There’s a sneaky way to watch One Punch Man Season 3 Episode 1 for free

After years of anticipation, One Punch Man Season 3 Episode 1 has arrived – and there’s an easy way to watch the anime series for free right now. 

The One Punch Man anime has been the subject of much debate ever since 2016. Despite Season 1’s success, a production overhaul took place for the second chapter, with Chikara Sakurai replacing Shingo Natsume as director and J.C.Staff taking over from Madhouse.

When Season 2 arrived in 2019, it received complaints about a perceived dip in quality, and there have been similar concerns surrounding the upcoming Season 3 – new director Shinpei Nagai has even asked fans to stop harassing the creators. 

As such, One Punch Man fans have been on tenterhooks waiting to see whether the new episodes can deliver. It’s too early for a Rotten Tomatoes score, but you can make up your own mind now the Season 3 premiere has arrived.

How to watch One Punch Man Season 3 for free

One Punch Man Season 3 Episode 1, ‘Strategy Meeting’, is available to stream on Hulu in the US now with English subtitles. You can watch it without spending a dime via its 30-day free trial for new and eligible returning customers. 

Season 3 premiered on October 12, 2025, with new episodes set to drop weekly. So, if you sign up for Hulu’s 30-day free trial now, that means you can catch five new episodes free (including the first one). 

All you need to do is head to this page and click on ‘Start Your Free Trial’. You’ll then be directed to add in your details and launch or sign in to your account. It’s important to note that only the Hulu (No Ads) plan offers the 30-day free trial. 

You’ll need to add in your billing info, but don’t fret – you won’t be charged for that first month. So, if you don’t want to spend any cash, don’t forget to cancel your subscription within the free trial period.

Set a reminder so you don’t forget or, if you like Alien: Earth, High Potential, and the streaming service’s other offerings (including the rest of One Punch Man Season 3), consider keeping your subscription.

There is another way to stream One Punch Man for free: T-mobile customers with an Experience Beyond package are eligible for a free Hulu (With Ads) subscription. 

To access this, you’ll need to login to your T-mobile account and, once verified, you’ll be redirected to create an account with Hulu. You can learn more about how to redeem this benefit here. 

Can you watch One Punch Man Season 3 outside the US?

Yes, One Punch Man Season 3 is available with English subs across the globe. In Canada, new episodes drop on Disney+, while Netflix is the platform for Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand. 

For everywhere else, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania, you can find Season 3 on Crunchyroll. 

Or, if the corresponding platform doesn’t suit you (for instance, you may want to watch it via Netflix if you already have a subscription), you can also watch it with the help of a VPN. 

If you don’t have one, there are several options available, some of which are paid, some of them free, with varying levels of security and features. If you’re new to this, check out our guide on how to use a VPN for streaming.

When is Season 3 Episode 2 out?

One Punch Man Season 3 Episode 2 drops on Hulu in the US on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 7:45am PT / 10:45am ET.

Although new Hulu shows tend to drop at the standard 12am PT time, this can vary depending on the series. In the case of One Punch Man, new episodes air at the same time as they do in Japan: 11.45pm JST.

We’re yet to know how many episodes are in Season 3, but reports predict there will be 12 in total. With single episodes dropping weekly, that means the finale would air on December 28, although this is yet to be confirmed. 

Is it worth watching? 

Right now, Season 3 Episode 1 has earned 6.6 out of 10 on IMDb, making it the second lowest-rated entry yet, just above Season 2 Episode 17’s 6.5 score. However, this will no doubt change as more user reviews are recorded. 

Among the less favorable reactions, one wrote, “The animation is by far the laziest anime animation that I have ever seen in my life. You might say, ‘No, it’s a non-action ep, what do you expect?’ and to that end, I would say a fluid look at least. 

“We have many anime these days which aren’t action-based, and most of the screen time will be dedicated to non-action scenes. Take Frieren for instance – the animation looks phenomenal even when they are talking. And we are talking about One Punch Man, one of the biggest anime out there.”

Another described the Season 3 premiere as “average all the way through,” adding, “Only reason I enjoyed the episode is the return of some beloved characters. But it felt slow, even for an intro. 

“I expected way more from an episode we’ve been waiting for for over six years… This all just felt like a big trailer for Season 3. At least this arc will be an interesting one. So I’m just hoping the pace will pick up and some good animation.”

Of the more positive reviews, one fan said, “I genuinely don’t understand the vitriol this episode is receiving.” They described the animation as “clean” and said it’s a “dialogue-heavy setup episode. You can’t have explosive animation on people talking.”

“Everyone compares this to Season 1, but Madhouse’s schedule was unsustainable. That quality every episode isn’t realistic,” they continued. “Bottom Line: This episode did its job well.”