When One Punch Man debuted in 2015, it swiftly became one of the breakout shonen sensations of the 2010s, sparking endless memes, discussions, and more about Saitama’s unreal strength. A few years later, the series underwent a major studio and staff change, right before the much-awaited second season premiered. Unfortunately, all the special qualities that made the first season an all-time classic were clearly missing in OPM season 2, leaving fans frustrated, especially after witnessing an extraordinary first season.
It marked the beginning of the downfall of One Punch Man, and the superhero anime has never been the same since. Now, after half a decade, One Punch Man is finally returning with a third season, yet the controversy around it never seems to fade.
Here’s Why the New One-Punch Man Director Apologizes to Fans
Although OPM Season 3 has been confirmed to premiere in October 2025, no teaser, trailer, or even a staff list has been revealed until today, making fans increasingly worried about the quality of the upcoming season. Fortunately, the release date of the third season of One Punch Man was revealed today, along with a teaser that also disclosed the details of the staff who worked on the third season.
Shinpei Nagai has been announced to be the director of One Punch Man Season 3. After his announcement, Shinpei shared a big message with OPM fans in an X post today. The director briefly explained why he was hired by J.C. Staff after he worked on titles such as Hiiro no Kakera, Aquarion Logos, Altered Carbon, GANGSTA, Samurai Flamenco, etc.
Shinpei initially wished to work in Manglobe (known for Samurai Champloo, Ergo Proxy, etc), but the studio was eventually shut down. “In the midst of that, J.C.Staff became a long-term partner, commissioning me for storyboards and direction throughout the year. However, since I’m relatively unknown and don’t have standout achievements as an animator, I thought it might give a bad impression, so I asked to keep it under wraps,” said Shinpei.
Given his lack of notable achievements and recognition, the director felt that his name might leave a poor impression on fans. Shinpei has also worked on popular anime such as JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable, Banana Fish (one of the best BL anime), Psycho-Pass, Dr. Stone New World, Food Wars, etc. Yet he requested the production studios to keep the director’s information confidential until it was revealed today. That is the main reason why the director apologized to the fans today on X. Since he is also a One Punch Man fan, he understood the feeling of being in the dark about the upcoming season.
Lastly, the director remarked that he is blending 2D and 3D CG animation to offer a new experience in One Punch Man season 3. It’s something you must have already seen in anime like Demon Slayer, Chainsaw Man. The production team is completely dedicated to bringing out the best of OPM’s third season.
Then, when the consultation for One Punch Man Season 3 came up, I focused on incorporating a new workflow—something I discussed in CGWORLD, bridging 3D and 2D workflows—to squeeze out even one more second of production time. The team is giving it our all on site.
Many OPM fans appreciated Shinpei for his words and wished him the best for the upcoming third season. However, many fans believe that the third season will meet the same fate as the previous disastrous season. If it happens, fans are worried Shinpei will unfortunately become the scapegoat for the failure.
The new teaser is not looking promising, yet all our hopes are on the underrated director, Shinpei Nagai. We don’t know if the downfall of OPM will continue with the third season, but we can hope that the third season will season can reach its potential under Shinpei’s direction. It’s not right to judge a director’s work just based on previews, and so we can look forward to OPM season 3’s premiere next month.
While other popular shonen series, such as JJK, Chainsaw Man, etc, are getting their deserved anime adaptations, it’s sad to see one of the greats being treated this way. Having said that, do you think the One Punch Man series can make a comeback with its third season? Let us know in the comments below.
Shashank Shakya
Shashank Shakya
