Toei Animation, the studio behind the popular anime One Piece, has announced it’s switching from its traditional weekly release schedule after over 25 years.
Beginning in 2026, the show will switch to releasing episodes seasonally, with each season having up to 26 episodes, as announced by Toei in an official statement and on the Japanese One Piece YouTube channel.
Production will pause from January to March 2026, and the anime will return in April with a new story arc called Elbaph. This arc will be shown in two parts, adding up to 26 episodes throughout the year. To celebrate the announcement, Toei also shared a sneak peek illustration and updated information about the characters.
Big news for ONE PIECE fans! The manga will pause for three months starting in January, and will return in April 2026 with the beginning of the Elbaph Arc. Additionally, the anime will also start a new production schedule in 2026, splitting into two parts.
— Toei Animation (@ToeiAnimation) October 28, 2025
Okay, so the show’s moved to a seasonal release schedule, and honestly, it’s a smart move. It feels more like how most anime are structured, and more importantly, it gives the animators breathing room. I’ve noticed a real improvement in the overall polish, and I think this new approach is a big reason why. It’s allowing the team to consistently deliver a higher quality product.
The show’s weekly release schedule has often led to episodes that feel like filler, summaries of past events, or uneven pacing – a common problem when adapting lengthy manga into anime.
Ryūta Koike, the series producer, explained the change was a deliberate decision to help the anime grow and improve. Toei Animation stated the new approach will allow episodes to adapt more material from the original manga, maintaining a good story pace and using animation to its full potential.
The studio announced that future episodes will more closely follow the original manga’s story, speed, and rhythm, while still taking advantage of the special ways animation can tell a story.
Toei addressed fans on X, promising more adventures are coming. They said, “Don’t worry, everyone – you’ll have a chance to prepare for what’s next, and we have some exciting things planned during the break!” They also explained that this pause will give the team time to really explore the world of ONE PIECE in greater detail.
After more than twenty years, One Piece is entering a new era. This change aims to deliver a better story, ease the workload for the animation team, and provide viewers with an anime that more closely follows the original manga by Eiichiro Oda.
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2025-10-29 14:44