The One Piece anime is stepping away for a historic three-month break starting in January 2026, right after the Egghead arc. When it returns in April with the Elbaf arc, Toei Animation is switching to a more measured seasonal approach, roughly 26 episodes a year, instead of the non-stop weekly grind that’s defined the show for over 25 years.
This change is all about giving the team room to breathe for better pacing and stronger animation, closer to Eiichiro Oda’s manga, without the old rush that sometimes forced filler or stretched scenes. It marks the end of an era for the classic Sunday routine, but it should make the Final Saga feel even more polished and faithful.
For longtime Straw Hat fans staring down this unusually long wait, it’s actually a solid opportunity to branch out. Here are eight excellent series worth watching, each a true standout that holds its own and scratches that itch for grand storytelling while you wait for the crew to set sail again.
8
Made in Abyss
In Made in Abyss, Riko is a determined little kid who grew up hearing stories about the Abyss from her missing mom. Hence, when she finds Reg, she simply drags him along on the trip of a lifetime: straight down into the giant, almost never-ending pit everyone calls the Abyss.
Kinema Citrus really went all out with the animation; the way it depicts the glowing landscapes and weird creatures is beyond alluring, and how it flips the same scenes to evoke despair makes the same places feel genuinely terrifying. As they keep dropping deeper, each layer becomes more detailed and far more dangerous.
The mood it leaves behind is heavy and quietly haunting, and the way it handles loss and loyalty gives viewers a sharp, almost painful contrast to the open, optimistic seas in One Piece. Whenever there’s a long break between chapters or episodes, sinking into the Abyss feels like exactly the right kind of intense, thoughtful escape.
7
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Tanjiro Kamado sets out to turn his sister, Nezuko, back from a demon while hunting the ones who destroyed their family. Ufotable’s animation is simply stunning from start to finish, turning emotional family stakes into breathtaking demon battles.
The sword fights flow beautifully, with the breathing techniques creating real visual magic. At its heart, the story is about showing compassion even in the middle of tragedy, something that echoes One Piece’s way of humanizing enemies.
Every season keeps the production quality sky-high and lets the characters grow in meaningful ways. There’s an uplifting, visually spectacular watch that hits just right when viewers need something inspiring during downtime.
6
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (series)
Hirohiko Araki’s multi-generational saga follows the Joestar family and their journey through bizarre powers called Stands, dramatic poses, and epic legacies. Each part completely switches up the vibe, from gothic horror in Phantom Blood to stylish, high-fashion battles in later arcs.
David Production’s animation nails the manga’s energy, bringing those inventive fights and unforgettable characters to life with flair. The series lives on pure creativity and ever-escalating weirdness, in a way that feels similar to One Piece’s wild power inventions.
Watching through the parts shows how Araki’s style evolves. It’s perfect for viewers who prefer fancy, flamboyant, over-the-top storytelling, paired with characters who have unbreakable determination.
5
Gintama (complete series + final arcs)
Hideaki Sorachi’s wild mix of absurd comedy and serious action centers on Gintoki Sakata, a laid-back samurai running odd jobs in an Edo period that’s been taken over by aliens. It throws in sharp parodies, genuine drama, and ridiculous over-the-top fights.
The whole run, including those intense Silver Soul arcs, keeps things fresh with its range of tones. Gintama begins as pure silliness, but layers in stories about friendship, loss, and standing up against the odds that actually move audiences. The humor pokes fun at anime clichés, yet the narration delivers emotional hits as strong as One Piece’s most heartfelt moments.
With over 367 episodes that just keep getting better, it’s a big commitment. But once one’s in, the laughs and the depth are one of the best ways to fill any long waits or hiatus blues.
4
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War
Tite Kubo finally gets to finish his story with this adaptation of the manga’s last big arc, bringing Ichigo Kurosaki back into the fight against a massive Quincy invasion. There’s no old filler baggage and hits with sharp, modern production, intense sword fights, stylish visuals, and revelations that actually matter.
The animation is on another level here: fluid, colorful action sequences that make every clash feel epic. The story explores the ugliness of war, the world’s buried secrets, and how power can twist people. Bleach’s whole Soul Society setup and the story’s wild Bankai designs come alive again in a way that feels exciting rather than dated.
For anyone who loves One Piece’s escalating threats and big character moments, this revival nails that same grand sense of scale. It was worth the wait, a pure payoff that reminds viewers why the series had so many fans in the first place.
3
Naruto: Shippuden
After the time skip, Naruto Uzumaki returns older, stronger, and ready to take on greater dangers threatening the entire shinobi world. It’s a massive story that builds through huge battles while digging into perseverance, the pain of loneliness, and the unbreakable bonds people form when everything’s on the line.
The emotional moments really land. Those reunions, betrayals, and redemptions carry real weight, much like the crew loyalty and personal growth viewers get in One Piece. Some of the animation in the standout fights is still incredible, and the soundtrack knows exactly how to crank up the drama.
Sure, pacing drags in places, especially in the middle stretches, but the final arcs deliver such strong payoffs and character closures that it’s worth the long haul. If there’s a taste for sprawling underdog stories with heart, this one soothes that taste.
2
Hunter × Hunter (2011)
Hunter x Hunter debuted with Gon Freecss leaving his small island home, determined to become a Hunter and track down the father he barely knows. Along the way, he enters a massive, unpredictable world of licensed adventurers, brutal exams, strange creatures, and the mysterious power system called Nen.
The 2011 adaptation is the one most people recommend. This adaptation covers the major arcs with outstanding direction, fluid animation, and pacing that knows exactly when to breathe and when to tighten the screws. What begins as bright, adventurous shonen slowly shifts into something much darker and more psychologically complex, especially once the Chimera Ant arc begins.
Gon’s pure-hearted optimism gets tested against increasingly brutal moral dilemmas, and the contrast hits hard. The battles are often more about strategy and clever use of abilities than raw power, which keeps things fresh. Togashi’s imagination for world-building and power systems is on another level, very much in the same league as One Piece’s sheer scope and inventiveness.
The Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, set out to find the Philosopher’s Stone so they can get their bodies back after a disastrous attempt at human transmutation. What starts as a revenge-and-restoration story quickly turns into something much deeper: a long meditation on sacrifice, the real price of ambition, guilt, redemption, and what it actually means to be human.
The show runs through 64 episodes with virtually no filler. Every chapter moves the plot forward or builds the characters in a way that matters. Despite premiering fifteen years ago, the alchemy fights are genuinely creative, the animation holds up beautifully, and the world feels completely realized, full of gray morality and consequences that actually stick.
For fans who love the epic scope and found-family warmth of One Piece, Brotherhood delivers a similar sense of a grand journey, but with tighter pacing and a more focused emotional core. It’s the rare shonen that never wastes viewers’ time and pays off every investment made in it. For many, it’s still the high-water mark of the genre.
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Maxey Whitehead
Alphonse Elric
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Vic Mignogna
Edward Elric