The One Piece anime is gearing up for a major comeback after a six-month hiatus, bringing fans a mix of exciting new content and schedule changes. The return includes a special recap of the Egghead arc, the premiere of new episodes, and the launch of a “Koisuru One Piece” spinoff net anime series.
Egghead Arc Returns with Recap and New Episodes
The One Piece anime is set to air a special recap episode of the Egghead arc on April 5th at 9:00 p.m. JST (8:00 a.m. EDT). This recap will serve as a refresher for fans before diving into the first new episode (episode 1,123) since the series paused. The first new episode will air immediately following the recap.
New Time Slot for the Series
Following the premiere, One Piece will shift to a new timeslot, airing on Sunday nights at 11:15 p.m. JST (10:15 a.m. EDT), starting on April 6th with episode 1,124. This marks a significant change after 18 years of airing on Sunday mornings, aligning with the Weekly Shonen Jump chapter releases, allowing fans to transition from watching the latest episode to reading the newest manga chapter.
New Opening and Ending Themes
The Egghead Arc Part 2 will feature new opening and ending theme songs. GRe4N BOYZ will perform the opening theme, while muque will sing the ending theme.
“Koisuru One Piece” Spinoff Net Anime
Adding to the excitement, the Koisuru One Piece spinoff manga is being adapted into a series of net anime shorts. These shorts will stream daily from April 1st to 5th at 8:00 p.m. JST (7:00 a.m. EDT) on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Premise and Characters
Koisuru One Piece is a gag manga that follows high school students who share names with the Straw Hat Pirates. The anime will star:
- Ryōsuke Kanemoto as Luffy Yamamoto
- Ayane Sakura as Nami Koyama
- Yūichi Nakamura as Usopp Nakatsugawa
In the series, Nami is in love with Luffy.
Production Team
The Koisuru One Piece anime is being produced by Miki Kobayashi, with Yū Kamatani and Hazuki Omoya serving as series directors. The key staff includes:
- Character Design: Hanao Iida
- Art Director: Midori Tanaka
- Color Designer: Emi Nakajima
- Director of Photography: Kōsuke Ōhori
- Production Oversight: Ayaka Shiraishi
Manga Background
Daiki Ihara launched Koisuru One Piece on the Shonen Jump+ service in June 2018, and the manga suspended serialization in November 2021. The manga’s ninth volume shipped in April 2022.
Additional Announcements
The AnimeJapan 2025 event also revealed a collaboration between One Piece and German soccer team Borussia Dortmund on March 30th. Additionally, a new “flagship” retail store called One Piece Base Shop is set to open in Shinjuku in winter 2025.
Streaming Platforms
The One Piece anime, including the Egghead Arc, will be available on:
- Crunchyroll: Simulcast to return on April 6th.
- Netflix: New episodes confirmed, possibly with a one-week delay.
One Piece: A Brief Overview
One Piece, created by Eiichiro Oda, is one of the most successful manga and anime series of all time. The manga has exceeded over 510 million copies in print worldwide since its serialization began in 1997. The anime adaptation, animated by Toei Animation, premiered in 1999 and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024.
The franchise has expanded into various media, including the One Piece Card Game by Bandai, which has achieved massive popularity, and the mobile game One Piece Bounty Rush, reaching 150 million downloads as of August 2024. Additionally, the live-action Season 2 has wrapped filming and is coming soon, and the WIT Studio remake of One Piece is also in development.
