One Piece Creator Oda Reveals Official Character Details About Rain God Zaza In New Message

by

Toei Animation’s One Piece anime has been running since 1999, making it one of the longest-running anime series ever. While the show is fantastic, the anime adaptation of Oda’s original manga isn’t without its flaws, often due to production challenges. Because Oda is so busy with the manga, he isn’t heavily involved in the anime’s production.

Right after One Piece Chapter 1182 came out, Kohei Tanaka, the series’ music composer, shared some interesting news about the author’s plans for the upcoming Elbaph arc.

On May 12, 2026, composer Kohei Tanaka announced that Eiichiro Oda personally reached out to him with a specific challenge: to create a truly frightening, yet undeniably cool, musical theme for the character Rain God Zaza. Oda’s direct involvement is exciting news for the new character, though fans may have to wait a bit to hear the new music.

Eiichiro Oda’s Message To Kohei Tanaka Confirms The Terrifying And Cool Personality Of Rain God Zaza

Toei Animation’s One Piece anime has been airing consistently since 1999 and has reached an impressive 1161 episodes, with more on the way. While it now releases episodes in batches throughout the year instead of weekly, fans continue to watch as key moments from the manga are adapted into animated form. The anime recently returned in April 2026, kicking off the long-awaited Elbaph arc and introducing exciting new characters like Rain God Zaza. Even with a remake planned, viewers are still eager to see these story events come to life.

The manga recently introduced Rain God Zaza, a powerful being first hinted at during the Skypiea arc. In chapter 1182, Zaza appeared as a manifestation of Killingham’s Kirin Devil Fruit. Author Eiichiro Oda is especially enthusiastic about Zaza’s upcoming anime debut and personally reached out to composer Kohei Tanaka via LINE. He asked Tanaka to create a musical theme for Zaza that is both terrifying and impressively cool.

Huh? What’s this “Rhythm of Rain Prayer” about? I just got a message from Mr. Oda on LINE saying…

‘Please make it a scary and cool one’” — Kohei Tanaka (One Piece Music Composer)

How Eiichiro Oda’s Message Shows Rain God Zaza’s Personality

The idea of powerful Gods has been present in the world of One Piece since the Skypiea arc, first mentioned in chapter 287 with references to Sun, Forest, Earth, and Rain Gods. However, it wasn’t until the Wano arc that one of these Gods actually appeared. In chapter 1044, Sun God Nika was revealed, finally explaining the true nature of Luffy’s Devil Fruit – the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. This transformation gives Luffy a white, godly form and unlocks his Gear 5, activating the ‘Drums of Liberation.’ A unique musical theme was created for these moments and debuted in episode 1070 of the anime. The upbeat and energetic music of Gear 5 perfectly captures the joyful and celebratory spirit of Sun God Nika, reflecting Oda’s intention to inspire hope and happiness. The anime adaptation brilliantly brought this first symphony for a God to life.

Unlike the hopeful and cheerful Nika form, Rain God Zaza will be portrayed with a much darker and more frightening presence. While Nika brings joy, Zaza inspires terror, making him a truly intimidating deity. The music accompanying Zaza will reflect this, featuring unsettling melodies and discordant sounds to emphasize the fear he instills in the Celestial Dragons. This fear stems from the Celestial Dragons’ inherent dread of rain, a consequence of living high above the world in Marijoa, away from it.

Fans are also eagerly anticipating the music for Saint Imu Nerona, a powerful figure in the anime. Imu is essentially the hidden ruler of the world, often called the Devil. The anime is currently developing a special OST for Imu, titled “Imu’s Descent,” which promises to be frightening, but in a unique way compared to Zaza’s theme. Given Imu’s overwhelming demonic presence, the music will likely reflect that dark energy.

The Rain God Zaza Will Make Its Anime Appearance in 2028

Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, has shared his vision for how the Rain God Zaza’s music should sound in the anime. However, it might take a while before we actually see and hear it. Zaza first appeared in the manga (chapter 1182) on May 10, 2026. The anime adaptation is currently moving slower than before because Toei Animation is now making around 26 episodes each year, whereas they used to produce over 40.

Based on the anime’s current speed, it looks like the character Zaza won’t show up until around 2028. This timeline depends on how quickly the story progresses. Toei Animation is currently adapting about one chapter of the manga per episode, which is making the anime move slower than many fans expected. On the bright side, this slower pace gives the composer, Kohei Tanaka, more time to create a fantastic musical score.

New Questions Added!

TopMob Quiz

Easy (15s)Medium (10s)Hard (5s)Permadeath (5s)

—

QUESTION 1/1

Results

0

—

More Games

One Piece’s Elbaph Arc Will Be Filled With New Music

The upcoming Elbaf Arc promises to have incredible music, with already confirmed soundtracks for both Zaza and Imu. Fans can also expect a lot more new music from Kohei Tanaka, the long-time composer for the One Piece anime.

Important events in the world of Elbaph will each feature unique musical scores. For example, the unveiling of the Harley Text will be accompanied by a special track designed to heighten the impact. The Holy Knights will also have their own theme song, potentially debuting when Shamrock appears. Fans can look forward to music during Imu’s descent, and Domi Reversi will be scored with a track called “Black Turn Domination.” Even the Giants, and Roger’s mysterious left wing, Scopper Gaban, will be emphasized with new music.

Read More

2026-05-13 08:35