To Be a Hero X has just replaced the typical timing slot of One Piece, but it might be a blessing in disguise for a majority of fans.

SUMMARY

To Be a Hero X anime will take up the Sunday 9:30 am JST timeslot of One Piece.
While this may cause panic among One Piece fans, it is actually a blessing in disguise since it could decrease the censorship in the anime while making its pacing and animation better.
The One Piece anime’s six month long hiatus was also a necessary move, allowing Toei to focus better on the series.

The One Piece anime went on a six-month hiatus in October 2024 with a promise to return in April 2025. While the news was disheartening for many fans, it was a necessary move for Toei to make sure that the series could maintain its impeccable run.

The break is meant to help Toei Animation staff catch a break after consistently performing for months. It will also help the anime to return with a better look while giving Eiichiro Oda time to release some more chapters. This way, the anime would not catch up to the manga too soon.

One Piece‘s Change in Timeslot Could Be a Blessing in Disguise

To Be a Hero X | Credits: BeDream

One Piece is a popular anime and thus takes one of the prime time slots to air in Japan. For years, the series has aired on Sundays at 9:30 am JST. However, a recent change has been made in the time slot, and it has instead been given to To Be Hero X, Aniplex and Bilibili’s new project. The new timeslot for One Piece has not been confirmed yet.

While this news can potentially upset a lot of One Piece fans, the change in timeslot might actually be a blessing in disguise. If the timeslot is changed, it might affect the censorship in One Piece. This means that the anime can fully portray the original source material of Eiichiro Oda without cutting out any graphic content.

One Piece | Credits: Toei Animation

If the timeslot for One Piece changes, it might become accommodating to more people, making the anime more accessible. If One Piece indeed becomes a seasonal anime, then Toei Animation would be able to focus on the animation quality even more. The longer breaks in between seasons would serve as a breather for the studio’s staff.

Why the One Piece Anime Hiatus Was a Necessary Decision

Luffy in One Piece | Credits: Toei Animation

Recently, the animation quality in One Piece episodes has improved a lot. But, this also means additional strain on the staff members and animators who work on the series. Dishing out incredible episodes week after week is a difficult task, and the six-month hiatus would give animators a well-deserved break as well as give Toei enough time to make changes in its strategies regarding One Piece.

Without a break, the animation quality of the episodes might have taken a sudden dip, which would eventually earn criticism from fans. If One Piece does become a seasonal anime in the future, it would be to maintain the quality of the anime. Without the pressure of dropping an episode per week, the series’ pacing might also considerably improve.
Last but not least, the anime was catching up to Eiichiro Oda’smanga too fast. This led to pacing issues in the anime, as many fans complained that the anime was extremely slow. By letting Eiichiro Oda release more chapters during the hiatus period, the fear of catching up to the manga will be gone, improving the pacing even more.