One Punch Man Season 3

Episode 12

They're making 12 more episodes of One Punch Man season 3 in 2027, and I pray that God has mercy on our souls. This season was an immeasurable disappointment, and I can't think of a modern anime series less deserving of more episodes than One Punch Man. No one asked for more One Punch Man, and continuing the anime beyond the first season was already inadvisable. After watching this piddling “finale” that tries to force an unearned emotional reaction upon me and only manages to redeem itself through a handful of gags, I hope not to think about this franchise again until the back half of this season is forced upon me in a year and a change.

This episode features Saitama encountering the big bad of the Monster Association, Orochi, and, to no one's surprise, he defeats the monster man in one punch! This scene tries to be a dramatic finish to this run of episodes, but it just feels predictable and like it's trying to force an emotional reaction out of me. Saitama briefly tries to empathize with Orochi's journey to becoming the supposedly strongest monster before lamenting that he is still bored, and the sad music that plays over this scene just feels insulting. Whatever reaction this moment is trying to inspire is nowhere near earned, and all I felt in this scene was relief that this incredibly obvious plot development was over.

While the crux of this episode, and season, was bare, some smaller bits from this episode did inspire a grin and deserve a shout-out. Saitama treating Overgrown Rover (once again, I'm not calling it “Pochi”) like a regular dog is a great gag that plays into his overwhelming strength, having a flattening effect on potential threats. The cat monster Nyan getting a bad vibe from Saitama after failing to kill him in a sneak attack and then running off was also a fun beat that mirrored actual cat behavior.

Though the fight between Tornado of Terror and Psykos was largely posturing and layers of after effects, the editing in this battle stood out as noteworthy. The quick cuts and rapidly changing backgrounds made the fight feel explosive in a way that distinguishes it from others in this season. Seeing Tornado brat out and her more simplified design being used effectively for a gag is also always a treat.

Additionally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that every King joke from this episode landed perfectly and that it's nice to see this really fun character used effectively again.

Ultimately, though, this is a completely average episode of anime that ordinarily would not get this level of attention or scrutiny if it weren't attached to such an accomplished piece of media. This finale, much like the rest of this season, is completely content with riding the coattails of the phenomenal first season, and I could not be more disappointed. If you're thinking of getting caught up on this season over the end-of-year break, just rewatch the first season instead.

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When he's not doing 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10k run every day, Lucas DeRuyter is penning some kind of media or social critique. You can get updates on his hero ranking by following his Bluesky account, and keep up with his heroic exploits by checking out his portfolio. When he isn't bargain hunting, you can find him contributing to ANN's This Week in Anime column.

One Punch Man Season 3 is currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+ in the U.S., and Netflix and Crunchyroll in other regions.