One-Punch Man Season 3 is happening. The official website for the popular anime series confirmed that a third season is in the works. Three years since Season 2 wrapped up on the small screen, character designer Chikashi Kubota has unveiled a visual teaser for the latest chapter, featuring Saitama and Garou. Earlier this week, manga artist Yusuke Murata teased the news via Twitter, saying a “big announcement” was on the way. This comes after the artist announced a one-month hiatus before resuming manga chapters.
“At this time, we will begin production on the long-awaited sequel to the animation of “One-Punch Man” 3rd season. At the same time, a new teaser visual drawn by Osamu Kubota, who was in charge of character design for the first and second seasons, has also been released,” said an official statement. “The latest information will be announced on the official TV anime website and official SNS as needed, so please wait for more details.”
Season 2 ends with “Hero Hunter” Garou being seriously injured by Silver Fang and Bomb. A post-credits scene shows Phoenix Man leading him to Orochi aka the Monster King, a major antagonist in the series. According to the One-Punch Man manga, the upcoming season will cover the Monster Association arc, centering on Garou going head-to-head against his former master Bang.
Saitama fans will have to keep their expectations low, as he won’t get that much screen time until his fight against Orochi. To do it justice, Arc finally has a fight with the Garou, one of the most-anticipated encounters of the series. However, depending on the chapter arrangement in the manga, this arc may be pushed to Season 4 — when (and if) it gets greenlit.
One-Punch Man Season 1 — produced by Madhouse — debuted to critical acclaim, with praise surrounding the art style and humor. But as the anime switched studios with JC staff, fans noticed a drastic drop in visual quality, prompting the team to look for a new animation studio. More details about it will come out in time.
Based on the Japanese manga series of the same name, One-Punch Man follows Saitama, a bald, skinny superhero with the power to defeat any opponent with a single punch. Tired of the lack of challenge, he tries to find a suitable competitor, as he deals with daily activities. The gimmick here is that since the main character is bland and without ambition, the anime focuses on the more interesting side characters – not a common occurrence in superhero shows.
Earlier this year, Sony Pictures tapped Justin Lin (F9) to direct a live-action adaptation of the manga. The film will be produced by Arad Productions, who also oversaw Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2.
Currently, there is no targeted release window for One-Punch Man Season 3.
