One Punch Man Season 3 Facing Indefinite Delays Amidst MAPPA's Challenges

One Punch Man season 3 was confirmed to be in production in August 2022. However, despite the long wait, no further details about the upcoming anime have been announced. The only leaked information was that MAPPA was initially rumored to be animating the series, but this was later debunked by the official sources of the show. One Punch Man is a manga series created by ONE and Yusuke Murata, originally starting as a webcomic. It was then adapted into a manga and subsequently received two anime adaptations in 2015 and 2019. Fans have eagerly been anticipating the release of One Punch Man season 3.

One Punch Man season 3: The anime's delay may be a result of MAPPA

Saitama as seen in One Punch Man anime (Image via Madhouse)

In December 2022, a leak from the now-deleted X account @shonenleaks revealed that MAPPA was rumored to animate One Punch Man season 3. The show's previous seasons had been produced by Madhouse and J.C.Staff, respectively. However, due to criticism received after the second season, there were talks of changing studios once again.

Given MAPPA's recent announcements of various anime adaptations, many felt that they would be a suitable choice. Unfortunately, official sources later confirmed that no such decision had been made, resulting in the removal of the X account. As a result, fans began to doubt whether MAPPA would actually be taking on One Punch Man season 3.

Displayed here is the character Garou from the One Punch Man anime (Image via Madhouse).

However, recent events suggest that the leaked information could be accurate. MAPPA, which was founded in 2011 by ex-Madhouse staff, has made significant progress. Initially, they produced exceptional anime titles such as Banana Fish, Kakegurui, Dorehodoro, and more.

Nonetheless, after acquiring Attack on Titan, the studio went on to adapt several popular projects such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Vinland Saga, Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, and more. While this move helped the studio gain recognition and increase its income, it also resulted in an overwhelming workload for the company's employees.

Genos as seen in One Punch Man anime (Image via Madhouse)

With the release of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2, the situation has become increasingly apparent. After the anime premiered, the series animators openly discussed the challenges they encountered due to inadequate production planning and the restrictive conditions set by senior officials at MAPPA.

The situation has deteriorated to the point where certain episodes are reportedly being completed just hours before they are scheduled to air. This is highly unusual for an anime production.

This is Tatsumaki as seen in the anime One Punch Man (Image via Madhouse).

It is worth noting that typically, a 12-episode anime takes about a year to be animated. Given that the announcement for One Punch Man season 3 was made in August 2022, fans would have expected to know which studio would be animating it by now. However, no such announcements have been made.

The leak of MAPPA adapting One Punch Man season 3 further supports the belief that it may be true. However, the studio had to sort out their schedule before commencing work on it, leading them to debunk the leak. Given the considerable criticism the studio has faced, there is a possibility of either another studio taking over or the anime facing indefinite delays.

Editor's P/S

As a passionate fan of One Punch Man, I am both excited and concerned about the future of the anime series. On the one hand, I am thrilled that a third season has been confirmed to be in production. This means that we will get to see more of Saitama, Genos, and the rest of the colorful cast of characters. On the other hand, I am worried about the potential for delays.

The article mentions that MAPPA, the studio that was rumored to be animating the third season, has been facing some challenges lately. The studio has taken on a number of high-profile projects, such as Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen, and this has led to an overwhelming workload for its employees. As a result, some episodes of these shows have been completed just hours before they are scheduled to air. This is not an ideal situation, and it could lead to further delays for One Punch Man season 3.

I hope that MAPPA is able to sort out its scheduling issues and that One Punch Man season 3 will be released sooner rather than later. However, I am also prepared for the possibility that the show could be delayed indefinitely. If that happens, I will be disappointed, but I will also understand. After all, I would rather have a high-quality anime that is delayed than a rushed anime that is released on time.