One Piece Casts Figure Skating Star Shoma Uno in New Show

It looks like One Piece has found its next Luffy. You may not have known, but the anime is gearing up for a new project, and it meant another Luffy had to join its ranks. This time, figure skating champion Shoma Uno has been brought in to play the Straw Hat captain, and he will lead One Piece on Ice: Episode of Alabasta when it debuts later this year.

Of course, Uno has hardly an unfamiliar name to those who follow figure skating. In fact, the athlete is one of the most famous in Japan these days as Uno is considered a top-ranking skating by the International Skating Union. The skater is ranked #1 in the world in men’s figure skating, and he won the ISU World Championships last month.

Now, Uno’s participation in One Piece on Ice has raised questions about his future with the sports. The athlete has won a number of Olympic medals, and fans have wondered whether Uno would work to take part in the next Winter Games. Last year, Uno showed his prowess on ice by winning the ISU Grand Prix Final and Japan Figure Skating Championship. But as The Japan Times confirmed this year, Uno wants to “evaluate his creative path forward during off-season ice shows, suggesting he felt his performances were stagnating.”

Now, it seems like Uno is branching out with help from One Piece. Uno will bring Luffy to life, and there is no skater better qualified to take on the captain. At this time, no word has been shared about the other skaters who will fill out One Piece on Ice. The show is slated to debut this August in Yokoyama and carry through September at a different stop.

As for One Piece, the series has a lot on its plate these days. Creator Eiichiro Oda is navigating its final act, and the saga has a ton to sort through before it nears its end. The One Piece anime is also staying busy thanks to the Wano Country saga. This year, a poster was released to hype the saga’s anime climax, so audiences can expect big things from the show throughout the summer!

Would you like to check out One Piece on Ice? Are there other anime series ripe for an ice show? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.