The long-awaited One Punch Man Season 3 is facing heavy criticism following the release of Episode 5. What was once anticipated as a turning point for the series has now become one of its most controversial episodes, with both fans and animators expressing deep disappointment over its production quality.
Episode 5 was expected to reignite the spark of One Punch Man with spectacular animation and thrilling battles, particularly the much-hyped showdown between Garou, Overgrown Pochi, and Orochi. However, the result was far from expectations. Instead of delivering explosive energy and intense choreography, fans were met with sluggish pacing, abrupt transitions, and underwhelming visuals that stripped away the urgency of the original manga scenes.

Animator Vann Oba, who contributed several key cuts to the episode, took to social media to express his frustration. He revealed that while he was proud of his raw animation work, the final product failed to capture his intended impact due to poor art direction and compositing choices.
“The art direction and compositing didn’t do my cuts justice,” Oba wrote, confirming what many fans had suspected — that the core issue wasn’t animators’ laziness, but production mismanagement.
Other animators also voiced similar concerns before the episode aired, indicating that production had been rushed and underfunded. The show’s director, Shinpei Nagai, later deleted his X (formerly Twitter) account after facing intense backlash from viewers, reflecting the mounting pressure surrounding the project.

Reports suggest that One Punch Man Season 3 has been struggling behind the scenes for months. Insiders claim that J.C. Staff’s tight deadlines and limited resources have forced the team to prioritize delivery speed over quality. The result? Confusing editing, flat backgrounds, missing frames, and awkward fight choreography that fails to convey motion or emotional weight.
Even in pivotal scenes like Garou’s battle with Orochi, the animation lacked consistency. Fans noted recycled frames, missing transitional shots, and characters seemingly “sliding” across the screen rather than moving naturally.

Oba’s statements echo the voices of many industry professionals who feel trapped in an overworked production pipeline. Animator Chansard also commented that J.C. Staff’s workflow “is built for survival, not creative excellence,” highlighting systemic issues within the anime industry itself.
The backlash, however, shouldn’t be directed at individual animators. As Oba’s revelations show, the core problem lies with the production committee — unrealistic deadlines, fragmented coordination, and resource allocation failures.
While fans still hold out hope for improvement in future episodes, the current trajectory suggests One Punch Man Season 3 may continue to struggle unless major changes are made in its production approach