One Punch Man [Season 3 Episode 9: Brave Child]

One Punch Man Season 3 Episode 9: Brave Child – A Rocky Season Finally Finds Its Feet (Sort Of)

Let’s cut to the chase: One Punch Man Season 3 has been a rollercoaster of “what even is this?” moments. From static frames that felt like slideshows to a blue filter that made every scene look like a bad neon party, the first half of the season left fans begging for something—anything—worth watching. But Episode 9, “Brave Child,”? It’s a glimmer of hope. Not perfect, but finally, a step up from the mess we’ve been dealing with.

First off, this episode is all about Child Emperor, our favorite genius kid hero with a backpack full of gadgets that would make Tony Stark jealous. The plot picks up right where Episode 8 left off: Child Emperor and the annoying-but-plot-important Waganma are running from G5, only to stumble on Phoenix Man (a bird-like monster that regenerates like it’s got an infinite lives cheat code). Child Emperor’s big moment? He pulls out a mech that looks straight out of Power Rangers or Optimus Prime (shoutout to comment 5 for that reference). Watching him pilot that thing to take down the bird was chef’s kiss—finally, an action sequence that didn’t feel like it was drawn during lunch break.

The animation here is a game-changer. Takashi Hashimoto (from Bleach fame) took over storyboards, and you can tell he actually cares about making fights look dynamic. The camera moves with the characters now—no more static shots where you’re just staring at a character standing still while text boxes explain what’s happening. And the blue filter? Gone. Vanished. Fans on MAL were celebrating this like it’s a national holiday (comment 13: “no neon lights good job”). Even if some people thought the mech fight was mid (comment 38: “still average but not that interesting”), it’s way better than the earlier episodes where you could count the frames per second on one hand.

But wait, not everyone was totally sold. Some fans pointed out the pacing and editing were off—like sound cutting abruptly before a new scene starts (comment14: “sound just cuts and new scene plays, everything is slow”). Others thought the fight dragged on too long, or that the retcon from the manga was a mistake (comment39: “traded character development for big boom”). Manga purists were upset that the original fight (which had more growth for Child Emperor) was swapped for flashy explosions. And let’s not forget the Saitama stans—we got a tiny cameo (he dodged some moves like the boss he is), but most people wanted more (comment36: “where is all the one punching / saitama damnit”).

Overall, though, this episode is a win for Season3—by its standards, anyway. It’s back-to-back decent episodes (after Episode8’s Flashy Flash fight), and that’s something to be happy about. The animation team finally seems to be putting in the work, and Child Emperor got his moment to shine (even if Waganma was still being a brat).

Is it perfect? No. The editing could use a lot of work, and the manga changes might rub some people the wrong way. But for a season that started so rocky, this episode feels like a breath of fresh air. Let’s hope the momentum keeps going—maybe we’ll get more Saitama action soon, and less of the “low budget 2000s anime” vibes (comment10) we saw earlier.

If I had to rate it? A solid 7/10 (like comment17 said). It’s not the best OPM episode ever, but it’s a step in the right direction. And honestly, after the mess that was the first half of the season, we’ll take what we can get.

So—did you love the mech fight, or were you left wanting more Saitama? Drop your thoughts below! 🦸♂️🤖🐦
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