One Punch Man has had two successful seasons since its first release in 2015 and is one of the best anime series of all time. Fans have been waiting for news about One Punch Man Season 3 since the last episode of Season 2 aired, and there has finally been some movement on the project and its release date.
A Quick Recap Of The Previous Two Seasons
Season 1 started in 2015 and introduced us to Saitama (voiced by Makoto Furukawa in the original Japanese dub and Max Mittelman in the English), our beloved bald-headed and relatable hero who has worked so hard for what he wants (to become one of the strongest heroes), but he doesn’t know what the meaning of life is anymore. Along with him, we were also introduced to the world of Saitama, where unique characters like heroes and villains abound. Along with Saitama, we also met the cyborg Genos (voiced by Kaito Ishikawa in the original Japanese dub and Zach Aguilar in the English), who acts as a kind of “sidekick” to our hero, as well as the Hero Association. The first season of One-Punch Man ended after Saitama had finally found someone worthy of fighting him, Boros, after a thrilling battle between the two.
After a four-year gap, season 2 kicked off in 2019, where the previous season had left off, airing the first episode on the 10th of April. This season continued Saitama’s journey and was the first introduction of the process of “Monsterization”, when The Monster Association forces everyday humans to consume Monster King that they got from the Monster King Orochi, transforming them into formidable monsters. Before the end of the season, whispers started about an all-powerful entity known as “God” starting to emerge, Saitama had defeated Elder Centipede, and Garou (voiced by Hikaru Midorikawa in the original Japanese Dub and Greg Chun in the English) was captured, setting the stage for the start of the next arc.
What Will the Plot of One Punch Man Season 3 Be?
Again, there has not been any confirmation on the plot for the next season. However, if the anime continued following the manga like the previous season did, the following season would pick up at the end of season two, from chapter 85. Where the previous arcs of the manga and anime have told the story of Saitama and how he makes his way through the ranks of the Hero Association, chapter 86 picks up with the Monster Association Arc. This means it would change the overall focus to Garou, one of the better villains in recent years who is also known as the “Hero Hunter” or even the “Human Monster”.
In addition, the new season will probably further explore the Monster Association and introduce higher-level threats such as Evil Natural Water and Royal Ripper, and even the further whispers of “God”. The most anticipated scenes for season 3 lie in the array of fighting sequences between the heroes and villains. This will result in a full-out war between The Hero Association and The Monster Association. It’s hard to say what elements of the manga series will survive the anime adaptation, especially considering The Monster Association HQ is traditionally right beneath Saitama’s house, causing some issues and inconveniences for him.
Supposing one considers the scale of the fights that have already been seen between Saitama and other members of the Hero Association, the next season’s sequences will be something to look forward to.
Who Will be Returning for the Third Season?
Based on the information provided by the manga, it is safe to assume that Saitama and protégé Genos will return for the next season and reprise their roles as the main characters in the show.
Furthermore, many of the heroes fans met in season two will also make their way back to the screen, such as the likes of Atomic Samurai, Child Emperor, Metal Knight, and Zombieman, while fans are also hoping for lower C-Class heroes like Mumen Rider to make a return. However, some new characters and heroes will be introduced into the show, and many will be villains. It is important to remember that none of this information has been officially confirmed and is based on the remaining chapters of the manga.
The cast for One-Punch Man season 3 has not been officially confirmed. However, several major characters are expected to return, including Saitama (voiced by Makoto Furukawa), Genos (voiced by Kaito Ishikawa), Garou (voiced by Hikaru Midorikawa), King (voiced by Hiroki Yasumoto), and the Monster Association’s Gyoro Gyoro (voiced by Takehito Koyasu).
Is There a Trailer or Teaser for One Punch Man Season 3?
After a couple of years of waiting, we finally have a trailer for One Punch Man Season 3. The new trailer was released on the official website, OnePunchMan-anime.net, along with the new poster for the third season.
While there wasn’t too much that was spoiled by the latest trailer, it opens with the “Human Monster” Garou fighting Royal Ripper and Bug God, seemingly proving the theory that season 3 is going to explore the Monster Association arc from the manga.
Season 3 is starting to look promising. It is packed with action, beautifully animated, and stays true to the original source material.
Watch the new trailer for One Punch Man Season 3 below:
Where Can the New Season Be Watched?
All the other seasons of One Punch Man are currently available on the streaming service Crunchyroll. So, it would be safe to assume that Crunchyroll will be the go-to spot to watch it once the next season drops. Like many other anime fans, you can read One-Punch Man on VIZ Media. If you, like many other anime fans, like to watch the hit anime series and read the original manga and source material, you aren’t scared of spoiling it. This website calls itself the official home of the manga.
When Is The One-Punch Man Season 3 Release Date?
Unfortunately, there has not been a confirmed release date for the new season. Some fans were hoping for a third season as early as 2023, but that was highly unlikely because the show had entered production in 2022. Instead, a mid-2024 release date was much more realistic. This is because one also must consider the general amount of time it takes the production studio to produce a season. For example, it took four years before fans saw a second season of One Punch Man following its initial announcement and release in 2015. Because we hope the upcoming season is even better than the last, it’s acceptable to expect a later release date.
A recent article by Dexerto cited the same Tweet from the official Twitter page and mentioned a hope of seeing more information about the release of season 3 at Tokyo’s Jump Festa 2024, the anime convention of the year that took place from the 16th to the 17th of December 2023. Unfortunately, no new info for the third season was shared.
As of September 2024, we now have a short announcement trailer for the third season, but there is still no release date. From the trailer, the season looks good, an attribute that fans hope means that we won’t have too much longer to wait before we get to watch the awesome third season.
Are you excited about One Punch Man season 3 and the upcoming release date? See where the One Punch Man opening theme song ranks on our list of best anime songs of all time.
