A One Piece special episode, titled A Very Special Feature! Momonosuke's Road to Becoming a Great Shogun is scheduled for release on Sunday, December 24, 2023, at 9:30 am JST. The most recent episode brought a sense of calm as the conflict between Hanchock, the Blackbeard Pirates, and the Navy was over. Thanks to Rayleigh, Amazon Lily was safe for the time being, although the Dark King himself acknowledged that luck played a role this time. Meanwhile, Luffy had some news to share with his crewmates.
Before the Straw Hats proceed to Egghead Island, it seems the animation team has decided to revisit Wano. Thus, the focus of the One Piece special episode will be Momonosuke.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.
The One Piece special episode Release time
The One Piece special episode is set to begin airing on local Japanese networks at 9:30 am JST on Sunday, December 24, 2023. However, the English-subbed version is slated to be released on Crunchyroll on the following release dates in the corresponding time zones:
One Piece special episode streaming details
For One Piece fans residing outside of Japan, the new episode will be available on Crunchyroll approximately 90 minutes after its release in Japan. Funimation is also currently streaming the series, although they typically take a bit more time to release the episode.
The One Piece episode 1088 recap
The episode began on Amazon Lily, where it was revealed that Rayleigh had successfully rescued Hancock. In a flashback, it was revealed that Blackbeard strangled Hancock, who offered him a deal: release her and leave the island, and she would restore his crew to normal. Blackbeard, however, doubted her, fearing she might turn him to stone if she regained her powers.
At this juncture, Rayleigh entered the scene, unleashing his Haki. He asked Hancock to release the Navy soldiers and Blackbeard's crew, and then told both parties to leave.
Meanwhile, at Kamabakka Queendom, Koala was upset over the news of Sabo allegedly murdering King Cobra. On top of that, Dragon declared he would not forgive Sabo if the news was true.
Sabo then reached out to Koala and apologized for the chaos he had caused. It was shown that the Marines were also tracing the call, to track his location.
Elsewhere, Luffy and his crew were shocked by the news of Sabo's alleged crime. Luffy, still upset over Vivi's disappearance, wanted to rush to Alabasta and Marie Geois. Zoro, however, advised against entering enemy territory, reminding Luffy not to underestimate Vivi, just as he had not underestimated Ace in his time of need.
After regaining composure, Luffy asserted Sabo's innocence, emphasizing his desire to liberate everyone. He then shared his dream with his crew, though the viewers were not told about it. The crew thought it was impossible to achieve and laughed at the idea. But Luffy hinted that his dream might be achievable once he became the King of the Pirates.
What to expect in the One Piece special episode?
Based on the preview, the upcoming One Piece special episode will revisit the journey of Momonosuke, the new shogun of Wano, following Kaido and Orochi's downfall. Although he has recently assumed the role, he has already been seen making important decisions, such as choosing to keep Wano’s borders closed to prioritize the safety and development of his people.
Moreover, he has demonstrated his potential as a remarkable leader by giving up his childhood for the sake of his subjects and by confronting Ryokugyu.