Everything you need to know about One Piece Remaster anime

Fans of the world-famous One Piece franchise will have to reckon with some unpleasant news, as the pirate-themed manga will be on a two-week hiatus after the release of chapter 1130. The One Piece anime, which is currently adapting the Egghead Arc, will also go on break. However, in this case, the hiatus will be much longer, as it will last until April 2025.

Over the past few years, Toei Animation has worked at a relentless pace, delivering movie-quality episodes every week despite the tight schedule. The anime team needs some well-deserved rest and will use the next six months to improve the adaptation’s pacing and visual quality. In the meantime, fans won’t be left empty-handed.

Starting October 27, 2024, a special anime will air in the same time slot as the One Piece anime. It will consist of a remake of the Fish-Man Island Arc adaptation but with fewer episodes and higher quality compared to the original. Toei Animation will take fans back to the Straw Hat crew’s memorable underwater adventure, offering the viewers a familiar but completely revamped story.

The One Piece Fish-Man Island Arc anime remake explained

A project named One Piece Log: Fish-Man Island Saga

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With its 58 episodes, the original adaptation of the Fish-Man Island Arc took about a year to air. The new version will feature the same content but condensed into only 21 weekly episodes for a massively improved pacing. One Piece Log: Fish-Man Island Saga will also benefit from remastered cuts.

Toei Animation compressed content, eliminating any unnecessary elongation, and edited the episodes, recreating them with the shading and visuals from the beginning of the Wano Arc adaptation. The graphic enhancements will provide a more pronounced three-dimensional effect.

The Fish-Man Island Arc's setting featured sparkling waters, colorful creatures, and stunning submarine architecture. The improved, more vivid color palette will emphasize the breathtaking environment that surrounds the Straw Hats as they descend into the depths of the sea.

As for the audio, the application of Dolby Atmos will allow a much more immersive experience. Fans will be able to appreciate the new OST, new sound effects, and even a new ending, Sailing by BE: FIRST. The opening will remain the original Hiroshi Kitadani’s We Go, but in a special version performed by the voice actors of the Straw Hat Pirates.

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This project has nothing to do with the One Piece anime’s future remake curated by WIT Studio. It can be seen as Toei Animation’s attempt to make their adaptation easier to watch and more enjoyable for both new viewers, who didn’t watch it back then, and long-time fans, who are now disheartened by the upcoming six-month break.

Many fans complain that the pacing of the original One Piece anime is too slow. This is a deliberate choice on Toei Animation’s part, as the studio is forced to drastically slow down the narrative to never outpace or even approach the manga. Over time, there have been several fan-made projects to recut the One Piece anime, removing filler scenes.

This time, Toei Animation has provided an official revamped version of the anime by combining improved pacing with the enhanced visuals guaranteed by new technologies. The restyling will bring more depth to the story of the Fish-Man Island Arc, whose lore is deeply connected to One Piece’s main plot.

A recap of the Fish-Man Island Arc

Some Straw Hats in Fish-Man Island (Image via Toei Animation)

After spending two years preparing for their journey in the New World, the Straw Hat Pirates reunite at Sabaody Archipelago. Every crewmember has improved his skills considerably, becoming much stronger than before, and this is especially true for Monkey D. Luffy and his long-standing right-hand man, Roronoa Zoro.

Luffy practised under the tutelage of Silvers Rayleigh, the former right-hand man of Gol D. Roger, while Zoro trained with Dracule Mihawk, the World’s Strongest Swordsman. Thanks to the teachings of these two all-powerful individuals, Luffy and Zoro dramatically increased their overall strength, which paid off during the following adventure.

With their ship coated to withstand the underwater trip, the Straw Hat Pirates sail through the abyss while steamrolling over the vicious Caribou and the gigantic Kraken. In particular, the Monster Trio members showcased some of their newfound abilities against the Kraken.

Fisher Tiger in the flashback (Image via Toei Animation)

On Fish-Man Island, the Straw Hats learn about the long-running hostility between Fish-Men and humans. A flashback reveals the history of Fisher Tiger, a Fish-Man, who attacked the World Government to free the ensnared slaves but ended up dying at the hands of humans despite saving a little human girl.

In the present, Hody Jones plots to overtake the legitimate rulers of the island to establish Fish-Men as the supreme race. Brutal and violent, Hody Jones deeply despised humans, whom he could never forget for what they did to Fisher Tiger.

Several years earlier, Hody had killed Otohime, the kindhearted Queen of Fish-Man Island. Otohime tried to end the cycle of hatred between Fish-Men and humans by promoting harmony and integration. Her sincere efforts even brought a complete change of heart in a Celestial Dragon, Saint Donquixote Mjosgard.

Zoro vs Hody Jones (Image via Toei Animation)

Fully incarnating the consequences of racism and prejudice taken to the extreme, Hody Jones misunderstood Fisher Tiger’s beliefs and tried to destroy Otohime’s. Fisher Tiger and Otohime can be considered the posthumous protagonists of the arc, as their individual stories interweave with the saga’s overarching motives.

Luffy befriends Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi, the daughter of King Neptune and the late Queen Otohime. Meanwhile, Hody Jones puts his plan into motion. He attacks Neptune’s palace while his subordinates force the residents of Fish-Man Island to convert to their anti-human ideals.

Roronoa Zoro steps in to fight Hody Jones, who has taken a huge amount of Energy Steroids to increase his strength many times over. Despite doping himself and fighting underwater, the most favorable possible environment for a Fish-Man, Hody doesn’t stand a chance against Zoro, who defeats him with a single blow.

Luffy vs Hody Jones (Image via Toei Animation)

Zoro hits Hody with a quick and precise strike, leaving him critically injured. Hody is only revived by his henchmen, who feed him with additional Energy Steroids. This causes Hody to undergo a physical transformation that completely changes his body.

Aiming to capture Shirahoshi, Hody attacks Luffy. In the ensuing fight, Luffy dominates Hody, pummelling him repeatedly. Meanwhile, Luffy’s comrades take on Hody’s acolytes. The mercenary assassin Hyouzou, hired by Hody to fight on his side, also takes many Energy Steroids, undergoing a visible transformation like Hody.

However, Hyozou is quickly defeated by Zoro, who beats him without paying much attention to his attacks. Sanji and Jinbe team up to inflict a brutal defeat on Wadatsumi, while the remaining Straw Hats make short work of Hody’s minions. Franky, Robin, Brook, Chopper, Nami, and Usopp all show off some of the abilities that they have acquired during the timeskip.

The Noah is stopped (Image via Toei Animation)

After enduring some of Luffy’s attacks, including the formidable Gum-Gum Red Hawk, Hody finally succumbs to the young pirate’s Gum-Gum Elephant Gun technique. Still, the enormous ship Noah begins to fall over Fish-Man Island due to the effect of Vander Decken’s Devil Fruit.

Luffy strikes "Ship of Promise" with Gum-Gum Elephant Gatling, trying to smash the falling ship before it reaches the island. Suddenly, Shirahoshi asks Luffy to stop, and a group of Sea Kings appear to prevent the ship from falling further. Luffy faints from blood loss, as the previous wound that Hody had inflicted on him, piercing through his shoulder, has opened up from the struggle to stop Noah.

Jinbe gives Luffy a blood transfusion, breaking the taboo in front of everyone as it has been forbidden for Fish-Men to donate blood to humans since Fisher Tiger’s death. With Hody’s threat averted, the victory is celebrated with a big party, and the Fish-Men realize that humans are not necessarily their enemies.

Is the Fish-Man Island Arc important in One Piece?

Shirahoshi and Luffy during the arc (Image via Toei Animation)

While its main villains weren’t strong enough to pose a real threat to the Straw Hats, this arc is quite important for One Piece’s main plot. Fisher Tiger’s death inspired Arlong’s actions, which in turn changed Nami’s life. However, the events of the arc marked a new beginning in the relations between humans and Fish-Men.

Joy Boy's character is introduced in the story, while Shirahoshi is revealed to be the current reincarnation of the Ancient Weapon Poseidon. The Fish-Man Island Arc also sheds some light on the post-timeskip One Piece worldbuilding, revealing the rise of Marshall D. Teach as one of the Four Emperors, and Akainu’s victory over Aokiji in the battle to become the new Fleet Admiral of the Navy.

Luffy asks Jinbe to join his crew, to which the former Warlord replies that he will gladly do so after solving his unfinished business with Big Mom. This foreshadows the future events of the Whole Cake Island Arc, especially as it’s revealed that Big Mom forced Fish-Man Island to produce candy for her, which leads to Luffy openly challenging the Emperor.

The arc also features epic battle scenes such as Luffy taking out 50,000 Fish-Men pirates with a single blast of Conqueror’s Haki, as well as Zoro effortlessly defeating Hody Jones in an underwater battle. Luffy performing Gum-Gum Red Hawk as a tribute to Ace was also incredibly iconic.

Everything you need to know about One Piece Remaster anime

The One Piece Fish-Man Island Arc anime remake explained

A project named One Piece Log: Fish-Man Island Saga

A recap of the Fish-Man Island Arc

Is the Fish-Man Island Arc important in One Piece?

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