With the animation quality of One-Punch Man season 3 hitting alarming lows, fans have been closely watching every episode. Season 3 has quickly become one of the most critically panned anime series ever. In response, animator Takashi Hashimoto, known for his work on One Piece, made a shocking statement.
In a post, Hashimoto said, “Regarding One-Punch Man, the criticism, or rather the overwhelming amount of criticism from overseas illegal viewers, has become too much to handle.”
Takashi Hashimoto is a well-known animator who has contributed to Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, One Piece Film: Red, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, and many other major titles.
Animator’s harsh words about One-Punch Man season 3 spread rapidly
The first season of One-Punch Man, produced by Madhouse, was a legendary masterpiece that set an incredibly high bar for the series. However, when season 2 was handed over to J.C. Staff, fans immediately noticed a drop in quality. When season 3 premiered in Fall 2025, the wave of criticism exploded.
Episode 6 of season 3 became the lowest-rated anime episode on IMDB. Fans even harassed animators and studios online, a classic example of what happens when six years of waiting and high expectations are crushed.
Hashimoto shared a post expressing sympathy for his fellow staff and criticized fans expressing disappointment: “The production team is probably feeling a lot of pain because of this. Everyone shares the same feeling: no one intentionally makes a bad product. Yet, we are criticized for the smallest details. Where will our motivation go?”
He even warned the world about the consequences if staff members who try their best are bullied into quitting.
Labeling international fans as “illegal viewers” is an overreaction
Hashimoto’s frustration is real and understandable. The production team is facing a massive wave of criticism. However, his anger led to unfairly labeling all international fans as illegal streamers who bully staff. This moment marks where his statement went wrong and started to hurt the anime by offending fans who patiently waited six years.
Illegal streaming is common, especially in regions with limited legal options. Yet many fans use legitimate services and pay subscriptions to watch their favorite anime.
It seems Hashimoto is venting at an anonymous crowd. The pain of constant criticism is real, but insulting legitimate fans will cause more harm to the anime and everyone involved.