The year 2025 has been a standout for the anime industry, dominated by hits like Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Solo Leveling season 2. Yet amid these successes, there have been some surprising disappointments, with One-Punch Man season 3 emerging as the biggest letdown.
Despite high hopes that it would restore the glory of “Caped Baldy” Saitama, One-Punch Man season 3 ended up with a bitter reception. According to user ratings on IMDB, it has been named the worst anime of 2025 by a wide margin.
Shockingly low scores stun fans
On average, episodes of One-Punch Man season 3 scored just 3.7 out of 10. While episode 8 made a slight recovery with a 6.4 rating, episode 6 went down in history for all the wrong reasons, receiving a dismal 1.5 out of 10 from viewers.
In fact, this series claimed 9 out of the 10 spots on IMDB’s list of worst anime episodes in 2025. The only other anime on the blacklist was episode 11 of With You, Our Love Will Make It Through. Even more painful, One-Punch Man season 3’s ratings are now lower than Dragonball Evolution, widely regarded as a global adaptation disaster.
Why did One-Punch Man season 3 fail so badly?
The troubles for One-Punch Man season 3 actually began with doubts after season 2. But when it finally premiered, fans were met with an even worse experience than expected.
The poor animation quality starkly contrasted with the stunning visuals of season 1. This season faced harsh criticism for sloppy animation, weak fight scenes, and character designs that sometimes appeared distorted.
The peak of fan outrage came with episode 10, when producers heavily cut and censored an iconic scene from the original manga, causing the community to turn against the show.
Facing intense backlash, One-Punch Man season 3 is currently on hiatus. This break may give the production team a chance to reflect on their mistakes. Fans can only hope that when the series returns, it will show significant improvements to restore the reputation of one of the most beloved franchises in the manga and anime world.