This marks the conclusion of an iconic period for long-running series, with Toei Animation announcing a new production schedule for the beloved series, which has been airing for more than 25 years and included numerous non-canon storylines. Starting in the new year, after the current storyline concludes, the animated series will take a quarterly break until April, when the Elbaph arc kicks off.
Updated Production Plan
Going forward, One Piece will produce two seasons every year for a maximum of 26 episodes. Toei states this will enable the anime to “dive even deeper into the heart of the ONE PIECE world — incorporating more content, tempo, and pacing of the source material.” Yet, Toei end by promising “exciting surprises” during the hiatus period, which suggests additional One Piece content, such as Netflix's live-action season 2, set to premiere in the interim.
Previous Hiatus Benefits
The series anime previously took a six-month pause that began in October 2024 and ended in April 2025. The intermission was for the animators to enhance the visuals and allow the manga to build a lead to avoid a rushed adaptation and lengthy recap episodes. The anime couldn't benefit more from this respite, and it has been able to deliver viewers with countless action sequences, superior graphics, and less filler than ever before.
Embracing Seasonal Format
Although a few summary installments appeared during this season, the positive effects of this updated approach greatly outweigh the occasional interruption in the action. This additionally allows the original work, which is currently in the middle of the Elbaph arc, to extend its lead on the anime. Per the news, this may result in one episode of the series adapting a single manga chapter, with others alternatively handling one and a half chapters or additional to compensate for time.
It's the end of an era for anime, as One Piece is the last big series to ditch the traditional method of creation, which prioritized airing for most of the calendar. This explains why iconic series such as Naruto, and naturally itself have numerous side stories, and the standard of the art can change drastically between installments and the following. Today, anime production is organized in cours, with one or two maximum coming out each year, enabling better quality and greater accuracy to the source material.
