The One Piece anime returned at the start of April after its longest hiatus in history. If you recall, the anime was put on hold to extend the gap with the manga and deliver superior quality episodes every week. So, naturally, fans hoped for substantial advancements across all departments. And since its return, the anime is honoring its word by offering top-notch quality every week. However, the One Piece anime still has a major problem, and it’s the sound design. Even an animator has highlighted the issue and has some harsh words for Toei Animation’s sound design team.
Upon entering a long break, the production staff promised a new soundtrack and sound effects for future episodes. While the visuals and soundtrack of the latest episodes are top-notch, viewers are let down by the sound design. In some of the recent fights, such as the Luffy vs Kizaru rematch and Zoro vs Rob Lucci, viewers can’t help but notice the outdated and inferior sound effects.
The sound design department has been recycling sound effects from the Dragon Ball era, and it tarnishes the intended One Piece experience. Not only are anime fans frustrated by the dated sound effects, but Sota Shigetsugu, one of the animators working on the One Piece anime, has expressed dissatisfaction over the sound design team’s efforts. In an official X post, the animator called it out as “unprofessional work,” and further mentioned that Toei Animation should “fire the One Piece sound team immediately.”
The One Piece community promptly agreed with the animator’s words, and many came out to share their disappointment on the subreddit.
The X post has since been deleted by the animator. However, this isn’t the first time the animator has confronted the sound design team. Around the same time last year, Sota Shigetsugu opened up about his concerns over the sound effects in the One Piece anime. He made this comment when he worked as a freelancer in the Wano Country arc:
The sound in One Piece is devastatingly bad, so I hope something is done about it as soon as possible. This episode was really sad because of the difference between the overwhelming animation and the terrible sound
As a devout follower of the One Piece anime, I have also been left disheartened by the efforts of the sound design team at Toei Animation Studio. That is why I mentioned that improved sound effects are a must for the upcoming One Piece remake. It undermines the standards of the anime, and fans can’t understand why Toei still isn’t concentrating on overhauling the sound department.
Now that the animators have raised their voice about the major problem that has been haunting the One Piece anime for years, we hope Toei Animation takes the necessary action in the future. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts about the sound effects in the latest One Piece episodes in the comments below.
