A One-Punch Man controversy has erupted after it was revealed the divisive new season 3 trailer was the work of only one animator: "Morale isn't great right now"

Saitama in One-Punch Man season 3
(Image credit: ©ONE, Yusuke Murata/SHUEISHA, Hero Association HQ)

The latest trailer for One-Punch Man season 3 has seen fans flood social media with comments about its apparent lack of quality and what it could mean for the upcoming season.

Now, it's been revealed that only one animator worked on the project – but that's not lifted the spirits of an expectant fanbase.

"I was asked to make a PV, so this time I did the animation supervision… I think I worked harder than usual," animator Kazunori Ozawa said on Twitter (via machine translation).

On the teaser, one viewer wrote on Twitter, "It's obviously going to be great art but you can just tell the animation is going to be lackluster just like in season 2. Season 1 really set the standard because now nobody really cares for this anime if it doesn't have godly animation."

Others have described it as "rushed", while the general mood of the fanbase is largely one of discontent. As one neatly summarizes it, "morale isn’t great right now."

Despite that, some have pointed to the suggestion that the PV – which stands for 'promotional video' – is essentially separate from One-Punch Man season 3. Further, its footage likely won't feature in October's return.

"The saving grace is that the PV was pre animated, so the actual anime WON’T look like it. It was done by a single animator for the purpose of marketing," one fan said.

Animation studio J.C. Staff is once again back for One-Punch Man season 3 – though it appears the latest teaser trailer isn't indicative of their work. The previous trailer, released in February 2024, brought more of the hard-hitting action we would come to expect but, given we're just over six months out from release, audiences will hope to see plenty more of Saitama in motion before then.

For more, check out the new anime coming your way in 2025. Then dive into all the latest news and updates on Frieren season 2 and Jujutsu Kaisen season 3.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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