The countdown to One Piece’s anime return is nearly over, and the sense of anticipation around Elbaph has only continued to grow, especially now that two new casting announcements have been revealed.
After months away from screens, the series is set to resume on 5 April in Japan, picking up with one of the manga’s most long-awaited storylines and ushering in the next phase of the Straw Hats' adventure.
That comeback already feels like a major event in itself, especially after the franchise confirmed a three-month break from January to March 2026 as part of a broader production shake-up. Now, with the premiere drawing closer, fans have another reason to get excited.
View oEmbed on the source websiteIn a post shared by the series’ official X account, One Piece confirmed that Ayane Sakura will voice Gerd, while Ryota Takeuchi will play Road in the upcoming Elbaph arc. In the manga, Gerd and Road aren’t just random new faces for the anime. Both are giants from Elbaph and are tied to the New Giant Warrior Pirates, the crew led by Hajrudin. Gerd serves as the crew’s doctor, while Road is its navigator
It’s a smart bit of casting, too, given the experience of both of these voice actors. Many anime fans will already know Sakura for roles including Ochaco Uraraka in My Hero Academia and Fiona Frost in Spy x Family, while Takeuchi is well known for playing Elias Ainsworth in The Ancient Magus’ Bride and Wakatoshi Ushijima in Haikyu!!.
View oEmbed on the source websiteThe same announcement also said comments from both performers will be published in Weekly Shonen Jump issue 18, which goes on sale on 30 March.
Elbaph has been teased for years in the wider One Piece story, especially since the Egghead Arc ended after episode 1155. With the Straw Hats finally about to visit the home of Dorry and Brogy, who many Netflix fans will have seen for the first time in season 2 of the live-action One Piece show, this new anime season is about to get even more action-packed.
One Piece is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
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