Currently, One Piece fans are increasingly supporting the animated film’s move to a seasonal broadcast format.
In the most recent episodes of the One Piece anime, Luffy engaged in a lengthy battle with Kaido on the Onigashima rooftop. This war has lasted for several months, showing that the anime’s pace is quite slow. Episodes often feature unnecessary flashbacks.
For example, in the latest episode of One Piece (1075), nearly half of the episode is filled with flashbacks, featuring Orochi and Kaido tormenting the people of Wano.
While flashbacks can help highlight the evil personalities of villains, the two newly released episodes of the One Piece anime rely too heavily on them.
Below is a rough breakdown of the time distribution in One Piece episode 1075, including opening, recap, flashback, new content, and ending song.
A significant number of One Piece fans on Twitter have expressed their concerns about the film’s pacing. One fan even started a poll to gauge interest in moving the series to a seasonal schedule.
The poll created by Twitter user @OP_SPOILERS2023 asked: “Do you want the anime’s ‘One Piece Final Saga’ to air seasonally?”. Interestingly, more than 57% of respondents voted “Yes”. This shows that a significant portion of the audience is not satisfied with the current broadcasting pace and welcomes a change in the broadcasting schedule.
Another user highlighted the issue by noting that Luffy’s final punch against Kaido was extended by two episodes.
Additionally, on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, there are also many comments lamenting the slow pace of the One Piece anime.
What impact will the seasonal format have on One Piece?
Switching the One Piece anime to a seasonal format could have many impacts, both positive and negative. One of the most pressing concerns is the pacing of the anime in relation to the original manga.
Eiichiro Oda has been releasing fewer manga chapters lately, especially after the Wano arc. The slower release of the original source material poses a significant challenge for anime adaptations.
Sooner or later, anime will catch up with manga. When that happens, the creators will be faced with a dilemma: take a break or introduce additional episodes to continue the series.
Switching to a seasonal format could improve the show’s pacing and lead to higher production quality. Animators will have more time to focus on each episode. Excessive flashbacks that fans criticized will also be minimized.
However, it is necessary to consider the financial aspect. One Piece is a long-running series with a loyal fan base, helping to ensure steady revenue. Switching to a seasonal format could disrupt this income stream, at least in the short term.
While die-hard fans may tune in to the seasonal format, there’s still the risk of losing casual viewers who are used to a regular broadcast schedule. Disruptions or changes in release patterns may result in reduced viewership.
