The upcoming 15th One Piece film One Piece: Red is set to be released on August 6, 2022. The film was first announced on November 21, 2021, at the 22nd Jump Festa event.
One Piece Film Red: What Do We Know So Far?
The film is directed by Goro Taniguchi (Code Geass) and the script is written by Kuroiwa Tsutomu. The Manga creator Eiichiro Oda will serve as an executive producer.
One Piece‘s next film will follow Shanks’s past. Shanks inspired Monkey D. Luffy to become a pirate and seek out the titular treasure. In fact, Shanks is the person who gave Luffy his iconic straw hat.
Three years have passed since Shanks appeared in 2018 in the manga in Chapter 907 “The Empty Throne”. The anime featured Shanks in 2019 in Episode 887 “An Explosive Situation – Two Emperors Going After Luffy.”
The One Piece Film Red will give fans a long-awaited return of Shanks.
The gifted swordsman and The Red Hair Pirates leader will be joined by a new female villain. Oda recently revealed at the One Piece panel at Jump Festa, that the new female character has a shared history with Shanks.
He tweeted: “I am tired of drawing legendary old grandpas in movies! I want to draw a new little female character! That’s the character I want to make now! And that’s how it started…”
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One Piece Film Red: Cast
The official website revealed new characters scratch, and it looks like the Straw Hat Pirates will get an updated look. The cast includes some of the strongest One Piece characters, including Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brook, and Jinbe.
In addition, there is a new mysterious character. Not much is known, but she is wearing headphones and a colorful oversized jacket. In the background, there is a mysterious symbol and a quote, “Luffy, quit being a pirate,” which makes us wonder about their relationship.
What kind of character is she and what kind of story will she weave? Some fans suggested on Reddit that the girl looks like “Strawberry vanilla Nami” and some speculated she’s “Shanks sister”.
Visuals of other characters will be released sequentially from the film’s official SNS.
Stay tuned to find out who and when they will be revealed!
One Piece Film Red: Timeline?
Jinbe, the large blue whale shark fish-man, is going to be featured in the film. He is the tallest Strawhat, and that probably means the plot will take place after Wano Country the longest One Piece arc to date.
One Piece Red movie will be released on August 6, 2022, the whole Wano Country arc will end before the film’s release since there would be around 25 chapters before that.
One Piece Film Red: Canon?
The film is going to be the 15th in the One Piece franchise, and if we examine the previous movies, then the 15th film probably won’t be canon, but rather a long One Piece filler.
Here is a list of the previous One Piece movies and their release dates:
- One Piece: The Movie (March 4, 2000)
- Clockwork Island Adventure (March 3, 2001)
- Chopper’s Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals (March 2, 2002)
- Dead End Adventure (March 1, 2003)
- The Cursed Holy Sword (March 6, 2004)
- Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (March 5, 2005)
- The Giant Mechanical Soldier of Karakuri Castle (March 4, 2006)
- Episode of Arabasta: The Desert Princess and the Pirates (March 3, 2007)
- Episode of Chopper Plus: Bloom in Winter, Miracle Sakura (March 1, 2008)
- Strong World (December 12, 2009)
- Z (December 15, 2012)
- Gold (July 23, 2016)
- Stampede (August 9, 2019)
- Red (August 6, 2022)
Fans can still theorize on who this female villain might be, especially if One Piece Red is announced as canon.
Canon or not, the fans are excited!
One Piece Film Red: Plot
What kind of adventures is waiting for the Straw Hats?
A possible plot would probably focus on Shanks’ adventure with the new girl.
It was hinted that the Straw Hats will participate in an outdoor “Music Festival” on a certain island! Shanks appears in the poster with headphones, and Usopp’s new sketch design is probably a KISS-inspired outfit. So it looks like the One Piece Film Red plot might have a heavy music performance theme.
In addition, the Jump Festa event featured a written message from Eiichiro Oda, stating that fans should look out for Luffy in the next year, and teasing the “many mysteries” about Shanks.
The trailer was posted on the official Toei Animation YouTube channel back in November 2022. The 35-second teaser displays a music sheet page with a sketch drawing of the new female character.
A voice-over follows the new female character asking “Will her voice bring forth eternal happiness… Or endless imprisonment?”
The trailer ends with another sketch, though this one is of the character Shanks.
