One Piece has spent nearly three decades telling the story of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. Now, the franchise is putting the spotlight on its popular female characters with a new anime special, which is set to arrive this July.
The official website and X account (formerly Twitter) for One Piece recently released a new trailer for the upcoming anime project, ONE PIECE HEROINES. The TV special is based on the ONE PIECE HEROINES light novel series, written by Jun Esaka, featuring original illustrations by Sayaka Suwa, and set in the world created by Eiichiro Oda. The trailer also reveals the theme song “Blue Shining Star,” performed by AiNA THE END.
AiNA THE END Returns to One Piece with New Theme Song “Blue Shining Star”
The upcoming anime ONE PIECE HEROINES will feature ‘Blue Shining Star’ as its theme song, performed by AiNA THE END. One Piece fans may already recognize AiNA THE END from “Luminous,” the series’s 29th opening theme song, which debuted alongside the Elbaph Arc in April 2026.
AiNA THE END shared her thoughts on the new song:
It has been decided that I will perform the theme song for “ONE PIECE HEROINES,” an anime that depicts the charm of the heroines from “ONE PIECE.” In this song, titled Blue Shining Star, I portrayed an escape from the difficulties of living and women who possess true strength. With its rhythmic sound, it is a fun song that makes you want to dance, so I would be happy if you enjoy it along with the anime.
The statement beautifully captures the song’s uplifting message while also highlighting its emotional depth. It fits perfectly with One Piece Heroines, a special that focuses on the strength, determination, and unique stories of characters like Nami, Nico Robin, and Princess Vivi.
AiNA THE END, a former BiSH member, has established herself as one of Japan’s leading anime singers. Following the group’s disbandment in 2023, she built a successful solo career known for her signature husky voice and emotionally powerful performances. She has performed theme songs for popular series such as Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, The Apothecary Diaries, DAN DA DAN Season 2, and Moonrise, continuing to expand her presence in the anime industry.
One Piece Heroines: Nami Takes the Spotlight in New Anime Special
The upcoming One Piece Heroines explores a different side of Nami while adding original anime scenes and appearances from popular characters like Nico Robin.
Unlike the action-packed adventures of the main series, ONE PIECE HEROINES tells smaller, more personal stories focused on its female characters. The Heroines light novel series first appeared in One Piece Magazine in 2019 before Shueisha released the first collected volume in June 2021. A second volume, One Piece Novel Heroines: Colorful, followed in March 2024, and both books are available in English through Viz Media.
One Piece Heroines has also revealed two new cast members: Maaya Sakamoto as Miucha and Takehito Koyasu as Lebno. As two of the anime industry’s most respected voice actors, their addition brings extra star power to the special.
The Creative Team and Broadcast Details
ONE PIECE HEROINES is directed by Haruka Kamatani, with character design handled by Takashi Kojima and screenplay by Momoka Toyoda. Music composition is credited to Alisa Okehazama.
ONE PIECE HEROINES is scheduled to premiere on July 5, 2026, in the regular weekly timeslot of the main One Piece anime. Before that, Episode 1168 of the main series will air on June 28. The main anime will then take a one-week break, allowing the special to take center stage. By giving Heroines its own dedicated broadcast slot, Toei Animation is clearly highlighting the project as a major addition to the One Piece franchise.
WHY ONE PIECE HEROINES IS AN IMPORTANT ADDITION TO THE FRANCHISE
ONE PIECE HEROINES arrives at an important time for the franchise. In 2026, the main anime adopted a new release schedule to improve pacing and maintain animation quality as the story moves closer to its final major arcs. Against this backdrop, the anime will offer something different, giving the series’ female characters a chance to shine in their own stories. More than just a special episode, it highlights the growing importance of characters like Nami, Nico Robin, and Vivi within One Piece.
