One Piece Gear 5 debut director breaks silence on Fish-Man Island remake

One Piece’s anime is set to release a remastered version of the Fish-Man Island Saga, and here’s what the director Episode 1071 (which featured the debut of Gear 5) has to say about it.

While the One Piece anime has taken a break from the Egghead Island Arc, Toei will keep fans entertained with a revamped version of the Fish-Man Island Saga. The 58-episode-long saga will be compiled into 21 episodes, with improved animation and a remastered soundtrack.

It will follow the Straw Hats’ reunion after two years as they make their way to the New World. However, they must pass through Fish-Man Island, located thousands of meters below sea level. The saga brings a new set of thrilling moments as the crew continues their journey.

X/Twitter user Moumai, a 3D animation student, revealed: “I had the luck to be at the One Piece Masterclass organized by Toei in France at the pop-up One Piece shop. Most questions were asked by one of the organizers, and afterward, we were able to do a brief Q&A. All responses were translated live by a Toei translator.

“And what follows are the directors’ answers, translated and based on our notes and video recordings with @IsaacVoyneau. The guests are Tatsuya Nagamine and Kenji Yokoyama.”

The thread includes several answers by the two animators. Nagamine is best known for directing Episode 1071, which marked the debut of Luffy’s iconic Gear 5 transformation.

According to the translator, Nagamine said, “He wanted to mention the Fish-Men; they’re working on the remastered version. And I see how happy people are to be here, I can’t just be serious; I’m overwhelmed with emotion.

“I’m handling Episodes 1, 2, and 3. Every night, I’m on After Effects, adding little details, and compositions, blurring things, and adding very precise elements. I even think, ‘Why am I doing this?’ but I want to make it perfect! I worked until 6 am waiting for my flight to France. I was still on After Effects adding small things.”

The One Piece manga is currently following the Land of the Gods Arc, so here’s a look at the release date and spoilers for Chapter 1131. For more from the high seas, check out our guide on the Red Hair Pirates and our ranking of the strongest Straw Hats.