Toei Animation Reveals New Anime Series Production Schedule During One Piece News Stream in Japan
Episodic Series' Broadcast will be Capped to Maximum 26 Episodes Per Year Starting in 2026; New Schedule to Kick-Off in April 2026 Following Three-Month Production Hiatus
LOS ANGELES – October 28, 2025. Tonight at 10:15 pm JST during a special online ONE PIECE news event, Toei Animation, the anime industry leader and legendary studio behind ONE PIECE, announced the restructuring of the global hit series' production schedule beginning in 2026 — coinciding with the highly anticipated start of the show's Elbaph Arc.
During the global stream on the official ONE PIECE YouTube channel, Ryūta Koike, series producer for ONE PIECE at Toei Animation, revealed that beginning this January, the series' broadcast will be divided into two cours (“parts”) per year — totaling up to 26 new episodes in 2026 and thereafter. While this reduction in total episodes annually as in prior years, Koike explained that this change was a strategic decision to support the advancement and evolution of the anime series. The anime is based on the manga, and historically, 11 – 12 episodes would encompass 4-5 volumes of the manga. Going forward, under the two cours structure, new episodes will incorporate more content, tempo, and pacing of the manga while continuing to leverage the unique storytelling that is only possible with animation.
The new “ONE PIECE” episodic production schedule and broadcast of Cour 1 for 2026 will commence in April 2026, following a three-month production hiatus from January through March. During this series' break, there will be numerous opportunities for fans to enjoy “World of ONE PIECE.”
The hour-long ONE PIECE news event was co-hosted by Hiroyuki Nakano, ONE PIECE Media editor in chief, together with Koike. In addition to “ONE PIECE” series production update, the global stream also discussed the manga, new projects, marketing highlights over the past year and even updates on local Japanese events like Jump Festa. This included an in-depth look at new Issue 113 of the manga and numerous visual reveals from both the upcoming “ONE PIECE HEROINES” anime and “ONE PIECE,” like new teaser art for the Elbaph Arc. Viewers were also treated to a variety of images and videos from the past year's ONE PIECE location-based entertainment from the LA Lakers and BVB (German Professional Soccer Club) to the LA Dodgers and New York Comic Con exhibition.
Based on the globally beloved and best-selling manga of all time created by Eiichiro Oda and brought to life by Toei Animation, the iconic “ONE PIECE” episodic series follows pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Crew on their epic quest to find the “One Piece,” the legendary treasure of Gol D. Roger, former King of the Pirates. Now over 25 years since the episodic series' Japanese TV debut in 1999, ONE PIECE has taken its place in mainstream pop culture as one of the most successful and enduring anime franchises of all time, attracting millions of fans of all ages around the world. Today, the franchise currently spans 15 feature films, multiple video games, a trading card game and an ever-growing catalog of licensed merchandise and location-based entertainment.
©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation.
About Toei Animation Inc.
Based in Los Angeles, Toei Animation Inc. manages the distribution of Toei Animation's top properties, including franchise series Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, One Piece, Digimon, Saint Seiya and many others, to North America, Latin America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Toei Animation's Los Angeles office also oversees all categories of consumer product licensing based on its film and television brands within these territories. For more information, please visit toei-animation-usa.com.
LOS ANGELES – October 28, 2025. Tonight at 10:15 pm JST during a special online ONE PIECE news event, Toei Animation, the anime industry leader and legendary studio behind ONE PIECE, announced the restructuring of the global hit series' production schedule beginning in 2026 — coinciding with the highly anticipated start of the show's Elbaph Arc.
During the global stream on the official ONE PIECE YouTube channel, Ryūta Koike, series producer for ONE PIECE at Toei Animation, revealed that beginning this January, the series' broadcast will be divided into two cours (“parts”) per year — totaling up to 26 new episodes in 2026 and thereafter. While this reduction in total episodes annually as in prior years, Koike explained that this change was a strategic decision to support the advancement and evolution of the anime series. The anime is based on the manga, and historically, 11 – 12 episodes would encompass 4-5 volumes of the manga. Going forward, under the two cours structure, new episodes will incorporate more content, tempo, and pacing of the manga while continuing to leverage the unique storytelling that is only possible with animation.
The new “ONE PIECE” episodic production schedule and broadcast of Cour 1 for 2026 will commence in April 2026, following a three-month production hiatus from January through March. During this series' break, there will be numerous opportunities for fans to enjoy “World of ONE PIECE.”
The hour-long ONE PIECE news event was co-hosted by Hiroyuki Nakano, ONE PIECE Media editor in chief, together with Koike. In addition to “ONE PIECE” series production update, the global stream also discussed the manga, new projects, marketing highlights over the past year and even updates on local Japanese events like Jump Festa. This included an in-depth look at new Issue 113 of the manga and numerous visual reveals from both the upcoming “ONE PIECE HEROINES” anime and “ONE PIECE,” like new teaser art for the Elbaph Arc. Viewers were also treated to a variety of images and videos from the past year's ONE PIECE location-based entertainment from the LA Lakers and BVB (German Professional Soccer Club) to the LA Dodgers and New York Comic Con exhibition.
Based on the globally beloved and best-selling manga of all time created by Eiichiro Oda and brought to life by Toei Animation, the iconic “ONE PIECE” episodic series follows pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Crew on their epic quest to find the “One Piece,” the legendary treasure of Gol D. Roger, former King of the Pirates. Now over 25 years since the episodic series' Japanese TV debut in 1999, ONE PIECE has taken its place in mainstream pop culture as one of the most successful and enduring anime franchises of all time, attracting millions of fans of all ages around the world. Today, the franchise currently spans 15 feature films, multiple video games, a trading card game and an ever-growing catalog of licensed merchandise and location-based entertainment.
©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation.
About Toei Animation Inc.
Based in Los Angeles, Toei Animation Inc. manages the distribution of Toei Animation's top properties, including franchise series Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, One Piece, Digimon, Saint Seiya and many others, to North America, Latin America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Toei Animation's Los Angeles office also oversees all categories of consumer product licensing based on its film and television brands within these territories. For more information, please visit toei-animation-usa.com.
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