- Break from January to March 2026 and return in April with the Elbaph arc.
- New annual model of 26 episodes divided into two cours.
- Objective: to improve pace and quality and avoid catching up to the manga.
- In Spain, available on Crunchyroll (and also on Netflix).
The long-running adaptation of Eiichiro Oda's manga is entering a new phase: From 2026 onwards there will be a quarterly break and broadcasting will be organized in seasons.Toei Animation has confirmed that the anime of One Piece will stop airing between January and March and will return in April with the long-awaited start of the Elbaph arc.
The study has also unveiled a new production framework: 26 episodes per year divided into two blocks or cours. The plan aims adjust the pace to the manga and enhance the visual and narrative quality without falling into the production fatigue that has historically plagued continuously airing anime.
What changes from 2026 onwards
The main novelty is twofold: on the one hand, the fixed three-month break at the beginning of each year; on the other hand, an annual season of two courses totaling 26 chaptersToei emphasizes its desire to bring each episode closer to the original material, with the intention (not rigidly fixed) of approximate one chapter of the manga per episode when feasible.
Some details remain unspecified publicly, such as the exact distribution of episodes per court or the precise start dates for each block. What is confirmed is the return in April 2026 with Elbaph, which places the first batch in spring and leaves the second part for later in the year.
Why is Toei taking this step?
Ryuta Koike, the series' producer, has described the movement as a strategic decision to drive the evolution of animeThe goal is twofold: to align the cadence with the publication schedule. Weekly shōnen jump y to prevent anime from catching up to manga, a risk that in the past forced fillings and dilations of the rhythm.
Cases like dressrosa They highlighted the problems of uninterrupted broadcasting: the proximity to manga This led to longer scenes and an uneven pace.With the new calendar, Toei is looking for consolidate the visual improvement which was seen in recent sagas and maintain a more compact narrative without sacrificing the personality that animation allows.
Impact on fans in Spain and Europe
In our territory, the The series can be watched on Crunchyroll with subtitles and dubbing., and also has presence on Netflix according to local catalogsThe new seasonal structure means fewer consecutive episodes, but a more stable and predictable cadence, in line with the current trend in anime in Europe.
Although the annual volume is reduced compared to the 45–52 episodes of other timesOne Piece will continue to outperform the average of traditional seasonal releases. For fans, this should translate to better cohesion and less fillingas well as facilitating more orderly consumption.
Current state of anime and manga
The anime is located in Egg head (started in January 2024 with episode 1089), the arc that inaugurates the Final Saga. In the manga, the story has already advanced towards Elbaph, on its way to its final chapters, although there are still several arcs to tell.
Over 1.100 episodes aired Since its debut in 1999, and now on its 26th anniversary, Toei has alternated broadcasts with occasional breaks and revisions of older arcs when necessary. In parallel, the studio has shown teasers and background art to prepare for Elbaph's arrival.
Tentative course schedule
Beyond the break from January to March and the return in April, the internal distribution for the year will follow market logic: spring for the first round and a second round later on, presumably in autumn. Although There is speculation about blocks of 13+13 chapters, Toei has not officially announced the figure per court at this time.
The important thing is that the team will have clear windows to produce without haste and publish continuously, which should reduce weekly pressure and stabilize the quality of the technical aspects and the narrative assembly.
Pros and cons of the new rhythm
Among the benefits, the community values the potential improvement of paceThe lowering of the fill and continuous technical polishing. Furthermore, working with two courses will facilitate integration small expansions of the manga when they provide context without breaking the coherence of the canon.
On the less favorable side, some fans miss the uninterrupted weekly appointment which has accompanied the series for decades. There is also ongoing concern about maintaining a manga chapter by episodeThis decision may be conservative for those who want more condensation in large arches.
Overall, the reorganization seeks balance: not to run out of materialMaintaining the animation level and respecting the manga's pacing, while offering a regular and predictable broadcast for Spanish and European audiences.
With the quarterly break and 26 episodes divided into two coursesOne Piece enters a more planned stage that prioritizes pace and quality; the return with Elbaph in April will be the litmus test of a strategy designed to accompany the manga without losing the pulse or the essence that have made the series a phenomenon for more than two decades.
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