2024 has marked twenty-five years ofOne Piece’s anime. With over 1,100 episodes of the anime and manga, fifteen feature-length films, tons of video games, a live action adaptation, and much more,One Piecehas cemented itself in popular culture as a giant. The franchise has already released a variety of content to mark its twenty-fifth anniversary, but some recent developments regarding the franchise’s future could make now an opportune time for even more content.
On October 20, the franchise officially celebrated the anniversary withthe release ofOne Piece Fan Letter, a loose adaptation of theOne PiecenovelStraw Hat Stories. This release occurred a week after an announcement from Oda that shocked fans, but left them on the edge of their seats.
One Piece’s Anime and Manga Are On a Hiatus
Both theOne Pieceanime and manga will go on hiatus. The manga’s hiatus is shorter, with chapter 1131 slated for release on November 11 asOda has called for a much-needed break. The release schedule for One Piece’s manga typically has Oda pumping out three chapters before taking a week off. This time Oda will have two weeks off due to his involvement with Netflix’s live action adaptation ofOne Piece. Oda has confirmed that he has traveled to South Africa to visit the set and oversee production. Depending on the length of the live action adaptation’s shoot, Oda could make more visits, leading to longer breaks between manga chapters. Though Oda definitely deserves these breaks, fans could get antsy considering how long they’ve waited for the ongoing Elbaf arc.
Similarly, the anime’s six-month hiatus will give the staff atToei Animation much reprieveafter delivering the masterfully crafted Wano Country arc. Veteran animators ofOne Piecehave described their need for the break, which could only occur after conversations between Toei Animation, distributors, and stakeholders. In the meantime, a remastered version of Fishman Island will air inOne Piece’s time slot.
Though these upcoming hiatuses won’t leave fans starved for content, this break marks an excellent opportunity for the franchise to continue releasing announcements. The announcement of theremastered version of the Fishman Island archas been well received, as fans have stated that the arc is overdrawn in the past, but some completely fresh content should make its way into the franchise as well and hopefully in the form of a newOne Piecegame title.
It’s Time For a New One Piece Video Game
One Piece Odysseyis the latestOne Piecemainline video gameinstallment. Released in 2023,Odysseygave fans the opportunity to explore past arcs inOne Piece’s story while introducing new story elements. However, this leaves the game’s plot a tad outdated in comparison to the manga and anime. The most recent arc featured inOdysseyis Dressrosa, which concluded in 2016. Though mobile games underOne Piece’s umbrella likeOne Piece: Bounty RushandOne Piece: Treasure Cruiseare caught up with the franchise’s story, PC and console game titles have been left in the dark.
Some of the most powerful story beats and character abilities inOne Piecehave yet to be adapted to video games. The Wano Country arc was not just a feat in the franchise’s animation, it showed the Straw Hats at their most formidable to date. Featuringiconic moments like Robin’s battle with Black Maria, Zoro and Kaidou’s showdown, and, of course, Luffy’s transformation into Gear 5, the Wano Country arc needs to be adapted to the video game format, preferably as soon as possible.
Obviously, it would be impossible for a studio to pump out ahigh qualityOne Piecevideo gameby the end of the year. However, an announcement would definitely bolster morale among fans and be another great way to celebrateOne Piece’s twenty-fifth anniversary.
One Piece Odyssey
WHERE TO PLAY
A new RPG from the hugely popular manga and anime series ONE PIECE, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the series!The famed pirate, Monkey.D.Luffy, better known as Straw Hat Luffy, and his crew the Straw Hat Pirates, are sailing across the New World in search of the next island and the next adventure that awaits them.But during their voyage they are caught in a storm and shipwrecked. They find themselves washed up on a lush tropical island surrounded by constantly raging storms…Separated from his crew, Luffy sets off on a grand, new adventure to find his friends and escape the island!Dangerous new enemies, terrifying forces of nature, and more await them!Play as various members of the Straw Hat Pirates in a classic RPG set in the world of the popular ONE PIECE anime!
