It has been 10 years since 2015, when Barack Obama was still president, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was still figuring out what Season 3 meant while Netflix was still sending DVDs to some customers in metropolitan areas. This was also the time when One Punch Man first aired, introducing the world to Saitama — a superhero who could defeat any foe with just one punch.
With One Punch Man Season 3, fans have had to wait over five years since Season 2, marking a decade since this anime first debuted. In a global context, it has generated countless memes about its overwhelmingly powerful characters and thousands of “OK” GIFs, creating a huge cultural phenomenon that has left the fandom yearning for more. So, what is the reason behind this prolonged wait?
The Success of One Punch Man Season 1 and Why Season 2 Was a “Failure”?
Animation studios typically produce episodes within strict deadlines, with budgets and workforce availability predetermined. Directors are often given specific assignments and work styles established by the studio. One Punch Man Season 1 was directed by Shingo Natsume, who “broke the rules.”
Instead of using the usual staff of Madhouse, he brought in his own animation team, many of whom were influenced by his previous work, Space Dandy. Together, the team “touched” each episode with meticulous attention to detail, creating a unique visual style that made One Punch Man reminiscent of a well-crafted comic series.
Regarding this topic, One Punch Man Season 1 is not solely a product of Madhouse in any traditional sense. Character designer Chikashi Kubota explained during an interview with Yatta-Tachi in 2017: “The animation community is not bound by any one studio. Most in the industry are freelance. Therefore, ultimately, animators only wish to create the best work they can.”
The team behind One Punch Man Season 1 indeed was not from Madhouse but under Natsume’s leadership. Thus, when Natsume left to pursue other projects, his “network” went with him. Almost immediately, Madhouse faced difficulties with studios struggling to replicate the quality of Season 1 without his complete oversight. The departure of producer Masao Maruyama, who founded MAPPA in 2011, further complicated the production landscape, making it difficult to achieve the same level of success that Season 1 had achieved.
JC Staff’s Challenges in One Punch Man Season 2
In 2017, it was announced that One Punch Man would change its director and production company, with JC Staff and Chikara Sakurai (animation director of Naruto, director of A Certain Magical Index) taking over. JC Staff is proud of its achievements with Food Wars and Toradora, but these productions did not require the high-quality “sakuga” animation that characterized the first season of One Punch Man; thus, the studio’s approach was completely different from any other project: defining a single director, allocating resources, and adhering to a strict timeline.
The distinct differences became apparent almost immediately. The detailed production values of Season 1 diminished. Fans quickly noticed that JC Staff began using less refined animation techniques, leading to battles that lacked the fluidity seen in Season 1. The sound design shifted from a “dynamic” sound that showcased Saitama’s overwhelming strength to a general sound profile found in any action anime.
When discussing the reasons for the decline in quality in Season 2, director Shingo Natsume made fans even more disappointed. He stated: “Personally, I definitely wanted to achieve something. But I couldn’t make it happen as I wanted. I can’t create every scene I would like to make. However, I feel that JC Staff has done more than ever with this program.”
With rapid changes and a new staff, One Punch Man Season 2 faced significant challenges to succeed. When Natsume attended AnimeFest in Dallas in August 2019, he was directly questioned about the quality of the animation in the second season during a panel discussion, and he admitted “it could be better,” while expressing his desire to return for the third season as a freelance director.
JC Staff has had six years to “absorb” the lessons from the first season’s shortcomings. In March 2025, producer Atsushi Fujishiro confirmed that Season 3 would not repeat the mistakes of the past: “The preparations for the third season are currently underway. It’s a very special project with high stakes, and we promise to deliver a film that won’t disappoint.”
However, the quality issues in the anime industry highlight the importance of execution. Yet the “mystery” comments from character designer Chikashi Kubota about the “issues” hint at ongoing concerns within the production that could affect fan reception regarding whether the animation quality of Season 2 can be improved upon.
One Punch Man Season 3’s Release Amidst Fandom Concerns
Since the media landscape has changed significantly from 2015 to 2019, Twitter and YouTube have created instant feedback loops where every frame is compared with the highlights of Season 1. By the time Season 2 aired, One Punch Man had become the gold standard for action anime, leaving JC Staff with a high bar to meet.
Six years later, the pressure continues to mount. In December 2024, eager fans received a teaser for Season 3, but it was just a promotional video from a complete stranger, Kazunori Ozawa. When fans inquired about the production process, Ozawa confirmed he was the “only animation director” involved. Fans quickly dismissed it as a different “PowerPoint presentation.”
Yet the criticism regarding the production process suggests that Ozawa and other staff members of Season 3 are still struggling with the foundation. This is precisely what JC Staff has achieved after six years: a team of dedicated staff members and a community of enthusiastic fans. The collaboration with manga artist Yusuke Murata has proven beneficial for the production team.
While JC Staff addresses the animation issues, the One Punch Man manga also faces its own specific challenges. The entirety of Yusuke Murata’s art contributes to making One Punch Man visually stunning, turning it into a source of concern. He recently announced that he would pause for two more months until July 17, 2025, after spending over a year revisiting the Ninja Village arc for the third time.
This is the current standard process for Murata. He completes chapters before deciding whether they are fully polished or need revision. This creates a challenging artistic endeavor, but fans may not realize if the material is in its final draft or a rough version after months of revisions. Continuous edits could lead to numerous issues for JC Staff. They are now trying to transition to a continuous source of material. The narrative details and animation elements may change, which could potentially hinder the production flow.
The most disappointing aspect of the ongoing debate about One Punch Man Season 3 is that Shingo Natsume, the director who achieved the success of Season 1, remains excluded, still yearning for and believing in the value of this franchise. However, until the decision-makers recognize that animation quality has reached a higher standard due to outstanding production staff — not just due to budget constraints — fans may continue to receive “PowerPoint presentations” instead of the dynamic animation that they have come to expect since 2015.
Source: CBR
