bright neon colour effects during character close-ups. Stylised colour grading can create emotional tension or atmosphere, but when used too frequently, it can become distracting. These effects sometimes feel less like artistic enhancement and more like compensation for the lack of movement underneath them.
The controversial censorship of Zombieman also frustrated viewers. In one scene, the character holds a lollipop instead of the cigarette seen in the manga. The decision reminded many fans of One Piece censorship associated with 4Kids Entertainment, where Sanji’s cigarette was similarly replaced with a lollipop. For a seinen series aimed at older audiences, the choice feels particularly strange when the story also contains graphic violence.
The difference between the manga and anime makes the problem more noticeable. Yusuke Murata’s artwork is famous for detailed anatomy, dynamic poses, speed lines and carefully rendered textures. The anime simplifies some of this visual information, making certain scenes appear flatter and less energetic. Manga artwork does not need to be reproduced frame-by-frame, but an action anime needs to preserve its sense of movement and impact.
The backlash eventually spread beyond animation criticism. Some fans launched the #BoycottBandaiNamco campaign on X, directing their anger towards companies associated with the production. However, criticism crossed the line when viewers began personally targeting the staff.
Director Shinpei Nagai eventually deleted his X account after facing harassment and criticism. Here is a message from Shinpei Nagai before he deletes his X account:
Criticising an anime is fair. Harassing its creators is not.
I understand why audiences disliked One Punch Man Season 3. I never watched it because the animation put me off, so I cannot recommend it based on personal viewing. For me, it was heartbreaking to see a story about the world’s strongest hero become associated with weak animation and production controversy. MyAnimeList currently gives the season a 4.76/10 weighted score, while IMDb shows significantly lower audience ratings for its Season 3 episodes than earlier seasons.
Season 3 Part 1 ended in December 2025, but the story is not over. Part 2 is scheduled to broadcast in 2027. Can it bring back the impact that made Season 1 special, or will “One Frame Man’ return for another round?
Tilly Bunnage 
Josh 
Idea Phochaiya