April 6th will be the most exciting day for One Piece fans this year. The anime went on a six-month hiatus in October 2024, around the same time as the anime’s 25th Anniversary. Toei Animation has been on a generational run with some of the best-animated episodes in modern series. However, this kind of animation quality is often time-consuming and not too sustainable for a weekly show. Furthermore, the anime wasn’t that far off from the manga. Since it was almost catching up with the source material, Toei announced the break in hopes of further improving its animation quality and pacing.
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In the meantime, fans were treated with a remastered version of the Fish-Man Island Arc with better cinematic quality and pacing. The new version excluded a bunch of unnecessary scenes and adjusted the entire arc in 21 episodes. While the anime will continue the Egghead Incident Arc, the manga has made quite a bit of progress during this time. The Elbaf Arc brings us some of the most shocking plot twists in the show. The arc also introduces new villains who have come to terrorize the mysterious yet beautiful land of the Giants. With so much happening in the series this year, April 6th is by far the most important date, so don’t forget to mark your calendars.
April 6th Will Have a New One Piece Episode and Chapter
One Piece’s anime is scheduled to return on April 6th, 2025 with Episode 1123. The time slot has also changed with the anime’s return. Before, it was broadcast at 9:30 am JST and now it will air at 11:15 pm JST. Furthermore, the manga was on a regular break on March 16th, 2025. Eiichiro Oda usually takes a week off after delivering three consecutive chapters. Hence, unless there’s an unexpected break, One Piece Chapter 1145 is expected to be released on the same day as the anime’s return for readers in the West.
Since it will be the third chapter after the break on March 16th, fans can expect the chapter to end on a major cliffhanger. Oda is best known for hyping up plot twists at the end of a chapter, especially before a break. This way, fans will often spend the break week theorizing and discussing the various directions the story can head towards. The Elbaf Arc of the Final Saga has taken a drastic turn in Chapter 1142 with the Holy Knights finally making their move. Things will only get more chaotic in the next few chapters, so we can expect some thrilling moments.
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One Piece’s Anime Will Return With a New Franky’s Voice Actor
Kazuki Yao, the 65-year-old original Franky voice actor, announced his retirement in December 2024 due to his health issues, which had been worsening over the years. He also passed the baton to Subaru Kimura during Jump Festa 2025. This was one of the highlights of the event and the most emotional one as Yao puts down the signature red underwear on the floor, similar to the one Franky wears, emphasizing he’s stepping down from the character’s role. He then leaves the stage, bidding farewell to the audience before Subaru Kimura, gets on stage and picks up the item depicting he’s taking over after Kazuki.
The 34-year-old German-Japanese actor is best known for playing the roles of Aoi Todo in Jujutsu Kaisen, Satori Tendou in Haikyuu, Pesci in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, and many more. Yao personally selected Kimura for the role, leaving fans relieved that one of their best characters would be done justice. The transition worked in the favor of the animation studio since it happened during the hiatus.
April Will Be Full Of Exciting Moments in the One Piece Anime and Manga
The Spring 2025 season will kick off with the anime’s return, which will now cover some of the best moments in the story so far. Not only do we get to witness Luffy fighting against the Five Elders but fans must prepare themselves for Kuma’s heartbreaking backstory. Additionally, Vegapunk’s broadcast will shake the world as he sheds light on the truth behind the Void Century. Whether it’s thrilling fights or lore, the Egghead Incident Arc won’t disappoint.
Furthermore, the story gets even more intense in the Elbaf Arc as the manga is finally introducing the Holy Knights. They are considered the strongest antagonistic group in the story and will play a crucial role in the Final Saga. The Elbaf Arc is also expected to be even more lore-heavy with the story finally delving into Nika’s origins and the truth behind the Void Century.
