One-Punch Man Fans Are Worried Their Anime Has No... Animation?

After six long years of waiting, One-Punch Man Season 3 finally dropped its first episode - and instead of a collective scream of joy, the fandom gave a hesitant side-eye. Because apparently, the animation in this animated series might be missing one key ingredient: actual animation.

Don't get me wrong, the art is gorgeous. Like, frame-it-and-hang-it-on-your-wall gorgeous. But the premiere episode was mostly exposition and still shots - and while that makes sense for a season opener, fans are starting to sweat bullets about what this means for the big fights ahead.

"It was mostly still frames," wrote one Reddit user. "I'm scared how they'll handle the fights."

Same, buddy. Same.

Look, every anime show has still moments, That's just part of the anime DNA, but this one just feels like a slideshow.

There's a theory floating around that they're saving the budget for the actual battles - and that would make sense, if we hadn't waited six years already. Fans are understandably salty that after all this time, the episode felt more like a motion comic than a full-on anime comeback. One viewer compared it to Blue Lock: beautiful illustrations, not a lot of movement.

But not everyone is complaining. Some fans pointed out that while there wasn't much action, the art, lighting, and mood were all solid - and the voice acting and music are on point. Plus, it's a lore-heavy episode. Maybe they're just easing us back in before we get a Saitama punch that blows our brains out.

Still, if the next few episodes don't deliver the high-octane, fluid insanity we know and love, this might go down as one of anime's most tragic glow-downs.

So here's hoping the animators were just saving the juice for the boss battles. Please. Let there be juice.

Watch the trailer below: