One Punch Man Season 3 Episode 8 Breaks the Slump — The Next Episode Puts Yusuke Murata to the Ultimate Test
After weeks of disappointment and sinking IMDb scores, Fall 2025’s most-hyped anime One Punch Man Season 3 finally flips the script with a momentum-shifting latest episode.
One Punch Man Season 3 was supposed to be the big Fall 2025 anime return. Instead, week after week, it faceplanted. Until now. Episode 8 finally showed signs of life, and fans are wondering if this season can actually stick the landing.
Quick recap: the slump before the bump
The season kicked off October 12, 2025 with sky-high expectations thanks to the Garou arc front and center. But the reaction was rough. For seven straight episodes, the individual IMDb scores didn’t even clear 4/10. The complaint you heard over and over: not the writing, not the arc — the animation. People compared entire action beats to PowerPoint slides. Big moments were staged like still frames with effects slapped on.
One viewer summed up the early weeks like this:
'Terrible start... the pacing feels awkward and wrong, and the animation looks like a powerpoint slideshow.'
Episode 8: the first real pulse
Episode 8 didn’t turn the season into a masterpiece, but it did finally move. Literally. The Flashy Flash fight against Gale Wind and Hellfire Flame wasn’t all smear frames and speedlines — there was actual choreography on screen. Fans noticed, and so did the numbers: the episode landed a 6.7/10 on IMDb, a big swing up from everything before it.
Or as one fan put it after slogging through the early episodes:
'With all the garbage coming out of season 3 thus far... this episode is easily the best one of the season.'
So… is the tide turning before the finale?
If J.C. Staff keeps Episode 8’s uptick going, Episode 9 could be the moment this season starts earning back goodwill. If they backslide to slideshow mode, expect those per-episode ratings to crash under 4 again. That swinginess is the story of Season 3 so far.
What Episode 9 is set to cover
Based on how Episode 8 wrapped, Episode 9 should spotlight a seriously underrated manga matchup: Child Emperor vs. G5. On paper, that fight can deliver. The only question is whether the production gives it the animation it needs, or trims it down to static shots again.
When and where to watch Episode 9
One Punch Man Season 3 Episode 9 is scheduled for Sunday, December 7, 2025. You can stream it on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. If you want to catch up, all previous seasons and episodes are on Crunchyroll right now.
The season at a glance
- Title: One Punch Man Season 3
- Studio: J.C. Staff
- Premiere: October 12, 2025
- Genre: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
- Ratings: IMDb overall series 8.6/10; MyAnimeList Season 1 8.48, Season 2 7.53, Season 3 4.6
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Long story short: Episode 8 finally broke the curse. Now Episode 9 has to prove it wasn’t a one-off.