One Piece news is once again moving on several fronts at once. On one hand, the anime has finished its run of episodes and won't return with regular chapters until 2027. On the other, the franchise is preparing its theatrical release with One Piece Film: God Valley , a film that won't be a simple spin-off, but rather a piece designed to connect with the main storyline.
Added to this is the manga's continued progress in Elbaf and the brand's presence at events like Comic-Con Málaga . The feeling is that One Piece is entering a transitional phase: fewer weekly episodes, longer breaks, and a clear focus on film and special formats.
Anime takes a break until 2027
Episode 1180, originally titled Elbaph in Despair – Diabolical Covenant , aired on September 27, 2026, and was the last regular episode of that year. Following its release, Toei Animation and Fuji TV confirmed that One Piece would not air any new episodes in the remaining months of 2026. Episode 1181 will continue the story in 2027, though an exact date has not yet been announced.
The hiatus is not due to a cancellation or an unforeseen delay. The production company changed its production model to organize the series into two annual blocks or cours . In practice, this means around 26 new episodes per year, a significantly lower number than the almost weekly schedule the series followed for decades.
The stated intention is for the adaptation to follow Eiichiro Oda's manga at a pace closer to the original. They also aim to reduce recaps and expanded scenes that, for years, were used to avoid catching up too quickly to the published work. The new system allows for breaks of several months between episodes, something already seen with the Elbaph arc.
Elbaph began in April 2026 with episode 1156, after a three-month hiatus following the closure of Egghead. It then aired on Sundays until episode 1180. The story will continue in Elbaph when the anime returns in 2027, amidst the escalating conflict and with several unresolved plot threads.
God Valley will be the big leap into film
The 16th One Piece film will be titled One Piece Film: God Valley and is being produced by Toei Animation. Its release window is currently set for 2027, though some reports suggest a summer release. This project is not separate from the anime: the film has been presented as a piece that connects directly to the canon and will help explain the Straw Hats' next steps.
The feature film will focus on the past before Luffy's crew. Specifically, it will explore what happened in God Valley , an event first mentioned in Wano that involves names like Gol D. Roger, Garp, and Rocks D. Xebec . The battle fought on that island ended with the place disappearing without a trace.
The film is expected to adapt and expand upon the manga's flashback storyline, which spans roughly from chapter 1160 to 1165. According to some sources, Eiichiro Oda will add content beyond what was seen in the original work. However, the exact release date remains unconfirmed, and Toei has not yet provided a specific date.
The strategy is reminiscent of other series that continue their story in theaters, as has happened with recent franchises. In the case of One Piece, the anime will return before the film to bridge the gap between the Elbaph episodes and the movie's release. The only confirmed window is 2027, both for the series' return and the film.
Manga, Malaga and other One Piece fronts
While the anime is being released in blocks, the manga continues to publish chapters focused on Elbaf. Chapter 1194 has focused on Roronoa Zoro and his difficulty controlling Conqueror's Haki. In the story, the swordsman faces Sommers and recalls warnings from figures like Scopper Gaban and Dracule Mihawk.
That episode leaves Zoro trying to understand a power that isn't trained like a regular technique, but rather depends on willpower. After several exchanges, he manages to unleash a beam of Haki, damaging Sommers, but the fight isn't over. The story will return in two weeks , leaving viewers wondering if Oda will finally reveal the swordsman's eye.
In Spain, One Piece also had a presence at Comic-Con Málaga . The Netflix live-action adaptation featured actors such as Iñaki Godoy and Taz Skylar, who participated in fan meet-and-greets, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities. The event is the only extension of San Diego Comic-Con held outside the United States.
The Malaga event wasn't limited to live-action adaptations. Veteran animator Yoshihiro Ueda gave a talk titled "From Dragon Ball to One Piece: A Life Dedicated to Anime." Ueda directed around 120 episodes of One Piece and worked on the storyboards for many of them, in addition to his work on Dragon Ball. Among his favorite episodes is 278, which focuses on Nico Robin.
The Netflix adaptation is also progressing. The platform has released a LEGO-style animated special that recaps the first two seasons from Usopp's perspective, though it doesn't offer much new information. The third season of the live-action series will arrive in 2027, and the One Piece remake is scheduled for February on Netflix. The franchise's release schedule is thus divided between manga, anime, film, and special events.
The immediate future of One Piece involves waiting for the next batch of episodes, following the manga on Elbaf, and making room for God Valley in theaters. The series isn't disappearing, but its release schedule is changing: fewer episodes in a row, longer breaks, and a focus on cinematic events. In Spain, events like Comic-Con Málaga keep the connection alive with a community that continues to follow Oda's every move.
