One-Punch Man’s second season is highly controversial among fans, so much so that it ranked as 2019’s “most controversial anime” back when the season released. With the same studio handlingOne-Punch Manseason 3, is there reason to think history might repeat itself?
The first season ofOne-Punch Manwas produced by Madhouse, and aired in 2014 in Japan. Madhouse is a well-known, well-respected animation studio, responsible for hits likeTrigun,Death Note,Parasyte: The Maxim, and many more. The animation in the first season is considered to be quite incredible, earning the series a 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The second season, however, was met with much more derision, and fans complained extensively about the many changes that the second season brought, including a change in animation studio.
What Happened With One-Punch Man Season 2
One-Punch Man’s Second Season Hit Some Bumps in the Road
While it’s not known exactly what happened, it was revealed in 2017 that the second season ofOne-Punch Manwould be handled by a new studio: J.C. Staff. While J.C. Staff does have some hits to its name, likeFood Warsand theA Certain Magical Indexseries, they’re generally a much less well-regarded studio than Madhouse is. Along with this change of studio came changes to many of the creatives involved in the series, most notablythe director of season 1, Shingo Natsume, being replaced by Chikara Sakurai.
When the second season finally came out in 2019, fans were extremely disappointed. While the story and characters remained good, the animation took a very obvious dive in quality.The choreography of the fights was also considered to have taken a step down, and many of these complaints landed at the feet of the new director, as well as the new animation studio.Scenes clearly lacked detail that had been present during comparable scenes in the first season, and many character designs were overly simplified in order to make them easier to animate.
The criticisms of season 2 are a bit overblown, but the main reason that the difference in quality is so notable is that the first season’s animation was just that spectacular. Even if season 2 had average-to-good animation, it would look bad by comparison to the first season. This caused many fans to question whether J.C. Staff should be allowed to handleOne-Punch Man,or if the series should change studios once again. However, the debate was settled whenOne-Punch Manseason 3 was announced, and it became clear that J.C. Staff would be returning.
One-Punch Man’s Third Season Hangs in the Balance
Will J.C. Staff Be Able to Deliver on One-Punch Man Season 3?
As the release date forOne-Punch Manseason 3 draws closer, fans have gotten increasingly worried about the quality of animation that the season will receive. J.C. Staff has assured fans that they will put their fullest efforts into delivering an incredible experience, but those burned by season 2 are quite skeptical of their claims.One-Punch Manseason 2 was mostly transitional in nature, setting up Garou the Hero Hunter and the Monster Association plotline.As those two storylines come to a head in season 3, it will be more important than ever to deliver on the quality fans expect.
If J.C. Staff couldn’t handle season 2, what reason is there to think they could rise to the occasion and handle season 3 properly?
One-Punch Manseason 3 arguably coverssome of the greatest content in the manga to date, and will heavily feature some high-tier fight scenes that, in the manga, were incredibly impressive displays of artistry. If J.C. Staff couldn’t handle season 2, what reason is there to think they could rise to the occasion and handle season 3 properly? This line of thinking has become prominent among fans, and even trailers showing footage from season 3 haven’t been able to completely negate the concerns about quality, with some fans claiming the trailer is cherrypicked to look its best.
Something else to consider is the quality of the manga’s art. The manga, drawn by Yusuke Murata, features exceptionally high-quality artwork with incredible detail. While some of this detail will inevitably have to be lost as the series is translated from manga to anime, comparisons between the manga and season 2 make it clear that far, far too much detail was ditched when bringing the designs to life for the anime.
One-Punch Man Season 3’s Story Will Still Be Worth It
Even If the Animation is Low Quality, Season 3’s Story Will Be Worth Watching
Whether J.C. Staff will put out a third season that’s of sufficient quality is unknowable at this point, but it seems that many fans won’t be happy with anything that J.C. Staff puts out, as they’ve already decided the studio is incapable of meeting their quality demands. That’s a bit unfair to J.C. Staff; fans should at least be willing to give season 3 a try before writing off the anime entirely. One issue with season 2 was that the production was a bit rushed; that won’t be the case for season 3, as they’ve had over 2 years to work on the animation, and hopefully that will make all the difference.
Regardless of season 3’s animation quality, the story promises to be an incredible one. As Garou continues to grow stronger, the Monster Association makes its move, luring in the heroes and intending to wipe them out. Many of the established heroes will finally get a chance to shine in this season, and the series also starts diving into the plot with gusto, finally revealing the true enemy of humanity and the absolutely ludicrous stakes.The story ofOne-Punch Manseason 3alone should make this a much more enjoyable experience than season 2.
At this point, all fans can do is cross their fingers and hope for the best. While many fans feel they have no reason to believe in J.C. Staff, the studio deserves a second chance, an opportunity to prove their dedication to creating a great show. Once the season has premiered, fans can criticize it all they like, but they should at least be willing to see what it’s like before judging. And who knows? With any luck, J.C. Staff may deliver aOne-Punch Manseason unlike any other.
