One Punch Man Season 3 Episode 9 (REPACK): A Glimmer of Hope After the Slump

Let’s cut to the chase—One Punch Man Season 3 has been a wild ride of lows (looking at you, episodes 1-7 with those cringey blue filters and lazy animation) and one tiny high with episode 8. So when episode 9 dropped, I was low-key nervous but also hyped—could it keep the momentum going? Let’s break it down like we’re dissecting a hero’s special move.

First off, the biggest win here is the direction switch. Fans on MAL were geeking out that Takashi Hashimoto—yes, the guy from Bleach—took over storyboards from Nagai. And you can tell the difference immediately: the camera actually moves during fights! No more static shots that feel like they were copied straight from the manga (shoutout to comment 1 for pointing that out). The mech fight between Kid Emperor and Phoenix Man? Chef’s kiss for dynamic angles—when Kid Emperor activated his Power Rangers-esque Megazord (or Optimus Prime, if you’re into that), the camera followed every punch and blast, making it feel intense instead of boring.

Phoenix Man’s transformation was another highlight. Dude went from this majestic angel bird vibe to a full-on demon mode after Kid Emperor’s blast (comment 19). The animation here was crisp—no more wonky lines or off-model faces. And finally, no blue filter spam! Fans were celebrating that (comment19)—thank goodness, my eyes needed a break from that weird neon vibe.

But it’s not all sunshine and punchlines. Let’s talk about the cons. Some fans were upset about the changes from the manga: Child Emperor’s character development got sidelined for the big boom (comment39). Like, in the manga, there’s this whole arc where he grows as a hero, but here it’s just mech fights and explosions. Bummer, because Child Emperor is low-key one of the coolest S-Class heroes.

And let’s not forget Saitama. We got a tiny snippet of him dodging moves, but that’s it (comment12). C’mon, this is One Punch Man—we watch for his over-the-top laziness and one-punch wins! Why is he being hidden like a secret weapon?

Pacing was another issue. Some scenes felt rushed, others dragged (comment14). The editing was off in places—sound cuts suddenly, transitions that don’t make sense. It’s like they tried to cram too much into one episode without letting it breathe.

The mech vs bird battle split fans, too. Some thought it was epic (the Power Rangers throwback hit hard for us 2000s kids), but others found it mid (comment33: “not fond of this mecha fight”). But you can’t deny the effort put into the animation here—each punch had weight, and Phoenix Man’s demon form was straight out of a dark fantasy anime.

Sound design was on point, though. Comment20 said the audio team is the backbone of this season, and this episode’s visuals finally caught up. The explosions and mech sounds made the fight feel real, even if the pacing was off.

Some fans were also confused about missing manga bits—like where was Phoenix Man’s penguin form? (comment41) Or the scene where Saitama meets Child Emperor? Those gaps made the episode feel incomplete for manga readers.

But hey, progress is progress. After months of disappointment, episode9 gave us a glimmer that S3 might not be a total wash. It’s not the OPM we know and love from S1, but it’s getting better. If you’re under 20 and love action, this episode is worth a watch—just don’t go in expecting perfection.

Final thought: Let’s hope the next episodes keep this momentum. We need more Hashimoto magic, less blue filters, and way more Saitama. Fingers crossed!

Rating: 6.5/10 (It’s a step up, but still has a long way to go.)
Who should watch: OPM fans who stuck around through the slump, mech lovers, and anyone craving better animation than the early S3 eps.
Skip if: You’re looking for the classic S1 vibe or deep character development.

— A fellow teen anime fan
P.S. If you haven’t seen episode 8 yet, watch that first—this one makes more sense with the context! 🦸♂️💥🐦🤖