The One Piece anime has had its ups and downs over the years due to production-related issues. Following the two-year timeskip, the quality of the series greatly decreased, especially in arcs like Punk Hazard and Dressrosa. However, since Wano, One Piece has been on the upswing, and that has been reflected even in more recent arcs of the Final Saga. This anime quality is, however, hard to maintain on a weekly schedule. That is why, in 2025, Toei Animation announced that One Piece is going seasonal. Now, One Piece is getting a total of 26 episodes a year instead of the 40 or so episodes we used to receive.
Consequently, it is now almost time to say goodbye to the One Piece anime for 2026. Having previously returned in April 2026, One Piece is leaving us once more on September 27, 2026, after the release of One Piece episode 1180. The anime won’t come back for the remainder of 2026.
One Piece Anime Officially Goes On A Long Break On September 27
The One Piece shifted drastically in 2025 with the debut of its Elbaf arc. For over years of broadcasting, One Piece has been a weekly anime, with constant releases week after week and few breaks in between. But that has now changed. Toei Animation switched One Piece to a seasonal release schedule starting the Elbaf arc, and now, they only plan to release 26 episodes every year. 26 episodes a year is about half what Toei previously did. In 2026, One Piece started its broadcast on April 5 with the beginning of the long-awaited Elbaf arc, which takes the Straw Hats to the land of Giants. About 6 months later, the first part of the Elbaf arc is almost done, and it is almost time to bid farewell to the One Piece anime now.
It has now been confirmed that One Piece’s final episode for the year is airing this month on September 27, 2026, and that’s One Piece Episode 1180. In the finale of this batch of episodes, we are likely to finally see Imu using the power of Domi Reversi after making an entrance on Elbaf, which is set up as one of the biggest cliffhangers as of recently in One Piece. This cliffhanger will keep the fans on the edge of their seats for a comeback.
One Piece Will Return With Elbaf Arc Part 2 In Spring 2027
As we know, One Piece’s final episode for the year is set to air on September 27, 2026. With the airing of this episode, fans might be wondering when the anime will make its return with the next batch of episodes. Because One Piece released all 26 episodes in one go, we can confidently state that there will be a 6-month-long break before it returns.
With that in mind, it is highly likely that Toei Animation will release Episode 1181 of One Piece around late March to early April 2027. Of course, the exact return date of the One Piece anime is still nowhere close, and it will likely take the studio a couple of months to present new information pertaining to the matter. But what we know for a fact is that the One Piece anime won’t return in 2026.
Upon the return of One Piece in 2027, some of the biggest fights will be tackled, and we’re all eagerly waiting for them. Imu’s new appearance is cause for trouble, and havoc is about to be wreaked in the land of Giants. We will have to see how our protagonist Luffy, with the help of Loki, is able to fight the massive threat posed by the King of the World, whose powers seem untouchable for now.
Interestingly enough, when One Piece does return in 2027, we are likely to see a different broadcasting schedule. Instead of 26 episodes releasing at once, as observed with the first batch of Elbaf episodes, we are more likely to see two 13 episode cours instead, with a few months’ gap in between. The primary reason for this is the next big One Piece movie project, which is scheduled to premiere in Summer 2027, that is, One Piece Film: God Valley.
How One Piece Film: God Valley Affects The Anime’s Return
During One Piece Day 2026, which took place on August 22 and August 23, the biggest One Piece project ever was officially unveiled to the fans. After a seemingly uneventful day for Toei Animation, a big project was announced right at the end, and it sets up a new era for the One Piece anime. Toei Animation officially revealed that One Piece is finally getting a new movie after 5 years of waiting. This movie, however, is completely different from anything that came before it. Unlike movies such as One Piece Film Red and One Piece Stampede, the new One Piece movie will be fully canon.
This new One Piece movie is titled One Piece Film: God Valley, and as the name clearly implies, it will adapt the God Valley stretch of the story. For fans unfamiliar with the manga, God Valley is told through a flashback in Elbaf after being teased for years in the series. Because of where it falls in the story and how short it is, it is not going to be its own arc. This flashback has an awkward placement for the anime to directly jump into it in the movie, as it is only a part of a bigger flashback explaining the history of Elbaf and adding much-needed lore to the One Piece world. This same flashback explores other characters, like Loki or Harald, for example.
Consequently, One Piece Film: God Valley has to fall at the perfect moment to bridge together the two cours of the anime in 2027. It’s already been confirmed that God Valley is coming in Summer 2027 in Japan, so the first part of the anime has to air before it will serve as its setup. The second cour of the anime that comes right after it will continue the flashback without making fans wait too long. It’s unclear how this would work for international fans, as a simultaneous movie release is unlikely, and a delay could be frustrating.
Either way, if the One Piece anime returns with 13 episodes in March 2027, then it will conclude its run around June. That would be perfect, as the new movie is officially set to release in Summer, between June and September. July is usually prime time for anime movie releases, so it could very well fall then. Following the movie, One Piece anime will likely return with 13 more episodes in 2027, covering the remaining bits of the flashback and leading to the continuation of Imu’s assault on Elbaf.
For now, we must sit back and wait for the release of the highly anticipated finale of Elbaf — One Piece Episode 1180.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
