You are missing the weekly One Piece anime run, right? Be honest, I also am. For years, One Piece kept airing episode after episode every week, and now, the weekly run paused. Don’t worry, I can feel you.

So we will exactly talk about- When does One Piece Come Back with new episodes? The exact Anime Return Date and Latest Updates

When Does One Piece Come Back With New Episodes?

One Piece will officially return on April 5, 2026, with the new episodes. The TV broadcast resumes in Japan on Fuji Television and its affiliated networks on that date.

The April 5 confirmation was revealed during the major end-of-year announcement cycle alongside a new teaser video and fresh key visual. Toei Animation also confirmed that the reorganised broadcast schedule begins in April 2026. The series producer, Ryuta Koike, directly addressed the format change during the official news event.

Why Did One Piece Stop Airing in the First Place?

The break for the One Piece anime was planned. During a special online One Piece news event, producer Ryuta Koike explained that the series would shift into a new annual structure beginning in 2026. Instead of running all year continuously, the anime will now operate in a two-cour format with approximately 26 new episodes per year.

Which basically means 13 episodes and a break, and then 13 episodes, then again a break. To prepare for that transition, a scheduled three-month hiatus was placed from January through March 2026.

The reason behind this restructuring is mostly to adjust the pacing problem of anime. Under the older pattern, around 11–12 episodes sometimes covered only 4–5 manga volumes, which created stretching issues. The new structure is meant to tighten the episodes so they don’t feel dragged out.

What Episode Did the Anime Stop on Before the Break?

Before the hiatus, the anime paused right after S1.E1155 – “The Promised Horizon -Off to the Long-Awaited Elbaph”.

The last episode aired on Sunday, Dec 28, 2025. That episode is the clean stopping point before the January–March 2026 break, and it is the last new TV episode in the run before the April 2026 return.

What Arc Will One Piece Return With Next?

The anime will return with the Elbaph Arc, which was clearly shown in the trailer. For basics, Elbaph, known as the land of Giants. And this is the Straw Hats’ next destination following Egghead.

From a manga perspective, the Elbaph material begins in Volume 111, titled Adventure in Elbaph. That volume covers Chapters 1122–1133.

Where to Watch One Piece When It Comes Back?

When the anime resumes, Crunchyroll is the primary platform for new episodes. The company publicly confirmed that the Elbaph Arc will stream on Crunchyroll as the series returns. Both sub and English dub formats will be available on the platform.

Netflix also carries One Piece in regions where it is licensed. However, season and episode coverage can vary by country. Because of that variation, Crunchyroll remains the most reliable for consistent episode streaming in major English-speaking markets.

How Many Episodes Will This New Run Have?

Under the new structure, One Piece is capped at approximately 26 new episodes per year.

The anime now operates in a two-cour annual broadcast format. In simple terms, you can expect two seasonal blocks per year. Which will follow a continuous weekly release.

Each cour generally lands around 12–13 episodes. Though exact counts can vary slightly depending on scheduling.

Will One Piece Take More Breaks After It Returns?

Yes, breaks are built into the new system. Since the annual output is limited to about 26 episodes, there will be off-air periods outside those two broadcast blocks every year. This is expected to be 3 months. The January–March 2026 hiatus was not a one-time pause.

The exact months of future gaps may shift depending on television scheduling and production timing. But the yearly cycle will have breaks.

Will the English Dub Continue After the Return?

Yes, the English dub will continue for the One Piece anime. Crunchyroll confirmed the final Egghead English dub batch covering Episodes 1144–1155, scheduled for March 24, 2026.

That rollout proves the dub pipeline is currently active. Nothing in the official updates suggests the dub is stopping.

Final thoughts

We fans are eagerly waiting for the next episode. The split-court system means fewer episodes per year. This sounds bad for us. But it also means tighter pacing and stronger alignment with Eiichiro Oda’s manga. If that structure improves consistency and reduces stretching, we fans can adjust, can’t we?

Now, Comment below. Are you ready for Elbaph?