Eiichiro Oda's One Piece is a legendary series. The manga started all the way back in 1997, and the anime followed suit just a bit later, in 1999. For over 2 decades since then, the One Piece anime by Toei Animation has been dropping new episodes almost every week without a miss. This, however, is changing.
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Following the 6-month break that began in late 2024 to April 2025, it’s now been confirmed that One Piece will be going on long breaks often, or in other words, One Piece is basically going seasonal. This is unfortunate, especially as fans want to see the Elbaf arc kickstart. In the meantime, fans can instead turn their attention towards another exciting Shonen series, and that's Jujustu Kaisen. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is airing in January 2026, and it’s the perfect replacement for One Piece until its return.
The One Piece Anime Is Going On Break In Early 2026
- The Egghead Arc Of One Piece Wraps Up In December
- No One Piece Anime Until April 2026
The One Piece anime is currently airing its Egghead Island arc, but it’s soon coming to an end. The Egghead arc is ending before the start of 2026, and after that, the anime is going on a break. This break will be a new formula that Toei Animation is following.
Instead of a new episode every week for a whole year, the anime will go on a 6-month break every year, split into two parts. In other words, starting in 2026, One Piece will only be receiving 26 episodes a year.
I won't say that's not fair, Navy man. But raiding the worn-out new green leaves that changed the era of piracy forever? Don't you think you're doing too much? Are you that afraid of the new era? — Shanks
The first break scheduled for 2026 is starting soon, and the One Piece anime won’t be returning until April 2026. This is definitely unfortunate for fans waiting for Elbaf to kickstart. This means that One Piece fans need to find a new distraction in the meantime, and that's where Jujutsu Kaisen comes in.
One Piece Fans Can Hop On Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Until The Return Of The Anime
While One Piece is on break, many big anime series are actually returning. The likes of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and even Fire Force, are making a comeback. However, the biggest anime that's set to come back in early 2026 is actually none other than Jujutsu Kaisen.
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Indeed, in January 2026, Jujustu Kaisen Season 3 is dropping its first part, and it’s about to be quite the ride for fans. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is anticipated to have some of the best animation and direction of any anime in recent years, and it’s going to blow everything else out of the water.
Jujutsu Kaisen will be the perfect distraction for fans of One Piece while their favorite anime is on hiatus. While Jujutsu Kaisen is more battle-focused and less lore-heavy, it’s still one of the most entertaining anime around.
Why Is One Piece Going On Break?
Fans will definitely enjoy the Jujutsu Kaisen anime while One Piece is on break, but many wonder why Toei decided to shift to a seasonal schedule, especially when One Piece has been weekly for almost three decades now.
The truth is, year-long anime aren't the norm anymore. It can also be said that it’s to give the Studio more time to work on each episode. The quality of One Piece has definitely increased over the last few years, and it cannot be maintained under the current circumstances.
The studio has also been trying to improve the pacing, making it consistently one chapter per episode. Hopefully, One Piece will return stronger than ever before and give the fans an adventure of a lifetime when it returns in 2026.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they sail the seas to lay claim to the grand treasure known as the One Piece. The manga is currently in its Final Saga. One Piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1169 is December 21, 2025. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps. Doing so will ensure that fans always support the author.