One Piece Fan Letter Director Returns With Exciting New Project, But There’s a Catch

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2025 is shaping up to be a big year for One Piece fans! The manga is diving into a critical flashback within the Elbaph Arc, and the anime is nearing the end of the Egghead Incident Arc. Following that, the anime will take a three-month break, but there’s a significant change: for the first time in over 26 years, One Piece will switch to a seasonal release schedule with 26 episodes per year. To celebrate, the new One Piece Base Shop opened this week, and a special four-minute clip was released. The project features a returning team, including Megumi Ishitani, director of One Piece Fan Letter, and Keisuke Mori, who previously worked on the special episode as animation director, character designer, and key animator.

Although the animated short is currently only available in stores, a clip of it quickly spread across social media, with many fans calling it one of the best animated projects in the series. While the official Base Shop account on X only posted an 18-second snippet, the full video was shared by user @Rata_5610 and rapidly gained traction among popular fan accounts. The animation style closely resembles that of ‘Fan Letter,’ which is likely why it immediately captured viewers’ attention.

One Piece’s New Anime Project Is Already a Fan-Favorite

A standout moment in the footage was the beautiful depiction of Sabo honoring the memory of his brother, Portgas D. Ace, and carrying on his legacy. The clip also featured quick but impactful appearances from many beloved characters, like the Straw Hat Pirates. Directed by Ishitani, a popular director known for her work on One Piece, the footage perfectly captures the heart of the story with her signature style. The store itself is vibrant and lively, filled with screens playing the clip, creating a colorful but emotionally poignant atmosphere.

One Piece Base Shop’s Future Looks Bleak Due to Mismanagement

Despite the recent animation receiving a lot of positive attention worldwide, the official store is already having problems. It generated considerable excitement, particularly in Japan, as a must-visit destination for fans. The store opened on December 5th, 2025, on the 4th floor of the Shinjuku Marui Main Building, but the official website announced the same day that they underestimated demand and would temporarily halt merchandise sales starting December 6th.

The entire area will be open to the public, and visitors are welcome to take photos and videos. The focus will be on creating a fun experience with activities like a lottery and games, rather than just selling products. The shop is working to resolve some internal issues and plans to start selling items again soon.

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2025-12-07 23:11