One Piece's Gear Fifth Debut is Coming to Theaters
07/29/2023 12:30 pm EDT
One Piece has had a big year in 2023, but the story of the Straw Hat Pirates is only getting bigger for the remainder of this year. As the War For Wano has taken a pivotal turn as Kaido was able to deliver a debilitating blow to Monkey D. Luffy, the fight is far from over. Set to attain his ultimate transformation next month, Luffy's Gear Fifth debut won't just be hitting the small screen, but will also receive a limited theatrical release to celebrate the grand occasion.
If you're unfamiliar with Luffy's Gear Fifth transformation, it is unlike any of the previous Gears that Monkey has implemented so far. Rather than simply allowing him to make his muscles bigger and/or stretch even further, Luffy's ultimate form allows him to transform into a living cartoon who seemingly cannot be defeated. From the manga appearances of Gear Fifth, shonen readers have been able to witness Luffy growing to the size of a skyscraper, plucking lightning bolts out of the sky, and surviving attacks that would have otherwise killed regular combatants. Based on the scenes from the manga, the animators at Toei Animation are going to have their work cut out for them in bringing Gear Fifth to life.
Gear Fifth on The Big Screen
On August 6th, Cines Filmax is set to bring Luffy's Gear Fifth transformation to the big screen. Luckily, this episode won't be the only installment hitting the silver screen as the special event will also feature previous One Piece episodes where Luffy's various Gears made their debut.
Here's how the theater chain describes the special event, "Do you hear that? They are the drums of liberation... He is already here! Experience a UNIQUE One Piece EVENT with the arrival of Gear 5 IN THEATERS! Given the demand, a new session opens." This theatrical run, unfortunately, seems to only take place in Spain, with the shonen franchise not announcing a North American theatrical run as of yet. While Gear Fifth did appear already on the silver screen thanks to One Piece Film: Red, we would imagine that Western Straw Hat fans would leap at the chance to catch this upcoming episode on the biggest screen possible.
Do you want to see Luffy's Gear Fifth hit the silver screen in North America? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Grand Line.