🚨 YEAR-END BLOCKBUSTER: ONE PIECE PRODUCTION MANAGER RYOYO KANEKO OFFICIALLY LEAVES THE SHIP AFTER EGGHEAD – 2026 IS THE CRAZY “NEW ERA” YEAR FOR ONE PIECE! 😱⚓

The latest One Piece update confirms the nearly 30-year series is entering a new era in 2026.

One Piece production manager Ryoya Kaneko announced his departure from the hit Shonen Jump series, following the conclusion of the “Egghead Island” arc on Dec. 28. “I’ll be stepping off the One Piece ship and moving on to another team,” he said on X (formerly Twitter).

“For about three years, from the final of ‘Wano Kingdom’ through the end of ‘Egghead,’ I had the privilege of working as a production manager on One Piece. I’m deeply grateful to everyone involved in the production and to all the viewers who watched.”

One Piece Enters New Era in 2026 with Major Production Change

Kaneko’s duties as One Piece production manager began at the tail end of “Wana Country” and lasted until the epic anime finale of “Egghead.” His episodes include: 1030, 1041, 1047, 1053, 1058, 1062, 1068, 1075, 1081, 1087, 1093, 1099, 1106, 1114, 1120, 1131, 1136, 1142 and 1154.

The shocking departure of One Piece‘s longtime production manager marks another end-of-an-era moment for the 26-year-old series, as it officially concludes its ongoing release schedule for a new seasonal format in 2026. For the first time ever, One Piece will release only 26 new episodes per year, split into two parts. The Part 1 release will begin with the anime debut of “Elbaph,” which will premiere on April 5, 2026.

A new One Piece anime movie was confirmed at Jump Festa 2026. However, according to series creator Eiichiro Oda, production on the upcoming film isn’t going as smoothly as one would hope. “As for the anime movie, I’ve been told I’m not allowed to talk about it yet!” he said on Dec. 21. “And honestly, I can’t say it’s progressing smoothly either, but maybe saying this will get things moving like, ‘hey, hurry up!!'”

Netflix’s One Piece Era Resumes in 2026 With Live-Action Season 2 Premiere, While The One Piece Remains TBD

The production of Netflix’s anime TV remake of The One Piece remains a mystery following its initial announcement in December 2023. Wit Studio, the anime studio behind Spy x Family and Attack on Titan Seasons 1-3, is in charge of the new animated venture. However, the last official statement made about the ambitious new series came from its character designer, Kyoji Asano, who said progress was being made, albeit slowly.

At Jump Festa 2026, Oda addressed the disappointing fact that The One Piece was once again a no-show. “Looking at the list, many of the projects are clearly aimed at an international audience (including Japan, of course),” he said in late December. “The previously announced new anime, The One Piece, is also being made for a global audience and is progressing steadily.”

Meanwhile, the highly successful live-action adaptation of One Piece finally continues in 2026 on Netflix. One Piece Season 2, or One Piece: Into the Grand Line, will premiere on March 10, 2026. It will introduce the CG-animated Tony Tony Chopper as the latest crew member of the Straw Hat Pirates and set the stage for the “Arabasta Arc,” which will be featured in Season 3, now in production.