Last Updated: December 7, 2019
Here’s what to expect from One-Punch Man season 3. Based on the manga series by ONE and Yusuke Murata, the One-Punch Man anime has enjoyed popularity with both Japanese and Western audiences and recently wrapped up its second season. Where One-Punch Man’s debut season focused on establishing the core characters of Saitama, Genos and the Heroes Association, season 2 moved towards a more traditional story structure, establishing Orochi as an overarching antagonist. It remains to be seen which type of story One-Punch Man season 3 will tell.
Additionally, One-Punch Man season 2 introduced the series’ first antihero, Garou, and spent several episodes developing supporting figures such as Bang, Fubuki and King but ended on somewhat of a strange note, with Saitama defeating Elder Centipede and Garou being abducted by new villains, the Monster Association. This leaves plenty of narrative paths for One-Punch Man season 3 to travel down, and new interesting situations for the titular hero to find himself tangled up in.
Despite receiving a more mixed critical reaction, One-Punch Man’s second season was massively popular and thoughts now begin to turn towards season 3. One-Punch Man season 3 will be a huge event in the anime world, with fans hoping to see their favorite show try and reach its season 1 heights once again.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Renewal Info
At this point, no official announcement of One-Punch Man season 3’s renewal has been issued, but considering the show’s popularity, it’s hard to imagine it not returning. As noted in the section below, a Japanese-language tweet on One-Punch Man’s official account suggested new episodes will eventually materialize. One-Punch Man season 3 is more a question of when than if.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Release Date
A post on the official One-Punch Man Twitter account (translated via Comicbook) confirmed that a third season was being planned, but there remains no confirmation of a release date. Many fans were disappointed by the almost four-year wait between One-Punch Man’s first and second seasons, but the gap is unlikely to be as long this time around since the considerable season 2 delay was caused by a complete overhaul in animation staff and a switch in studio. If the current team remain in place for One-Punch Man season 3, then fans may be able to optimistically hope for a release in the latter half of 2020, with 2021 perhaps slightly more realistic.
However, it’s possible that fan pressure could cause yet more staff changes and another long absence. One-Punch Man’s first season was directed by animation legend, Shingo Natsume, and the visuals he produced for the series played a significant role in its popularity. Under a different studio, One-Punch Man’s season 2 art and animation has been widely criticized and, while nowhere near as lackluster as some would suggest, there has certainly been a deterioration in that department.
For this reason, a group of fans are petitioning for One-Punch Man’s third season to rehire Natsume and the old team and, if this request is granted, a release sometime in late 2022 could become likely.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Story Details
The Monster Association played a sizeable role in One-Punch Man season 2, but the anime has barely begun to scratch the surface on this band of madcap villains. Using the manga series as a reference point, One-Punch Man season 3 will mostly deal with the Heroes Association launching an attack on their evil counterparts, with all the major S-Class heroes infiltrating their hideout and engaging in one-on-one battles.
This should mean that season 3 is an action-packed affair with plenty of epic fight scenes, however Saitama’s lack of screen time is set to continue and Genos may also be largely absent in the next season of One-Punch Man. Following the defeat of Elder Centipede, the manga focuses heavily on characters such as Child Emperor, Atomic Samurai and Garou, and introduces a raft of new Monsters. Fortunately, Saitama also takes part in the mission, albeit secretly, and fans can therefore expect at least some degree of caped baldness.
Despite the attractive promise of continuous fight scenes, One-Punch Man won’t lose its trademark sense of humor in season 3, if the manga is any indication. As well as some of the monsters themselves proving to be rich sources of comedy, the battles are interlaced with some more “slice of life” style material that sees an annoyed Saitama attempt to adjust to the ever-growing circle of friends turning up at his apartment.
More: Art & Screenshots For One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows
