Summary
Since the beginning of the Wano Country arc, Toei has upped its efforts, resulting in theOne Pieceanime receiving many positive reviews. A key reason for the success has been the staff working on the anime. Toei has put some of its most talented staff members onOne Piece, one of whom is Henry Thurlow. While most fans are already aware of Thurlow’s work, some are uninitiated about him.
Henry Thurlow is originally from the United States of America, but he moved to Japan to pursue his dream of working in the anime industry. In a short period, he has managed to build a solid catalog that includes the likes ofNaruto, Boruto, Tokyo Ghoul, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and, of course,One Piece. With Episode 1066, Henry Thurlow became the first foreign person to direct aOne Pieceepisode. Things were looking good until the talented artist made a shockingannouncement on hisX(formerlyTwitter) account.
End Of Great Run
In the first post, Thurlow announced his decisionto leave Toei Animation andtheOne Piecestaff. He added thatOne Pieceremains his favorite shonen series. Given the amount of effort he puts into every sequence, it is hardly surprising thatOne Pieceholds such a high place in his heart. He worked as a key animator on over 20 episodes.
I plan on directing on One Piece again before the series ends (So I will be back) …but not for a while. For the next few years, I’m gonna see what else is available.
Henry Thurlow also cleared up any doubts that fans might have had about his departure being forced and him leaving on a bad note. In fact, he mentioned that he would be looking forward to the content that Toei produces. The thread ended on a positive note, as Henry Thurlow stated that he would like to come back in the future to direct the episodes. While he did not give an estimate, it is safe to assume that it won’t happen for another 5–6 years.
The virtuoso also pointed out that the decision had been made a while back, meaning he had time to ponder over it. He also clarified that he released the statement only after the release of Episode 1110 because it was the final project that he worked on. Henry Thurlow also clarified that he is already working on several projects, and he is excited to show the results to the audience. For now, it remains unclear what new projects he is working on.
What This Means For The Series
Henry Thurlow leaving Toei Animation and theOne Pieceteam is obviously a big blow, but fans don’t need to fret. Toei Animation has proven that it can handle things and provide fans with entertaining episodes. There are still many big names working onOne Piece, which include the following:
Besides these talented names, there are many others who pour their hearts and souls into the work. It is due to their collective efforts that the One Piece anime has reached such heights. This has been evident sincethe Wano Country arcwhen the studio changed things completely.
Will One Piece Get Better?
There is no easy way to answer this question, but if one were to take a look at some of the recent episodes in the anime, it seems obvious that Toei can take things up a notch whenever they want. After the Wano arc ended, many fans were skeptical whether Egghead would receive the same treatment or ifOne Piecewould go back to having poor pacing, where the anime barely adapted a few chapters. However, Toei Animation has proven that it is not messing around, and it will do everything to keepOne Pieceahead of the competition.
The Egghead arc hasbeen absolutely phenomenal. The most recent example of Toei’s outstanding work is Episode 1109, where the animators turned a single from the manga into an action-heavy sequence that lasted more than a minute. The good news is thatOne Piecefans will have the chance to enjoy some of the biggest fights that occurred in the manga very soon. These will include Shanks vs. Eustass Kid and Garp vs.the Blackbeard Pirates. Shanks and Kid’s fight ended in a jiffy in the manga, so it will be interesting to see if the anime expands it to make it look like a proper duel. Meanwhile, Garp’s fight with the Blackbeard Pirates was a bit longer, and it included many interesting moments. Fans can expect to see both of these fights in the coming weeks.
One Piece
Cast
One Piece is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. The series follows protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate crew as they explore the Grand Line to find the King of the Pirates' ultimate treasure, the One Piece, in order to become the next king. The manga’s popularity helped it spin off into a larger media franchise, including an anime with more than 1,000 episodes.
