Toei Animation is without doubt one of the largest anime studios in all of Japan, and over time, they’ve dealt with the variations of a few of the largest and most well-known anime collection to ever air. A few of these hits embody Sailor Moon and Digimon, amongst many. However in the case of the most important of all, one cannot neglect Toei’s two largest collection of all time — One Piece, the preferred journey and pirate anime, and Dragon Ball, the daddy of all Shonen.
It’s Official: The One Piece Anime Is Going On A Long Break
The One Piece anime is leaving, and for fairly a while.
One Piece has had a powerful run for over 25 years, however now, Toei’s focus might be shifting. With One Piece going seasonal, Toei Animation has announced the return of Dragon Ball in full force with two new projects. It might be stated that Toei is planning to, periodically, substitute One Piece with their different largest hit, Dragon Ball.
One Piece’s Anime Has Switched From Weekly To Seasonal Launch
- One Piece now receives half the episodes
- New launch schedule goals to enhance high quality
One Piece is one of the longest-running anime of all time, based mostly on the unique manga work of creator Eiichiro Oda. It started its anime adaptation in 1999 by Toei Animation, and now, over 25 years later, the anime continues to be airing nearly repeatedly. For many years, One Piece has aired as a weekly anime, releasing new episodes each single week. Nonetheless, it is clear that in the previous few years, studios have tried to shift away from the outdated launch sample.
One Piece nonetheless remained as one of many few weekly anime left, however now, that’s set to alter, beginning in 2026. One Piece is now officially switching from a weekly scheduled anime to a seasonal one. As a substitute of a brand new episode each week, followers will solely be getting One Piece content material for half the 12 months, and even then, that isn’t going to be in a single stretch.
As a substitute of the standard 40+ episodes, followers will probably be getting 26 episodes a 12 months, however damaged into two cours. Each three months, One Piece will go on a 3-month break. This positively cuts down on what One Piece followers will probably be receiving content-wise, and it’ll positively cut back the tempo at which the anime will catch as much as the manga.
Whereas followers hope that, on the very least, this could include a serious high quality enchancment, that doesn’t appear to be the case. One Piece’s anime is seemingly not getting any actual high quality improve, and on high of that, the pacing goes to stay the identical because it was in Egghead. Toei did promise a one chapter to at least one episode adaptation, so on the very least, it is not horrible. That is positively a really disappointing section for the followers of the anime.
One Piece’s shift started in late 2025 instantly after the airing of the final episode, which concluded the Egghead arc on December 28, 2025. Now, for the return of the subsequent batch of One Piece episodes, followers have to attend about three months, till April 2026.
Then, Toei Animation will drop One Piece’s subsequent episodes which can cowl the start of the Elbaf Arc. This arc is one which many followers are very enthusiastic about. It goes with out saying that Elbaf will probably be thrilling, however given the truth that Toei will typically take breaks between every cour of One Piece, they definitely want a substitute anime to fill in. That is the place the brand new Dragon Ball anime is available in, and with it, Toei Animation will lastly have two main anime at their arms.
Toei Animation Proclaims Main Dragon Ball Tasks
- Dragon Ball Tremendous: Beerus Remastered and Dragon Ball Tremendous: The Galactic Patrol will help substitute One Piece throughout its absence
Lately, Dragon Ball held one of its biggest events, called Dragon Ball: Genkidamatsuri, for the 40th anniversary of the series. This occasion unfolded on January twenty fifth, 2026, and followers’ expectations weren’t solely met, however fully blown out of the water.
Toei, the animation studio for Dragon Ball, revealed two main tasks that particularly stood out to followers throughout the occasion.
The Dragon Ball Tremendous: Beerus Remastered anime. This anime is coming in late 2026 and can carry a contemporary model of the Beerus arc of Dragon Ball Tremendous. It can span over 6 episodes, and with it, an enhanced tackle the 2016 anime will probably be given to the followers. Snippets have already been revealed, and it’s wanting superb.
It’s Time To Finally Welcome The New Dragon Ball Z Replacement
Dragon Ball Z is a fan favourite anime. This new anime might be a fantastic substitute for it.
That apart, followers also can anticipate the true return of the Dragon Ball Tremendous anime. Certainly, Toei has introduced that Dragon Ball Tremendous’s story will proceed by way of a brand new anime challenge, Dragon Ball Tremendous: The Galactic Patrol. The Galactic Patrol doesn’t have a launch date but, however, hopefully, will probably be coming someday in late 2027. It is going to be a serious step ahead for the franchise after the unlucky dying of its creator, Toriyama, which left an enormous gap for the collection.
When One Piece Is On Break, Dragon Ball Might Be Its Alternative
In the mean time, it could really feel like Toei is changing One Piece with Dragon Ball. In spite of everything, One Piece’s content is getting cut down significantly to almost half, and on top of that, no real quality improvement has been promised. From what followers have seen with Elbaf up to now by way of teasers, it seems that One Piece’s high quality will stay because it was in Egghead. That is not essentially a nasty factor, since it’s simply one of many best-produced anime on the market.
The reality is, Dragon Ball won’t ever really substitute One Piece, but it surely might come to air throughout the intervals the place One Piece is on break, so in a means, Toei has the proper substitute to maintain the followers fascinated by their merchandise. Whereas Dragon Ball Tremendous: Beerus will air side-by-side with One Piece, Dragon Ball: The Galactic Patrol might be scheduled to drop across the time that One Piece is on one in every of its three-month breaks.
Both means, most followers fascinated by One Piece are additionally seemingly Dragon Ball followers. Dragon Ball would be the excellent leisure for followers who’re ready for One Piece to make its comeback throughout the breaks.
That apart, it could also be the first time in almost 8 years that One Piece and Dragon Ball air side by side. Dragon Ball Daima did have one episode overlap with One Piece, however that is about it. Dragon Ball’s precise return can solely be an thrilling interval for all shonen followers.
Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they sail the seas to put declare to the grand treasure often called the One Piece. The manga is at the moment in its Last Saga. One Piece will probably be featured on this week’s Weekly Shonen Leap Challenge. The official launch date of One Piece Chapter 1172 is February 1, 2026. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Followers can learn the chapter without spending a dime on Manga Plus and the Shonen Leap apps. Doing so will make sure that followers all the time help the writer.
