Action returns, but animation woes and directional choices leave fans divided.
The first episode of One Punch Man Season 3 wasn’t very exciting, but Episode 2 gave fans hope with a little more action and a better pace. The episode, which adapted chapters 87 and 88.5 from the manga, also included a bonus scene between Saitama and Tareo. It showed both growth and problems that anime fans still argue about.
Hero hunter brings all the disputes with him.
Shinpei Nagai and Hikaru Tanaka directed and storyboarded the episode in a style more like a manga. For manga fans, that level of detail can be pleasing to the eyes, but it takes away chances for creative animation and cinematic flair. Nagai is a bright but overworked freelancer who seems to be working under tight production constraints, as evidenced by the way work is being done.
The fact that Nagai stuck to the manga’s style seems both a strength and a weakness. Even though Murata’s art is excellent, when it’s turned into an animation frame-for-frame, it can feel stiff and off. It serves as a lesson that great manga panels don’t always mean great animation, especially when time constraints are very tight.
A lot of fan criticism is still aimed at the business side. Since the last season, JC Staff, the company that produced Season 3, has been criticized for inconsistent visuals and poor animation. Even though things are getting better, you can still feel the stress. Fans are hoping that the Suzuki line, known for its intense action scenes, will finally take charge of the next episodes.
Even though Episode 2 has some problems, it gets praise. The pace was faster, the tone was more sure of itself, and there was finally some real movement on the screen. The episode’s art direction is still one of its best parts, with its bright color changes and striking lighting. Yukihiroi’s compositing work really stood out, especially in scenes with Tareo, because the way light and shade interacted made me feel genuine emotion.
Better comedic timing and voice direction would have also helped the show. The characters’ conversation flowed easily, keeping the right amount of tension and humor. Little things like sun flare effects and color transitions gave scenes a polished cinematic edge that wasn’t there in the opening.
Of course, things got really intense when the show turned to action. The music got louder, the stress rose, and there were some brilliant moments in Garo’s scenes, especially his slides and counters. Fans were quickly reminded of how great One Punch Man used to be by scenes like Tareo’s desperate run and Reaper’s spinning attack.
Bumps in the road can lead to lost chances.
Still, for every high point, there’s an equal number of low points. Some action cuts stood out, but others seemed flat or awkward. When Garo fought back against the Reaper’s blade, it didn’t have enough effect. The buildup didn’t have the punch that makes fight scenes memorable. Animation mistakes —like faces that didn’t match the models or problems with proportions —ruined scenes that should have been strong.
The episode’s drawing control was all over the place. Some shots looked sharp and moving, while others looked rough, static, or warped in a strange way. A few good in-between frames and rough changes made some scenes look and feel like rough drafts instead of finished animation. It was clear the production team might be too busy, as even simple walk cycles showed signs of stress.
Some of the stiffness in the movement could have been hidden by adding smoke or particle effects. These are small visual choices that can make a big difference in cartoons with a lot of action. But it looked like even those simple touches were out of the question for now. The famous “sliding man” scene is an excellent example of this problem: animation that works on paper but looks bad when it’s done.
People are talking about more than just the quality of the animation in One Punch Man Season 3. They are talking about what fans expect from a show that once set the standard for exciting visual storytelling. It’s not fair to compare it to slice-of-life or limited-production anime, since those shows have different goals and budgets. But when a show that is supposed to be full of big action scenes can’t even create simple movement smoothly, it makes you wonder how the show was planned.
The distribution of resources has become a major problem. Studios often have to decide whether to put all their best efforts into one show or spread the quality evenly over the season. As we’ve seen with Summertime Rendering and Zom 100, even the most skilled teams can fail without the right support or time. The same thing is happening here—JC Staff just seems too busy.
But the base isn’t completely falling apart. It’s clear that the team has talented artists, like Ali and A.I., who know how to score and make an effect. Even though their scenes are short, they add brilliant moments that remind viewers why One Punch Man is still loved after a rough history of adaptations.
The next episodes give the fans a glimmer of hope.
There is a quiet promise at the end of Episode 2 that the big fight is coming. There are hints that A.I. will be vital in animating the next show, possibly using animations from the trailer. Fans may finally get to see the exciting action they’ve been waiting for if that’s true. The production team is experimenting with various changes to restore visual intensity, as evidenced by shifts in drawing style and color range.
For now, One Punch Man Season 3 Episode 2 is a picture of the whole process of making the show: brilliant moments that are washed out by tiredness and a lack of resources. Yes, it’s better than the pilot, but it’s still a long way from the fluid, adrenaline-fueled spectacle that made the first few episodes of the show what it was.
One Punch Man could still do well if the studio can use the skill it still has and let creativity flow. But for now, it’s hitting hard and missing just enough to hurt.
