Toei Animation Has A New 2026 Anime Of The Year Contender

This post contains spoilers for One Piece.

2025 has been an amazing year for fans of One Piece! Both the anime and manga have delivered incredible stories that have captivated audiences. While the manga has been praised for years, the anime started receiving widespread positive attention more recently – particularly with the Wano Country arc, when Toei Animation significantly improved its production quality.

When the One Piece anime began its Egghead arc, many wondered if the animation quality would hold up. Fortunately, it hasn’t just maintained its level – it’s actually improved!

One Piece Will Win Anime Of The Year Award In 2026

The One Piece Anime Has Dominated IMDb

  • One Piece’s Elbaf arc is going to much better than Egghead Island
  • The Elbaf arc will be released in 2026

The One Piece anime is switching to a seasonal release schedule, meaning new episodes won’t come out continuously throughout the year. Instead, it will release episodes in two blocks of 13, totaling 26 episodes per season. While some fans may not love this change, it allows the animators at Toei Animation to focus on making each episode as good as possible. They’ve been working incredibly hard!

The team needs adequate rest to maintain their high performance. Ignoring their well-being would not only hurt morale but also lead to burnout and negatively impact their physical and mental health. Allowing them time to recharge will also help them stay engaged and motivated in their work.

When the anime returns in 2026, it’s expected to be a strong contender for awards. Previously, the One Piece anime wasn’t considered for top honors like Anime of the Year due to issues with pacing and animation quality. However, the current version is significantly improved and has a real chance of winning in 2025. Many recent episodes have received exceptionally high ratings on IMDb, even surpassing popular shows like Solo Leveling, Takopi’s Original Sin, and Lord of Mysteries.

If One Piece maintains its current quality, it’s sure to become one of the all-time greatest anime series, boasting both a fantastic story and stunning animation.

One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Will Release In 2026

The One Piece anime will switch to a seasonal format and take a break from January to March 2026. When it returns in April 2026, it will begin adapting the highly anticipated Elbaf arc, considered by many to be one of the best arcs in the series after the time skip. This arc follows the Straw Hat Pirates’ adventures in the land of the giants, which fans have been eager to see for years. The anime will adapt roughly one chapter of the manga per episode, covering about 26 chapters next year. This will also allow viewers who only watch the anime to finally see the Holy Knights in action.

The Elbaf arc is incredibly popular with manga fans due to its compelling story and exciting action. Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, is really accelerating the plot, revealing crucial details about the series’ history. He’s even shared everything about the God Valley Incident, a pivotal event in the story. However, the anime won’t show the God Valley Incident until 2027, meaning fans will have to wait over a year to see the Rocks Pirates and other key characters involved.

Read More

2025-10-29 19:34