One-Punch Man Season 3 Episode 9: Brave Child – A Glimmer of Hope for the Slumping Season

If you’ve stuck with One-Punch Man Season 3 through its rocky start, Episode 9 “Brave Child” might feel like a cold soda on a hot day—refreshing, long-awaited, and just what you needed. After weeks of so-so animation and blue-filtered boredom, this episode finally gives fans something to cheer about, even if it’s not quite the classic OPM magic we know and love.

Let’s cut to the chase: the star here is Child Emperor, the genius kid hero with a mech suit that looks like it jumped straight out of Power Rangers (or Optimus Prime, for the Transformers crowd). His showdown with Phoenix Man—an immortal villain trapped in a cartoon character’s fantasy—takes center stage, and it’s a wild ride. Phoenix Man’s gimmick? Kill him, and he comes back stronger, thanks to his cartoon origins. Child Emperor has to pull out all the stops: his mech suit unleashes a Kamehameha-style beam, and Phoenix Man transforms from a majestic angel to a demon-like beast. One fan described the transformation as “sick af—dude went from angel vibes to full-on fallen demon mode after that blast.”

The animation upgrade is impossible to miss. Takashi Hashimoto (of Bleach fame) took over storyboards, and it shows: the camera moves with the fight, the mech sequences are dynamic, and—wait for it—no more blue filter! Fans were ecstatic: “No neon lights good job” and “Colours and shading were so much better—no blue filter at all!” Small wins, but they make a big difference.

But it’s not all sunshine and mech blasts. Some fans still had gripes. The pacing felt off to a few: “Sound just cuts and new scene plays, everything is slow,” one person complained. Others were bored of the mech fight: “I’m not fond of this mecha fight,” said a viewer. And of course, the eternal question: where’s Saitama? We get a tiny clip of him dodging attacks, but that’s it. “Decent episode but… this is One Punch Man—where’s the one punching?” a fan vented. Fair enough—OPM’s charm lies in Saitama’s nonchalant badassery.

There’s also drama about the manga differences. Some noticed the fight was redrawn from the original manga: “This one was the most different from the manga,” someone pointed out. A few preferred the original version, but most were just happy for a good episode.

Overall, Episode 9 is a step up from Season 3’s early slump. Fans are split but mostly positive: “Finally a decent episode,” “Back to back good episodes—hell must be freezing,” and “It’s slowly getting better.” It’s not perfect, but it’s a glimmer of hope.

If you’re a die-hard OPM fan, this episode is worth watching. It’s got action, humor (Child Emperor panicking over Flashy Flash’s “death” is hilarious), and a hint that the season might finally find its groove. Let’s hope the next episodes keep this up—and maybe give us more Saitama. Fingers crossed!

Final Verdict: 7/10 (by Season 3 standards). It’s not the OPM we remember, but it’s a start. Now, where’s the one-punch moment we all crave?

P.S. Waganma is still a selfish little asshole—fans agree. Some things never change.
P.P.S. We got a tiny Saitama cameo. Baby steps, right?
P.P.P.S. When will it hit Netflix? Asking for a friend.

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