Toei Animation and Crunchyroll have officially announced the return of the One Piece simulcast this spring, kicking off the highly anticipated Elbaph Arc.
After a daring escape from the “Future Island,” Egghead, the Straw Hat crew has set their course for a legendary destination. Joined by the mighty Giant Warrior Pirates, they have finally reached Elbaph, the long-awaited Land of Giants. Fans first heard of Elbaph all the way back in the Little Garden arc—recently recreated in the second season of the One Piece live-action series—so finally reaching these shores marks a monumental milestone for the story.
The anime’s return follows a three-month hiatus, a break taken to facilitate a major structural change. After airing nearly every week since 1999, One Piece is officially shifting from a continuous weekly format to a seasonal format. This means the series will now release approximately 26 episodes per year, split into two parts. This strategic move is designed to improve animation quality and ensure the pacing remains more faithful to Eiichiro Oda’s manga with less padding and filler.
While this is not the first hiatus the anime has experienced, it is certainly one of the most significant ones. The series recently completed a six-month hiatus (from October 2024 to April 2025) which was done to create a healthier gap between the anime and the weekly manga published in Weekly Shonen Jump.
This most recent break marks a historic turning point: the anime is officially transitioning to a seasonal format. Moving away from the continuous weekly schedule it maintained since its debut in 1999, the series will now be capped at a maximum of 26 episodes per year. This change is designed to ensure the highest possible animation standards as we begin the legendary Elbaph Arc this April!
The Elbaf Arc is set to premiere on April 5 2026 on Crunchyroll, and you can catch all other 1155 episodes on the app!
