One-Punch Man [Season 3 Episode 4]

Alright, let’s talk about One-Punch Man Season 3 Episode 4. First off, if you’re a fan of the series, you know the drill: Saitama’s still the overpowered hero who can take down any villain with a single punch, but the real fun is in the chaos around him. This episode, titled “Counterattack Signal,” dropped on November 2, 2025, and it’s been stirring up a lot of chatter—both good and bad. Let’s dive into why.

First, the basics. One-Punch Man Season 3 is produced by J.C.Staff, and it’s based on the webcomic by One and the manga by Yusuke Murata. The season’s been part of the Fall 2025 anime lineup, marking the 10th anniversary of the anime’s premiere. But right from the start, this season has faced criticism, and Episode 4 is no exception.

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way: the animation. Oh boy, where do I start? Fans are not happy. Words like “terrible,” “lazy,” and “one-frame man” are being thrown around. One user on MyAnimeList ranted, “The pacing was terrible, the ‘animation’ suffering and now the characters bleed diarrhea instead of blood??? WTF Every day I understand less and less how anyone could have given this production the green light.” Ouch. Another commented, “At this point, fan animations will have more frames than this current season and are more fun to watch…” Harsh, but you get the vibe.

The episode had a lot of static shots—like the 30 seconds where everyone just stares at a hot pot. Yeah, that’s supposed to be funny, but when it’s just a still image for half a minute, it feels more awkward than comedic. Someone joked, “7:45 everyone just staring at the hot pot 🤣” but the laughter’s probably mixed with cringing. The “disco color effect” during some scenes didn’t help either. Users called it “weird” and “terrible,” with one saying, “Why is literally everything neon???”

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Some fans thought Episode 4 was a step up from the previous ones. “Well it was okay episode but better than last episode,” one user admitted. Another praised the sound department: “At least the sound department is amazing as usual.” The S-class heroes assembling was a highlight for some, with one commenter noting, “S-class heroes assembling was pretty cool.” And let’s not forget Garou—he’s back, and he’s stronger than ever! Fans were hyped about his return, even if his new look (cloth merging with his body) raised some… interesting questions. “Yay Garo is back and he’s stronger than ever! Though if his cloth merge with his body then how can I take it off? I don’t want him to be fully clothed when I have my way with him,” one user joked.

The comedy had its moments too. The hot pot scene, despite the static shots, had some funny bits—like Genos being his usual over-the-top self, and Tatsumaki’s sisterly concern for Fubuki. “Tatsumaki don’t play bout her sister that’s fasho,” a fan wrote. The King “glazing” (overhyping) was another laugh-out-loud moment, with someone saying, “15:00 the King Glazing man 🤣 if only they knew.”

But the biggest issue? The pacing. The episode felt like it was rushing through the “infodump” parts of the manga to keep anime-only viewers in the loop. “I assume we’re still in the ‘infodump’ part of the manga and this episode does a good job rushing the infodump as fast as possible,” a user explained. While necessary, it made the episode feel disjointed, with abrupt transitions between serious and comedic tones. The soundtrack switching was also jarring—one fan complained, “The abrupt switching of soundtracks put me so out of the episode.”

So, who’s to blame? Fans pointed fingers at Bandai Namco, not the animators. “My complaint… is directed at Bandai Namco, not at the poor workers who did what they could with the limited resources available,” one user clarified. It’s a common sentiment: the team might be trying their best, but budget and time constraints are showing.

In the end, Episode 4 of One-Punch Man Season 3 is a mixed bag. It has its fun moments—Garou’s return, some comedy bits, and the S-class heroes assembling—but it’s dragged down by poor animation, weird color choices, and awkward pacing. If you’re a die-hard fan, you’ll probably stick around for the story, but if you’re here for the stunning animation of Season 1, you might be disappointed.

As one user summed it up: “This is not ‘One-punch man’, this is ‘Please-leave-my-home man’.” Ouch, but maybe there’s still hope. The season is young, and with Garou’s arc heating up, the real action might be just around the corner. Let’s cross our fingers for better animation in the next episodes—fingers and toes.

In the words of Saitama himself: “I’m just a hero for fun.” But right now, the fun’s a bit hard to find. Here’s hoping the next episode packs a punch—literally and figuratively. 🥊✨