In short: Elbaph is One Piece's 33rd arc and the second of the Final Saga. It starts at chapter 1126 of the manga and episode 1156 of the anime, which premiered on 5 April 2026. The crew lands on the island of the giants, a place the series has been name-dropping since its earliest sagas, where the cursed prince Loki is waiting.
What is the Elbaph arc?
It is the Straw Hats' arrival on Elbaph, the nation of the giants. The arc follows Egg Head directly and sits second in the Final Saga, the stretch that closes twenty-eight years of story. In the manga it opens at chapter 1126. In the anime, at episode 1156, first broadcast on 5 April 2026 on Fuji TV.
Elbaph is not just one more island. The name has been circulating in One Piece since the earliest sagas, like a promise pushed back year after year. Elbaph's warriors serve as a moral benchmark for entire characters, the culture of the giants has been laid out piece by piece, and the series is finally setting up its most anticipated location.
Why this arc has been twenty-five years in the making
Because the promise dates back to Little Garden. On that prehistoric island, the crew met Dorry and Brogy, two giants locked in a century-long duel over a matter of honour. Usopp left with a clear goal: to become a brave warrior, like the ones from Elbaph. That arc goes all the way back to the start of the adventure.
Then there is Robin. Her past ties her directly to the giants through Jaguar D. Saul, the giant marine who saved her during the destruction of Ohara. Her entire childhood rests on that debt, and Elbaph is the only place where it can be settled.
That accumulation explains the reaction. A One Piece arc opening well is routine. An arc absorbing twenty-five years of expectation without disappointing is something else, and that is what is at stake here. If the arc makes you want to wear the crew's colours, the straw hat and Zoro's earrings are the two easiest pieces to start with.
Who is Loki, the cursed prince of Elbaph?
The son of King Harald, chained beneath Elbaph for six years, accused of killing his own father. The giants call him nothing but the accursed prince, and anime episode 1160, plainly titled "Loki, the Accursed Prince", is the one where Luffy finally meets him.
The motive behind the parricide is what makes the character so unsettling. According to what the giants tell, Loki did not kill Harald in a fit of madness: he killed him to eat a devil fruit passed down through the royal family. A utilitarian murder, not a crime of passion, and that nuance changes everything about what can be expected of him.
The punishment matched the threat. Loki is not simply imprisoned: he is crucified, bound with sea-prism stone chains, the material that neutralises devil fruit users. When he tried to escape, it took the entire country to subdue him. On an island of twenty-metre warriors, that detail alone places his power level.
His family history is brutal from birth: his mother, Queen Estrid, is said to have tried to kill him as a baby, horrified by his appearance. The character arrives already loaded before doing anything at all, and the question of whether he is a monster or a victim runs through the whole arc. He does not play the victim himself: he calls himself the Sun God and promises the end of the world.
The detail that set the fandom off: before the Straw Hats, Loki's last visitor was Shanks. Red-Hair already carries a close tie to the giants, a twin brother among the World Nobles, and an ambiguous role in the prince's imprisonment. If you want to wear his colours during the arc, his red wig is in the catalogue.
Finally, Loki is the doorway to the most anticipated piece of lore in the arc: King Harald's past, his ties to Rocks D. Xebec, and what really happened during the God Valley incident. That is why this chained prince matters so much, well beyond his combat potential.
The broadcast schedule
The arc's first season runs twenty-six episodes, split into two cours of thirteen. The first covered episodes 1156 to 1168, the second runs from 1169 to 1181 and ends on 4 October 2026.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| First episode | 1156, on 5 April 2026 |
| Cour 1 | Episodes 1156 to 1168 |
| Cour 2 | Episodes 1169 to 1181 |
| End of cour 2 | Episode 1181, on 4 October 2026 |
| Season 1 of the arc | 26 episodes |
| Starting chapter | 1126 of the manga |
Platforms vary by region. Crunchyroll simulcasts the series across much of the world, Netflix carries it with roughly a six-day delay, and some countries add their own services. Check which one covers your territory before locking in a release time.
What the new broadcast format changes
Since 2026, One Piece has dropped continuous broadcasting for a rhythm of twenty-six episodes a year, split into cours, with no recap episodes. That is a structural change: the series no longer tries to stay right behind the manga, it accepts announced breaks instead.
The result shows on screen. Toei Animation introduced new shading and rendering work to set Elbaph apart from previous islands, and the opening episode was praised as some of the best the series has looked in years. On an arc that has to make twenty-metre characters believable, that is not cosmetic.
The official trailer and the new theme songs
The arc's trailer was unveiled at Jump Festa 2026. It sets up Elbaph's Nordic atmosphere and gives a first look at Loki.
Click the image to watch the official trailer on the Toei Animation channel.
The arc comes with its own theme songs: "Luminous" by AiNA THE END for the opening, and "That Future" by Jisoku 36km for the ending. In One Piece, a change of theme song works as a marker: it signals that you are entering a narrative block that matters.
The plot threads converging on Elbaph
This is where the arc goes beyond a trip to a new island. Elbaph gathers threads left open for hundreds of chapters: the Void Century and what the World Government hides about it, the figure of Nika and his promise of liberation, the Holy Knights now in play, and Imu above all of it.
The arc does not unfold in isolation either. From the opening episode, the anime cuts to other camps, including the Blackbeard Pirates, a reminder that the race for the One Piece continues while Luffy eats with the giants. Nami's costume and her orange wig remain our most requested crew pairing.
One note of honesty to close: nobody currently knows how far the anime will go into the arc, nor what the rest of the manga holds for Loki. Theories abound, but the verifiable facts stop at the episodes that have aired.
Taking it further with cosplay and goods
Elbaph has revived interest in the crew's outfits. The shop's One Piece range covers twenty-two items, including Luffy's straw hat, Zoro's wig and his earrings, plus Nami's costume and her orange wig.
With Shanks at the heart of this arc's discussions, his red wig and Yamato's wig round out the selection. To decorate rather than wear, there is the crew's pirate flag and the Luffy light frame.
Frequently asked questions about the Elbaph arc
Which chapter and episode does the Elbaph arc start at?
Chapter 1126 of the manga and episode 1156 of the anime, first broadcast on 5 April 2026. It is the series' 33rd arc and the second of the Final Saga, right after Egg Head.
How many episodes does the Elbaph arc have?
Twenty-six for this first season, split into two cours of thirteen. The first ran from episodes 1156 to 1168, the second runs from 1169 to 1181 and ends on 4 October 2026. What follows depends on upcoming announcements.
Who is Loki in One Piece?
The son of King Harald of Elbaph, chained beneath the island for six years with sea-prism stone, accused of murdering his father. He calls himself the Sun God and announces the end of the world. His mother, Queen Estrid, is said to have tried to kill him at birth.
Why is Elbaph so important in One Piece?
Because the island has been referenced since the earliest sagas, notably on Little Garden with Dorry and Brogy, and because it connects several major threads: Robin's past with Jaguar D. Saul, the warrior culture Usopp aspires to, the Void Century and the role of the World Government.
What is the connection between Shanks and Elbaph?
Shanks has a long-standing relationship with the giants and was Loki's last visitor before the Straw Hats. Add his twin brother among the World Nobles and his ambiguous part in the prince's imprisonment, and you have plenty for the arc to develop.
What are the new theme songs for the arc?
The opening is "Luminous" by AiNA THE END and the ending is "That Future" by Jisoku 36km. The arc's official trailer was presented at Jump Festa 2026 by Toei Animation.
Antoine, founder of Bakashop. Information verified on 26 July 2026 against official announcements and broadcast schedules. Anime images: ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation.
