After a six-month hiatus, the beloved anime One Piece is set to make its grand return in early April 2025, but with a significant change that signals we might be closer to the series finale than previously thought. For the first time in 18 years, the anime is shifting from its morning time slot to a late-night broadcast, creating a strategic alignment with the manga’s weekly release schedule.
The Genius Behind One Piece’s New Schedule
The One Piece anime will resume the Egghead Arc on April 6, 2025, with a new broadcast time of 11:15 PM JST. This marks a dramatic shift from its previous Sunday morning 9:30 AM slot that had been consistent since October 2006. While this change might seem surprising at first, it reveals a brilliant strategy by the production team.
The new late-night time slot places the anime just 45 minutes before the weekly manga chapter releases, which drop online every Monday at 12:00 AM JST. This creates a perfect viewing experience for fans, who can now watch the latest anime episode and immediately dive into the newest manga chapter, making for an ideal weekend conclusion for One Piece’s now predominantly adult fanbase.
A Double Episode Return Weekend
To celebrate the anime’s comeback after its longest hiatus in nearly 30 years, Toei Animation and Crunchyroll have planned an exciting premiere weekend:
- April 5: Episode 1123 and an 83-minute Egghead Arc recap special
- April 6: Episode 1124, marking the official return to the regular schedule
This special weekend will be available through simulcast in multiple regions, including North America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Latin America, with episodes accessible on both Crunchyroll and Netflix.
Why This Alignment Signals The End
The strategic synchronization of the anime and manga release schedules suggests that the One Piece team is preparing for a coordinated conclusion to both formats. Series creator Eiichiro Oda has previously indicated that the manga is in its “Final Saga,” with estimates pointing to a conclusion around 2027 or 2028.
With the anime now aligned with the manga’s release cadence, it appears Toei Animation is positioning itself to minimize the traditional gap between the source material and its adaptation. This could allow the anime to conclude much closer to the manga’s finale than would have been possible with the previous scheduling approach.
Enhanced Quality After The Break
The six-month hiatus wasn’t just about rescheduling. According to official statements, the break was implemented to “enhance the quality further” of the Egghead arc. The anime staff has been working continuously during this period, but with a more comfortable schedule that allows for higher production values.
The Egghead Arc has already demonstrated movie-quality animation in its first 34 episodes, and the production team aims to maintain or even exceed this standard when the series returns. The hiatus provides the necessary time for the animation team to deliver the spectacular visuals that modern One Piece fans have come to expect.
What To Expect When One Piece Returns
When the series resumes, viewers will be thrust back into the high-stakes conflict on Egghead Island. The Straw Hat crew will continue their efforts to protect Dr. Vegapunk from the World Government while facing off against Admiral Kizaru, one of the most formidable Marine forces Luffy has encountered.
The upcoming episodes will delve deeper into revelations about Devil Fruits and Vegapunk’s scientific breakthroughs, while also advancing the overarching narrative of the Final Saga. With the world on the brink of war and the Five Elders making their move, the Egghead Arc promises to deliver pivotal moments that will shape the conclusion of this epic tale.
When will One Piece Episode 1123 be released?
The first half of One Piece’s doubleheader return will drop on Saturday, April 5, at 11:15 p.m. JST. As the exact release times vary across different regions, you can check out the schedule based on your timezone below:
| Timezone | Time | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDT | 7:15 am | April 5 | Saturday |
| CDT | 9:15 am | April 5 | Saturday |
| EDT | 10:15 am | April 5 | Saturday |
| IST | 7:45 pm | April 5 | Saturday |
| JST | 11:15 pm | April 5 | Saturday |
| ACST | 12:45 am | April 6 | Sunday |
When will One Piece Episode 1124 be released?
One Piece Episode 1124 will be released on Sunday, April 6, at 11:15 p.m. JST. As the exact release times vary across different regions, you can check out the schedule based on your timezone below:
| Timezone | Time | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDT | 7:15 am | April 6 | Sunday |
| CDT | 9:15 am | April 6 | Sunday |
| EDT | 10:15 am | April 6 | Sunday |
| IST | 7:45 pm | April 6 | Sunday |
| JST | 11:15 pm | April 6 | Sunday |
| ACST | 12:45 am | April 7 | Monday |
As One Piece enters what appears to be its final stretch, both manga readers and anime viewers can look forward to experiencing Luffy’s journey toward becoming the Pirate King with unprecedented synchronicity.
The end may be approaching faster than we thought, but the adventure promises to be more spectacular than ever.
One Piece is available on Crunchyroll.
