One Piece Film: Red Heading To Theaters This Fall

One Piece is one of my favorite anime — and what’s fortunate is that there’s SO MUCH of it! I could have One Piece on 24/7 for months and still never come close to exhausting the library…over 1000 episodes and over a dozen movies so far. And they keep makin’ ’em! The latest feature, titled One Piece Film: Red, was just announced for US release today. It WILL premiere in theaters.

The plot: even though the Straw Hats are wanted for infinity kerbillion Berries, they can’t resist showing up at the concert for Luffy’s favorite singer, Uta. But what he doesn’t know is that he has something in his past that connects to HER past…it’s revealed that evening her father is the legendary pirate Shanks! There’s more to the story than that, but it hasn’t been revealed.

“We’re excited to bring One Piece Film Red to theaters around the world this fall, which actually coincides with the 23rd anniversary of the One Piece franchise,” said Masayuki Endo, President and CEO of Toei Animation Inc. “This new film from creator Eiichiro Oda will truly captivate fans in a thrilling new adventure with the Straws Hats that features the debut of Uta – a mysterious new character in the world of One Piece.”

”One Piece has been a cornerstone on Crunchyroll, delighting fans around the world. We’re thrilled to bring audiences the next adventure in this global franchise, and the adventure with a new stand-alone story in theaters,” said Mitchel Berger, Crunchyroll’s Senior Vice President of Global Commerce.

We should learn more about One Piece Film: Red at Anime Expo next month. Scheduled that weekend are an exclusive one-night music event with two-time Grammy-nominated artist Steve Aoki, “One Piece Film Red presents Steve Aoki Live,” and the “Toei Animation presents One Piece Film Red Panel” featuring producer Shinji Shimizu, actors Brandon Potter (“Shanks”) and Ian Sinclair (“Brook”), and ADR director Anthony Bowling.

One Piece Film: Red will premiere this fall –the exact date has not been announced.