The summer 2026 anime Thunder 3 aired Episode #03, titled “ALIENS (えいりあんず),” on July 22, 2026. The episode saw Pyontarou’s little sister Futaba in grave danger as an alien drill approached her head.
Based on the manga by Ikeda Yuuki, which ran in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Magazine from 2022 and concluded in June 2026 just before the anime premiere, Thunder 3 follows protagonist Tezuka Pyontarou and his classmates Azuma Tsubame and Ochanomizu Hiroshi—collectively known as the “Small 3.” Pyontarou is doted on by his sister Futaba, but finds her annoying. One day, Futaba goes missing, and the three set out to find her.
Episode #03: “ALIENS”
In the third episode, Futaba is captured by aliens. Unable to scan her properly, they decide to “open her head and analyze” her. A drill approaches, but no matter how much they increase the level, they cannot damage her. “We can’t deal any damage at all,” the aliens admit defeat.
“It’s not working at all,” “Futaba-chan is invincible,” “Her hair isn’t even affected, not even itchy…” Viewers watched Futaba’s fate, but she simply starts walking and effortlessly destroys a wall to create an escape route. The aliens flee in panic.
“Futaba-chan! So strong!!” “Futaba is too strong lol” “She even broke through the floor lol” “She’s so cute, but must be terrifying to the aliens” “Ahh, Futaba is too cute…” The internet was amazed by Futaba’s strength.
Calling out “Nii-tan” and “Mama, where are you?” Futaba walks through the spaceship, unable to hide her anxiety, on the verge of tears. The aliens treat her as a “test subject” and a dangerous creature.
Wandering through the ship, Futaba is met with a volley of gunfire. She is engulfed in flames…
“Futabaaaaaa!” “Hie!” “Huh!?” “She’s charcoal” Futaba is burned black. The aliens sigh in relief, “Test subject destroyed! Mission complete!” But Futaba revives!
As she walks crying, viewers rejoiced: “She’s alive, thank goodness,” “Her crying is so real,” “It’s nice that she doesn’t get hurt at all even when attacked.”
Ask the Aliens?
Meanwhile, Pyontarou and his friends visit the apartment of their homeroom teacher, Doc, along with their multiverse counterparts (the “real” Pyontarou). They discuss how to get Futaba back, but Doc is troubled because the enemy is an alien army.
Hiroshi says, “We’re so strong that people would be shocked just looking at us. We weren’t even hurt when hit by missiles,” and Tsubame adds, “Seriously, we’re ridiculously strong.” But the multiverse versions just laugh and don’t take them seriously.
However, multiverse Hiroshi suggests, “Why not ask an alien around here?” It turns out aliens have translation devices on their heads and actually understand Japanese.
Police Point Guns at Children
They head into town and try talking to an alien in front of the station, but are ignored.
Then an incident occurs nearby: an alien child steals ice cream from a human family. When the alien drops the ice cream, it starts crying.
“How cruel,” “Aliens are trash,” “They do whatever they want,” “Don’t cry after stealing someone else’s stuff, idiot,” “Wait, you’re the one crying? lol” The internet was furious at the aliens’ selfishness.
The human father tries to calm his child, saying, “I’ll buy you another one. Let’s go home.” But then the alien parent attacks him.
Pyontarou and the others notice the commotion. Police arrive, but they point their guns at the civilians.
One officer, trembling, asks, “What is this…? This is wrong. What are we doing? Who are we pointing our guns at?”
“Those cops are pointing guns at kids,” Pyontarou says. The child is in tears, the father has his hands up, and behind the police, more aliens arrive with guns drawn.
Watching the scene live, Suzushiro Sayumi (voice of Pyontarou) tweeted, “A thought-provoking scene…” and Aoi Azusa (voice of Pyontarou’s dog Puusuke) wrote, “Whoa whoa whoa whoa stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” The tension continued on screen.
Pyontarou is Strong!
Then the Small 3 step in! The armed aliens measure the energy levels of the Small 3 with their devices, showing unbelievable numbers, and declare them “dangerous creatures.” Just as they are about to fire, Hiroshi signals Pyontarou, “Up! Blow them away with your finger!” Pyontarou snaps his fingers, and the shockwave sends the aliens flying!
“They flew lol” “Too strong!” Viewers were stunned by the power.
The multiverse Pyontarou and friends are dumbfounded: “What did he just do?” “I don’t know.” The aliens return and counterattack, but only smoke rises; the Small 3 are unharmed.
Pyontarou then grabs an alien’s leg and swings it around like a giant swing (pro wrestling move), hurling the alien into the sky!
“It flew so far!” “He’s dead…” “Whoa! Strong, Thunder 3!” Viewers were thrilled!
“You Guys Are Our Last Heroes!”
After the chaos, the officer who questioned the gunpoint situation says to Pyontarou and the others, “This country is done. The Self-Defense Forces have been suppressed. We have no choice but to obey. It’s already their country.”
The multiverse world appears to be under alien domination. Yet the multiverse Pyontarou looks at the three from the manga world and says, “You guys are our last heroes!”
After the broadcast, Aoi Azusa posted, “This week was so interesting!! And the three of them were so cool!! All of humanity will fall in love with them.” She added, “And Futaba is sooo cute… but don’t cry… This world is tough…!”
Akayama Eri (voice of Hiroshi) tweeted, “Finally encountering the enemy…? Did you see the power of the Small 3?”
Otoha (singer of the ending theme “Shururerira”) commented, “Ah, if I woke up and became a different person… a genius everyone acknowledges, a perfect hero… The story has suddenly started moving.”
That concludes the summary of Episode #03 “ALIENS.”
Suzushiro Sayumi ended with a teasing note: “Next time is finally…!!! Look forward to it!!” Don’t miss the next episode!
Thunder 3 airs every Wednesday at 24:45 on Fuji TV’s +Ultra and other channels. Streaming is exclusively worldwide on Netflix.
TV Anime Thunder 3 Staff & Cast
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Original Creator | Ikeda Yuuki (Kodansha Monthly Shonen Magazine) |
| Chief Director | Seshimo Hiroyuki |
| Director | Ide Keisuke |
| Assistant Director | Sugai Susumu, Ryu Nari |
| Series Composition / Script | Seko Hiroshi |
| Original Character Design | Onda Naoyuki |
| Animation Character Design | Yamanaka Junko, Moriyama Yuuki |
| Animation Director | Kouji |
| Production Design | Tanaka Naoya, Ferdinand Paturi |
| Modeling Director / Light & Picture Director | Kataumi Mitsunori |
| Mechanical Design | Hoashi Takehiko |
| Art Director | Kamei Yusuke, Nakamura Keigo |
| Sound Director | Yamaguchi Takayuki |
| Music | Frederic Chateau, Tateyama Akiaki |
| Opening Theme | Yuuri “Thunderbolt” |
| Ending Theme | Otoha-otoha- “Shururerira” |
| Planning & Produce | Slow Curve |
| Animation Production | UNEND |
| Character | Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| Tezuka Pyontarou | Suzushiro Sayumi |
| Azuma Tsubame | Kawaiida Natsumi |
| Ochanomizu Hiroshi | Akayama Eri |
| Tezuka Futaba | Mitsubachi Honoka |
| Doc | Sakata Shougo |
| Segami Teiichi | Saka Taito |
| Tashiro Suzuka | Hirose Yuuki |
| Kisaragi Mio | Maekawa Ryouko |
| Sumire Kyouji | Ishitani Haruki |
(C) Ikeda Yuuki / Kodansha / Thunder 3 Production Committee
