One Piece TV Anime Enters Elbaf Arc in April 2026 with New One Manga Chapter Per Episode Format

The One Piece franchise announced major updates during the October 28, 2025 broadcast of "ONE PIECE NEWS," revealing that the TV anime will enter the highly anticipated Elbaf Arc in April 2026 with a revolutionary new production format.

The anime's current Egghead Arc will conclude at the end of December 2025, followed by a production break before the Elbaf Arc launches in April 2026. In a significant shift for the long-running series, the production team will attempt to adapt one manga chapter per anime episode, moving away from the traditional pacing that often stretched single chapters across multiple episodes. This new approach aims to deliver a more concentrated storytelling experience as the series enters the core mysteries of the One Piece world. The production has announced plans to broadcast a maximum of 26 episodes per year under this new format.

The "ONE PIECE NEWS" broadcast unveiled the first teaser visual for the Elbaf Arc alongside character costume designs for the Straw Hat crew in their new adventure.

Netflix's live-action One Piece series also received a major announcement, with Season 2 titled "INTO THE GRANDLINE" set to premiere globally on March 10, 2026. Iñaki Godoy, who portrays Monkey D. Luffy, delivered a special message during the broadcast revealing the release date. Season 2 will follow the Straw Hat crew as they finally enter the Grand Line, featuring expanded action sequences and enhanced production values from the acclaimed first season. The Japanese dubbed version, which proved popular with Season 1, has been confirmed for Season 2 as well.

Additional updates arrived for One Piece Heroines, the upcoming anime adaptation of the One Piece novel HEROINES series originally published in One Piece magazine. The series focuses on female characters from One Piece, exploring their individual stories and personal journeys. Character designs for Nami and Nico Robin were revealed for the first time during the broadcast.

The comedy spinoff anime Koisuru One Piece (Romance Dawn) will screen at the 12th New Chitose Airport International Animation Film Festival in Hokkaido this November. Voice actors Ryosuke Kanemoto, Ayane Sakura, and Yuichi Nakamura will appear at a special stage event on November 23, now joined by Hiroshi Kitadani, who voices the character Minamiyama Semashi and may perform one of the series' iconic songs live.

A mini-album featuring music from Koisuru One Piece will be released digitally on November 24, 2025. The album includes opening theme "Attouteki Kaikou," ending theme "Himitsu no Date," and the viral track "Gomen" that gained attention during ONE PIECE DAY '25. All songs feature music, lyrics, composition, and arrangement by manga creator Daiki Ihara.

With the Elbaf Arc's groundbreaking new format, the Netflix live-action Season 2 premiere date, and expanding spinoff projects, One Piece continues its dominance across multiple media platforms. Full details from these announcements are available in the archived "ONE PIECE NEWS" broadcast.