Toei Animation has announced a significant delay for the One Piece anime series, specifically affecting the ongoing “Egghead” story arc. This marks the first time in the show’s history that it has experienced a broadcast delay of this magnitude. The “Egghead” arc is now set to resume in April 2025.

The announcement was made via a press release and Eiichiro Oda’s staff account on X (formerly Twitter). In the interim, Toei Animation will air a special-edited version of the “Fishman Island” arc, featuring enhanced visuals and audio compared to its original broadcast. Fans can find more information in the recent One Piece News broadcast available on YouTube.

This news comes amid a flurry of One Piece-related updates on October 13, including exciting scenes from the series, such as Garp’s Galaxy Divide and Koby’s Honesty Impact. Additionally, a new trailer for the upcoming anime adaptation of Tomohito Osaki’s spinoff novel, titled “ONE PIECE FAN LETTER,” was unveiled. This special will air in One Piece’s regular timeslot and is set after the events of the Sabaody Archipelago, focusing on characters who do not aspire to find the One Piece treasure. Directed by Megumi Ishitani, with character design by Keisuke Mori (Soty), this adaptation promises to deliver a fresh perspective on the One Piece universe.

The delay was confirmed by Hiroyuki Nakano, editor-in-chief of One Piece Media, and series producer Ryuta Koike, who will be attending a special panel at New York Comic Con alongside other popular franchises like Digimon and Dragon Ball. Fans can continue to watch the One Piece anime on Netflix and Crunchyroll, which streams episodes shortly after their Japanese broadcast. The series follows Monkey D. Luffy, a spirited young pirate on his quest to become the King of the Pirates, as he seeks the legendary treasure known as the One Piece.

The “One Piece Fan Letter” special will premiere on October 20, followed by the edited “One Piece Log: Fish-Man Island Saga” starting October 27. This 21-episode abridged version will include reshot scenes, enhanced art, and a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Special guests under the name Mugiwara no Ichimi (Straw Hat Pirates) will perform a new rendition of the “We Go!” opening theme alongside original singer Hiroshi Kitadani, while the boy band BE:FIRST will contribute the ending theme song “Sailing.”

Additionally, the One Piece Base smartphone app, featuring a manga viewer and exclusive franchise content, will launch in Japan on Sunday and is expected to be available outside Japan in 2025. The app will allow fans to unlock chapters by scanning barcodes from selected One Piece merchandise and includes a Nigaoe Maker service that transforms users’ photos into art in Oda’s distinctive style.

Earlier on Sunday, the official English YouTube channel for One Piece streamed a promotional video for the “One Piece Fan Letter” special, celebrating the anime’s 25th anniversary and based on Tomohito Ōsaki’s short story collection, Mugiwara Stories (Straw Hat Stories).