After 30 Years, One Piece's Biggest 2027 Release Is Finally Replacing Luffy As Protagonist

Published Sep 4, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT

Since graduating from The Los Angeles Film School, Jason has worked as an editor for the local news, as well as a producer of several short films and podcasts. His extensive knowledge of film production and narrative storytelling has enabled him to travel the world, writing about the projects he is passionate about in the realms of film, anime, and gaming.
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WARNING: LITE SPOILERS FROM ONE PIECE'S ELBAPH ARC

The anticipated next One Piece movie promises to cover one of the franchise's most epic clashes: God Valley, a choice that has thrilled manga readers and ensured that Luffy would not be the main character. While a few of the franchise's previous 15 movies didn't solely focus on the Straw Hat Captain, the next film might be the first that may not include Luffy at all.

It's been almost four years since One Piece Film Red was released, and while it pulled in big box office numbers, its story and editing left a lot to be desired for this particular fan compared to previous films in the One Piece franchise. Toei has shifted gears to dramatically increase the production value of the anime in the last few years. That, plus the news that the next movie would be a canon film covering one of the series' most important battles, the announcement of One Piece God Valley was a welcome one.

The God Valley Incident was an event that author Eiichiro Oda had teased for years throughout many One Piece arcs. It took place nearly 40 years in the past of the series' current timeline and featured a clash between some of the strongest pirates in history and envoys from the extremely cruel and corrupt ruling class of the World Government. It was a battle that changed the course of the world and deserves the focus a movie can provide, even if it doesn't include Monkey D. Luffy.

The God Valley Movie Won't Focus On Luffy, And That's For The Best

The results of the most recent One Piece popularity poll, which surveyed countries around the globe, determined the Luffy is the most popular character of the franchise. However, with its huge cast of complex characters and numerous fascinating plotlines, it is entirely possible to tell an extremely compelling and emotional story within the world that doesn't include the main character of the series. That has been proven with the exceptional spin-offs One Piece Heroines and Fan Letter, and judging from the manga's adaptation of the God Valley Incident, many characters could maintain the spotlight effectively.

Some worry that the manga's version of God Valley is too short for an entire One Piece film, but after the Elbaph arc fully revealed Rocks D. Xebec's backstory through Loki's flashback, there is more than enough emotional and epic content to make a very entertaining film. Since the next movie will focus on an event that transpired decades before Luffy’s birth, the movie will need another compelling character to lead the film. While Rocks would be perfect for the role, he isn't the only character who was on God Valley who could carry the anticipated movie.

Characters Who Would Be A Great Lead For The God Valley Movie

Other One Piece movies have primarily focused on non-canon events where Luffy and his crew must face off against formidable and sometimes silly antagonists, but that will radically change with the sixteenth film of the franchise. The God Valley movie will be the first canon film, but hopefully it is not an exact adaptation of the manga, which sheds light on the world-changing event across multiple flashbacks from different perspectives of the conflict. The movie would benefit greatly if it focused on one character's viewpoint of the event.

One Piece Fan Letter was one of the greatest episodes of the anime because it told an effective story from the perspective of a new character struggling to accomplish their goal in the middle of one of the series' most exciting clashes. The God Valley movie should do the same thing by following a more focused perspective of a character who was able to see the most important moments.

If they don't devise a completely new character to follow throughout the God Valley incident, then Rocks D. Xebec being the main character of the movie makes the most sense. Monkey D. Dragon could also be another strong candidate who could effectively push the emotional themes of the series during his own life-altering experiences on the island. Still, it speaks to the skill of Eiichiro Oda's world building and character writing to be able to announce a new movie capable of generating so much excitement without Luffy, One Piece's most popular character.