One Piece Producer Raises Questions About RED’s Canon Timeline

The next movie in the world of One Piece is taking a drastically different approach by bringing back the long-awaited pirate known as Shanks, but a recent blurb from the producer of the film has fans wondering if the upcoming film will be in the continuity of the Straw Hats. With Shanks’ return being anticipated for quite some time, being one of the main players responsible for sending Luffy on his path, One Piece: Red is one of the most anticipated journeys in the Grand Line to date.   

Much like the Dragon Ball films, it can sometimes be difficult to nail down exactly when, or in fact if, events of the One Piece movies took place in the main timeline, with the likes of One Piece: Stampede being a prime example of a film that seemingly takes place outside of the anime’s main series. While the Shonen franchise has had movies that acted as recaps for the events of the series, it also has had plenty of movies wherein their status in the main continuity is questionable considering the timelines involved.

Toei Animation Producer Shinji Shimizu went on record during a recent interview that the film is set to be “a separate story” from the main series canon, but that there will be elements that will seemingly reveal new canon information about the story of the Straw Hat Pirates. Shimizu also noted that he had attempted to get a Shanks movie made countless times in the past, speaking directly to creator Eiichiro Oda, and only now was able to successfully move full-steam ahead.

Currently, Netflix is hard at work for the live-action adaptation of One Piece, with the core Straw Hat Pirates of the early days of the series having already been cast, though there has yet to be word on whether Shanks will be making an appearance or if any big-name actors have been cast as the former “big brother” to Luffy that helped started it all. 

Do you think RED will actually have a long-lasting implication on the future of the Grand Line? What has been your favorite One Piece movie to date? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Grand Line. 

Via Library of Ohara