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When Does One Piece Anime Return? Episode 1181 Release Date

The One Piece anime is on break until 2027. Episode 1180 aired on September 27, 2026 and closed the 2026 run of the Elbaph Arc. Toei Animation has confirmed that Episode 1181 will air in 2027, but has not announced an exact date yet. Based on how the new seasonal schedule worked in 2026, April 2027 is the most likely return. Here’s everything we know, why the anime stopped, and what to watch and read in the meantime.

One Piece Episode 1181 release date

Question Answer
Last episode Episode 1180, September 27, 2026 (Crunchyroll)
Next episode Episode 1181
Official release date Not announced, confirmed for 2027
Most likely window Spring 2027 (around April)
Where to watch Crunchyroll, then Netflix about a week later

We will update this page as soon as Toei announces the date. You can also follow every new manga chapter, which keeps coming out weekly, on our chapter release page.

Why is the One Piece anime on break?

After more than 25 years of almost non-stop weekly episodes, One Piece switched to a seasonal schedule in 2026. Toei Animation now makes up to 26 episodes per year, split into two parts (or “cours”) of about 13 episodes each, and adapts the manga at a 1:1 ratio: roughly one manga chapter per episode.

This is great news for quality. The old weekly format forced the anime to stretch chapters with slow pacing and filler so it wouldn’t catch up with the manga. With breaks between seasons, each episode covers more story and the animation gets more time and polish, which fans noticed right away in the Elbaph episodes.

What happened in Episode 1180?

Episode 1180, titled “Elbaph in Despair – Diabolical Covenant, ‘Domi Reversi'”, ended the first phase of the Elbaph Arc on a huge cliffhanger, with Imu making his move. It streamed on Crunchyroll on September 27, 2026 and reached Netflix in early October.

When will One Piece return in 2027?

Toei has only said the next episodes come in 2027. Here’s why April 2027 is the best guess:

  • In 2026, the first Elbaph part ran in spring and ended on July 5, and the second part started on July 12 and ended in late September. That is the classic Japanese TV calendar, where new seasons start in January, April, July and October.
  • With a maximum of 26 episodes a year, a spring start leaves room for two parts, just like 2026.
  • A January return would leave only a three-month break, which is unusual for the new format.

Until Toei confirms it, treat April 2027 as an estimate, not a date.

Where to watch One Piece

  • Crunchyroll: new episodes on Sundays, in most of the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, Africa and Oceania.
  • Netflix: the same episodes about a week later, in many regions.

How to keep up with the story during the break

The anime stopped around chapter 1151 to 1153 of the manga. If you want to know what happens next on Elbaph, start the manga from around chapter 1150 on MANGA Plus or the VIZ Shonen Jump app, both free for the latest chapters.

The manga is a long way ahead and moving fast. In Chapter 1197, Sanji finally unlocked Conqueror’s Haki (see every Conqueror’s Haki user), and Chapter 1198 comes out on November 8. Warning: these links contain manga spoilers for anime-only fans.

More One Piece coming in 2027

  • One Piece Film God Valley: a new movie adapting the legendary God Valley Incident, planned for Japanese theaters in 2027.
  • Netflix live-action Season 3, “The Battle of Alabasta”: filming wrapped on June 30, 2026, with a release planned for 2027. Xolo Maridueña joins as Ace and Joe Manganiello returns as Crocodile.
  • Right now: the Straw Hats are in Fortnite. See all Fortnite One Piece skins and release dates.

One Piece anime return: FAQ

When does One Piece Episode 1181 come out?

Toei has confirmed Episode 1181 for 2027 but has not given a date. Spring 2027, around April, is the most likely window.

Is the One Piece anime over?

No. It is on a planned break between seasons. The anime now airs up to 26 episodes per year instead of every week.

What was the last One Piece episode?

Episode 1180, “Elbaph in Despair – Diabolical Covenant, ‘Domi Reversi'”, released on September 27, 2026.

What manga chapter should I read after Episode 1180?

The anime ended around chapters 1151 to 1153, so start reading from around chapter 1150 to be safe.

Why did One Piece change to a seasonal schedule?

To adapt the manga at a 1:1 pace, avoid filler, and give each episode more production time and better animation.

Waiting for the anime? Test your One Piece knowledge

Pass the time with our Elbaph arc quiz, the Grand Line Mix, or the daily guess-the-character challenge.

Test your One Piece knowledge

  • The Straw Hat Crew Dreams, fighting styles and who joined when. How well do you know Luffy's nakama? (Easy, 32 questions)
  • 50 One Piece Quiz Questions With Answers: Easy to Hard Play all 50 One Piece questions in one scored challenge. Four choices, explanations, and a final result. Spoilers through the end of Wano. (Medium, 50 questions)
  • Devil Fruit Quiz: Match the Fruit to Its User Match Devil Fruits to their users in 10 random questions from a bank of 32. Four choices and explanations. Spoilers through Wano. (Medium, 32 questions)
  • Arcs & Islands From Foosha Village to Egghead. Test your memory of the whole voyage. (Medium, 31 questions)
  • Who Said It? The lines that made us cry and cheer. Can you name the speaker? (Easy, 30 questions)
  • Bounties & Haki Marines, Emperors, bounties and the powers that rule the sea. For real fans. (Hard, 31 questions)
  • East Blue Saga From Shells Town to Loguetown: how well do you remember where it all began? (Easy, 22 questions)
  • Arabasta Arc Baroque Works, Crocodile and a kingdom on the edge of civil war. (Medium, 21 questions)
  • Skypiea Arc The sky island, the Knock Up Stream and a self-proclaimed god. (Medium, 20 questions)
  • Water 7 & Enies Lobby Galley-La, CP9 and the day the Straw Hats declared war on the world. (Medium, 20 questions)
  • Thriller Bark Arc Zombies, stolen shadows and the first meeting with Brook. (Medium, 20 questions)
  • Impel Down & Marineford Luffy breaks into the world's worst prison to save Ace. Do you know what happened? (Medium, 20 questions)
  • Fish-Man Island Arc 10,000 meters under the sea: mermaids, the New Fish-Man Pirates and a princess. (Medium, 20 questions)
  • Punk Hazard & Dressrosa The pirate alliance, Doflamingo's Birdcage and the colosseum. (Medium, 21 questions)
  • Whole Cake Island Arc A wedding, a plan to kill Big Mom and Sanji's family secrets. (Medium, 21 questions)
  • Wano Country Arc Samurai, Kaido and the day Luffy's fruit awakened. (Hard, 21 questions)
  • Egghead Arc Vegapunk's island of the future, the Seraphim and a message to the world. (Hard, 15 questions)
  • Elbaph Arc The land of giants, Usopp's dream island and old faces from the past. (Hard, 10 questions)
  • Monkey D. Luffy The rubber man who will be King of the Pirates. How well do you know him? (Easy, 20 questions)
  • Zoro Quiz: Swords, Battles & Backstory Play 10 random Zoro questions from a 30-question bank. Test swords, battles, and backstory, with explanations. Spoilers through Wano. (Easy, 30 questions)
  • Sanji The cook with the strongest legs on the crew. Do you know his story? (Easy, 20 questions)
  • Nami & Nico Robin The navigator and the archaeologist: their pasts, powers and dreams. (Medium, 20 questions)
  • Usopp & Chopper The sniper who tells tall tales and the reindeer doctor. (Easy, 20 questions)
  • Franky, Brook & Jinbe The shipwright, the musician and the helmsman of the Straw Hats. (Medium, 20 questions)
  • The Four Emperors Shanks, Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido, Blackbeard... and the new ones. (Medium, 20 questions)
  • Seven Warlords of the Sea Pirates working for the World Government. Can you match them to their powers? (Medium, 20 questions)
  • Marines & Admirals Akainu, Aokiji, Kizaru and the rest of the Navy. (Medium, 20 questions)
  • Gol D. Roger & the Roger Pirates The only crew that reached Laugh Tale. (Hard, 20 questions)
  • Dragon & the Revolutionary Army The world's most wanted man and the army fighting the World Government. (Hard, 20 questions)
  • World Government & the Void Century Celestial Dragons, the Five Elders, Imu and the forbidden history. (Hard, 20 questions)
  • One Piece Manga & Anime Trivia Oda, Shonen Jump, the anime and the records. Real fans know these. (Easy, 20 questions)

Written by

Darko is the founder and editor of One Piece Quizes. A One Piece fan for more than ten years, he has followed the Straw Hats from East Blue to Elbaph and writes the site’s chapter guides, recaps, predictions and quizzes. His favorite Straw Hat is Zoro.

Published · Updated · How we write about One Piece