‘One Punch Man’ Season 3 Director Shinpei Nagai Deletes X Account After Online Harassment

The release of One-Punch Man Season 3 has stirred up strong reactions from fans, and not all of them have been kind.

The anime’s director, Shinpei Nagai, has deleted his X account after receiving waves of harassment following criticism of the new season’s animation quality.

Nagai had recently shared posts on X about the production of One-Punch Man Season 3, but some fans took his comments out of context.

This led to a flood of angry messages directed at both him and the animation studio, J.C. Staff. The director later explained that the attacks had deeply affected his mental health and the morale of his team.

Before closing his account, Nagai posted a message expressing his frustration with the negativity spreading online. “It’s sad to see kind fans who had high expectations get angry and curse, saying ‘you betrayed our expectations!’” he wrote on October 21. His words came after fans began targeting him personally following the release of the season’s second episode.

The director had reportedly asked that his involvement with the series be kept quiet until closer to the season’s premiere. However, once fans learned he was leading the project, many began blaming him for what they saw as weak animation and uneven production. Nagai tried responding to questions and calming the situation, but the backlash only grew stronger, eventually leading him to lock and then delete his account.

He also criticized online personalities who, instead of offering fair feedback, used his comments to fuel outrage and mock the staff. Nagai reminded followers that the quality of an anime depends on many things, including budget limits, time constraints, and executive decisions, and that the team behind One-Punch Man had been working hard under difficult conditions.

It’s understandable for fans to feel disappointed when a long-awaited anime doesn’t meet expectations. But turning that disappointment into personal attacks only hurts the creators who are trying their best.

This situation shows how badly the anime community needs more respect for the people who make these shows possible. Criticism is fine, it helps the industry improve, but harassment crosses the line. What do you think about this issue? Share your thoughts in the comments.