The Legendary Big 3 Anime Are Officially Coming Back In 2026

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During the early 2000s, three anime and manga series – One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach – became incredibly popular within the Shonen genre. Fans affectionately nicknamed them “The Big Three” because of their huge impact on the industry. These series all aired around the same time, but began to conclude one by one, starting with Bleach. Naruto followed in 2017, leaving One Piece as the only one still running. Now, in 2026, all three series are expected to return, reuniting the iconic trio.

The One Piece anime is starting its Elbaf storyline, and Bleach will finish the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. Fans were surprised to learn that Naruto is returning in 2026 with four new episodes. While 2026 promises to be a major year for all three shows, it might be the last time they release new content together.

The Big Three Anime Dissolved In 2012

Fans of Japanese anime, particularly the ‘Shonen’ genre, often refer to One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach as “The Big Three” – the three most popular series of the 2000s. These shows were incredibly popular, and since then, no other anime have quite reached the same level of excitement and influence.

The group known as “The Big Three” started to dissolve in 2012. That year, the first of these popular characters concluded their storyline in the manga Bleach. Surprisingly, Bleach ended before finishing the final story arc, which disappointed many fans.

After Bleach finished, only Naruto and One Piece remained, but Naruto also eventually came to an end. The final episode of Naruto: Shippuden aired in 2017, a few years after Bleach’s anime concluded. While Boruto followed soon after, attempting to continue the Naruto story, it hasn’t been as well-received. In fact, Boruto is currently on break.

Now that Bleach and Naruto have finished, One Piece remains the dominant ongoing anime. It continues to release new episodes annually and, while the pace might be slowing down with occasional breaks, it’s still far from ending.

One Piece, Naruto, And Bleach Are Returning In 2026 After 14 Years

It might be surprising to hear, but the three major anime series are all returning this year, in 2026! New installments have been confirmed for each of them, and it’s been 14 years – since 2012 – since all three aired together.

One Piece Is Returning With the Elbaf Arc In April 2026

The most recent episode of One Piece, episode 1156, finished the Egghead story arc a few weeks ago. This means a significant pause for fans, as the anime is shifting from being released weekly to having seasonal releases with six-month breaks each year.

Many One Piece fans dislike the annual pauses in the story, but these breaks ensure there will be new content for years to come. Importantly, One Piece is confirmed to return in 2026, specifically with the start of the Elbaf arc around April 2026.

Bleach Is Returning With The Thousand-Year Blood War: The Calamity

The original Bleach anime series ended in 2012 in a way that left many fans disappointed. It stopped following the manga storyline and concluded the series prematurely. Fortunately, Bleach returned after a decade-long hiatus. In 2022, the anime made a comeback to finally adapt the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. This return was especially well-received because the animation quality and story pacing were improved, and the new series didn’t include any filler episodes.

Unlike the original Bleach anime, the Thousand-Year Blood War isn’t being released week by week. Instead, it’s being released in seasons, with a new part coming out each year. We can expect ‘The Calamity’ in 2026.

The Calamity arc marks the end of the Thousand-Year Blood War, and viewers are eager to finally see a satisfying conclusion to the story.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 4 – The Calamity is scheduled to release in July 2026.

Naruto Is Returning With 4 Special Episodes, Reportedly in Late 2026

Fans were excited for the planned 2026 comebacks of One Piece and Bleach, but were most surprised by the return of Naruto. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, four special Naruto episodes were originally planned for release in 2023. Unfortunately, these episodes were never shown because of concerns about their quality.

Studio Pierrot has confirmed that the delayed episodes are now finished and meet their quality standards. This means the continuation of Naruto will premiere alongside the other two planned releases in 2026. While a specific date hasn’t been announced, it’s currently expected to be released towards the end of 2026. Fans are looking forward to revisiting Naruto’s earlier adventures before the time skip and the Shippuden storyline.

2026 Might Be The Last Time The Big 3 Air Together

2026 is set to be a huge year for the three major anime series – One Piece, Bleach, and Naruto – but it might be the last time they’re all airing at the same time. While One Piece is still ongoing with no end in sight, Bleach is wrapping up its story with the current arc, Calamity. Once ‘Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 4 – The Calamity’ finishes airing this year, the series will be complete.

Currently, only four episodes of the new Naruto series have been made, and they’re scheduled to release in 2026. After that, the story will likely conclude, unless the creators decide to continue it. The Naruto universe could potentially expand again with a brand new series or a continuation of the Boruto storyline.

Bleach And Naruto Getting A Remake Could Revive The Big Three For A Long Time

The popular anime group known as the Big Three—Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece—is expected to disband again in 2026 as current adaptations conclude. However, if Bleach and Naruto were to receive new, high-quality remakes similar to the One Piece remake currently being done by WIT Studio, it could reignite the trio’s popularity. Many fans are hoping for this to happen, as it would be a fantastic revival for these beloved series.

It’s been nearly a decade since Naruto finished airing, and a remake could really benefit the series. While it had some fantastic animated moments, a lot of the animation now feels dated and the overall quality was often just okay.

I’m a huge fan of both series, but it’s true – Bleach wrapped up even earlier than Naruto, back in 2012, and honestly, some of the older episodes haven’t aged super well. And let’s be real, both shows had a lot of filler! I think Naruto has a decent chance of getting a remake someday, which would be amazing. But Bleach… that feels trickier. They just finished adapting the Final Arc, so revisiting the whole series feels less likely right now.

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2026-01-13 14:35