One Punch Man season 3 was officially confirmed to be in development in August 2022. Despite the anticipation that has built up over the past year, there have been no further announcements or details revealed about the upcoming anime. An initial leak suggested that MAPPA would be handling the animation for the series; however, this information was later refuted by official sources affiliated with the series.
Created by ONE and adapted into a manga by Yusuke Murata, One Punch Man originated as a webcomic by ONE. The manga adaptation by Murata followed, and the series received its first anime adaptation in 2015, with a second season following in 2019. Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of One Punch Man season 3.
One Punch Man season 3 Delay May Be A Result of MAPPA
In December 2022, a leak emerged from the now-deleted X account @shonenleaks, suggesting that MAPPA would be the animation studio for One Punch Man season 3. It’s worth noting that the first two seasons were handled by Madhouse and J.C.Staff, respectively. J.C.Staff faced significant criticism after the second season, fueling speculation about a studio change for the anime.
Initially, MAPPA seemed like a fitting choice, especially as the studio was announcing multiple anime adaptations around the same time. However, official sources promptly denied any decision had been made, leading to the removal of the @shonenleaks account. Consequently, fans began to doubt the accuracy of the leak, questioning whether MAPPA was indeed taking on One Punch Man season 3.
Recent developments, however, suggest that the initial leak might have been accurate. MAPPA, founded in 2011 by former Madhouse employees, initially gained acclaim for producing notable anime such as Banana Fish, Kakegurui, and Dorohedoro. Despite this success, the studio faced challenges after acquiring high-profile projects like Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Vinland Saga, and Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku.
While MAPPA’s involvement in these projects garnered recognition and increased revenue, it came at the cost of overburdened employees and stretched resources. This strain became more evident with the release of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2, where animators shared their struggles on X regarding poor production planning and harsh conditions imposed by MAPPA’s senior officials.
The situation has escalated to the point where some episodes are allegedly completed just hours before their scheduled release, an uncommon occurrence in the anime industry. Considering that One Punch Man season 3 was announced in August 2022, fans would typically expect information about the animating studio by now. However, no official announcements have been made.
This lack of communication fuels speculation that the initial leak about MAPPA adapting One Punch Man season 3 might be true. The studio may have needed to address its schedule constraints before confirming the project, potentially leading to the denial of the leak. Given MAPPA’s ongoing criticism, there is a considerable possibility that the anime could either change studios again or face indefinite delays.
