One Piece Spin-Off Focusing On Ace Announced

If you are a fan of One Piece, then you know a thing or two about memorizing names. The long-running series has hundreds of characters to its names, and Donquixote Doflamingo is one of the more tame. The Straw Hat Pirates all have their own interesting names and stories, but it one of Luffy's closest friends who is getting attention this year. Recently, Weekly Shonen Jump confirmed that its Year of Sanji had come to an end, and it seems like Portgas D. Ace is taking his place.

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To celebrate One Piece's 20th anniversary, Shonen Jump has big plans, and one of them involves Ace. The publication announced that there are plans in development for a magazine focused on Ace. Shonen Jump also confirmed that the One Piece kabuki play would make its return, but it is the former piece of information that made fans frantic.

So far, there is no word on what the spin-off story will entail or do, but fans are excited to see Ace return to One Piece. Fans are speculating the project will be novelized and approved of by creator Eiichiro Oda, so yet another item can be added to One Piece's long list of canon content.

If you aren't familiar with Ace or can't put a name to the face, then you'll remember him soon enough. Portgas D. Ace is also known as 'Fire Fist' and the older brother to Luffy. The adopted brother helped raise the younger kid along with a blond-headed boy name Sabo. Known for his fiery temper and fierce loyalty, Ace was the 2nd division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and was Luffy's definitive role model upon the seas.

Of course, fans know how Ace ultimately left the series. After being hunted by the World Government, Ace was sentenced to death because his father was the late Pirate King. Luffy was unable to accept his brother's execution and interfered, an action that resulted in the Battle of Marineford. Luffy helped Ace escaped custody, but the elder pirate wound up sacrificing his life to save Luffy from a marine named Akainu.

In One Piece, Ace's death acted as a major catalyst for Luffy and his training. The event made the younger pirate train seriously for his dream of becoming Pirate King, and Ace has been referenced multiple times throughout the series. Whether in manga or anime, Ace is a staple character who helped shape Oda's overall narrative, so fans are definitely ready to learn more about the hot-headed man.

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So, what do you think? Which parts of Ace would you be interested in learning more about? His first years with Whitebeard? His afterlife? Let us know in the comments below!

[H/T] Crunchyroll