One Punch Man Director Lowers Expectations: Season 3 Won’t Top Season 1

Six years is a long time to wait for a season of TV, let alone one adapting one of the most hyped arcs in manga. So yeah, One-Punch Man Season 3 showed up with expectations sitting somewhere near the stratosphere. And then the director basically told everyone to lower the bar.

The director is telling fans to manage expectations

Season 3 director Shinpei Nagai answered a fan online and, in unusually blunt fashion, said this season won't touch Season 1. He took the job knowing there were production issues, said someone had to step in, and he was willing to be that person despite the blowback it might invite.

It might not please you or could even make you angry. But someone has to take it on. I am determined and ready to do so. It probably won't measure up to season 1.

Nagai also asked viewers to at least recognize the team's effort, saying the work is loaded with the creators' tenacity and ingenuity. In other words: he doesn't think it's perfect, but he's hoping it's at least watchable. He even referred to it as a film at one point, which reads like a translation quirk, but the point stands.

As for the studio: J.C. Staff isn't everyone's favorite, and Nagai knows it, but he says they did their best to make this season work.

Why Nagai is sticking up for J.C. Staff

He laid out a bit of the current studio landscape: a lot of top talent has been scooped up by big, well-funded companies, leaving smaller outfits scrambling to keep pace. Even with that headwind, he wants to support J.C. Staff because, according to him, they're actively trying to improve working conditions and grow their people. That's not the kind of thing we usually hear spelled out this plainly.

Nagai also addressed the dogpile happening online. He asked fans to dial down the harassment, said NDAs keep him from explaining certain decisions, and the constant firestorm only makes the job harder for the staff actually doing the work.

What, where, when

• Title: One-Punch Man Season 3
• Studio: J.C. Staff
• Release date: October 12, 2025
• Genres: Action, Comedy
• Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu, Prime Video
• Status: Now streaming on Crunchyroll

Can the season stick the landing?

Look, after this long of a wait, anything less than great was always going to feel like a letdown. For a lot of viewers, explanations start to sound like excuses. Still, there's a world where things pick up late. If J.C. Staff is saving its best for the back stretch, the big Heroes vs. Monster Association showdown near the end has serious potential. If those iconic manga moments come through with the right energy, the season could salvage its reputation on the finish line.

I'm cautiously optimistic, but not holding my breath. What do you think: can Season 3 pull off a late-game turnaround?