When it comes to One-Punch Man, the series is somewhat of an anomaly. The manga continues to be a hit with fans, but its anime has two very different camps. While the first season was an all-out hit, One-Punch Man failed to impress fans with its second round. Much of that blame was shouldered on One-Punch Man losing its original director and studio… so you might like to know the pair are teaming back up.
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Just, don’t expect it to have anything to do with Saitama or Genos. One-Punch Man is not gearing up for a third season any time soon, and if it wants to do so, it better wait for Shingo Natsume to free up. The director is about to start work on a brand-new anime with Madhouse, and it sounds like it will be a good one.
According to Anime News Network, Natsume and Madhouse are bringing the series Sonny Boy to life this year. The anime, which thrives as a survival sci-fi adventure, will be very different from Natsume’s previous works. Sonny Boy will follow a group of 36 students during a seemingly endless summer break. Everything changes for three students when they are suddenly transported to a school in an alternate universe, and they’ll be tasked with surviving with help from some new superpowers.
If this story sounds brand-new to you, well – it is. Natsume made this original story himself, and the director said he credited the idea after beginning work at Madhouse. Norifumi Kugai will join the anime as a character designer, and he’ll use templates first made by mangaka Hisashi Euguchi. Mari Fujino will act as art director while Ken Hashimoto leads as the key color artist. Other crew members include Akane Fushihara, Shoji Hata, and Kashiko Kimura.
As for One-Punch Man, well – there is no news on whether the anime will continue. Its lackluster season two left a bad taste with fans, and Natsume himself laments its direction. During a previous appearance with fans, the director said he had wanted to do the second season, but One-Punch Man was taken to J.C. Staff and out of his hands.
“I personally of course wanted to do it, but that could not be done despite myself,” the director shared. “I cannot do everything I wanted to do…. I wanted J.C. Staff to do way more [with One-Punch Man].”
What do you think about this new series coming up? Do you think Natsume may ever revisit One-Punch Man? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
