One Piece anime announces long hiatus, but it's for a good reason

The One Piece anime is taking its longest break in recent memory as Toei prepares for a new era for Luffy and the Straw Hats.

It’s notable that with over 1,100 episodes, One Piece shows no signs of letting up. The anime, based on the manga by Eiichiro Oda, has been a landmark in several eras, outlasting many contemporary franchises.

Staying consistent throughout this time requires discipline and occasional breaks, and one of the longest hiatuses in One Piece history has been announced. But, from the airing of episode 1122, this hiatus is immediate and leaves a scare in one of the main arcs of the series.

The shonen anime will have filler episodes for more than six months, until April 2025.

The change is part of an overhaul of Luffy’s on-screen exploits. When it returns next April, One Piece will have improved production quality, updated music and sound, improved pacing, and an all-new time slot that places fewer restrictions on Toei in terms of what the studio can and cannot show.

This time has not yet been revealed. For now, a new version of the Fishman Island Arc will air starting October 27, 2024. First produced in 2011, the arc is getting another edition.

The Fishman redux picks up after the one-off episode, ‘Fan Letter’, which airs next week. The One Piece television adaptation is still in the middle of the Egghead Arc, the first part of the Final Saga, where Eiichiro is apparently moving towards the end of the Straw Hats’ journey.

Of course, in typical One Piece fashion, this conclusion could come in two years, or another 20. The only one who knows is Eiichiro. For now, we’re taking a short detour so everyone can catch their breath and put more wind in the property’s sails.

Big rewards await, as in between we have The One Piece, the Netflix anime remake, and the second season of the live-action One Piece on the way. If you want to stay ahead of all this, check out our guide on Chapter 1129 to see what’s happening in the manga.