Look, let’s be real. Mentioning the Fishman Island arc to a room full of One Piece fans usually gets you one of two reactions: a long sigh about the pacing or a passionate defense of the Fisher Tiger flashback. It is the definition of a "mixed bag." But with WIT Studio taking the reins for THE ONE PIECE on Netflix, the conversation around a Fishman Island arc remake has shifted from "why would they do that?" to "thank God they're doing that."
The original run in the anime was a slog. There. I said it. Toei Animation was stuck in that awkward era where they had to stretch every single manga chapter into a full twenty-minute episode to avoid catching up to Eiichiro Oda’s source material. What we got was beautiful at times, sure, but mostly it was a lot of reaction shots and Sanji’s nosebleed gag being pushed way past the point of being funny.
A remake changes the math.
The Pacing Problem That Nearly Killed the Hype
If you go back and watch the original episodes, the struggle is palpable. We’re talking about an arc that spans 51 chapters in the manga but somehow took 52 episodes in the anime. That is a 1:1 ratio that essentially guarantees a slow death for any action series. A Fishman Island arc remake allows a studio like WIT to condense that entire 52-episode run into maybe 12 or 15 high-octane, prestige-quality episodes.
Imagine the difference.
Instead of five minutes of Hody Jones laughing while the background scrolls, we get a fluid, terrifying demonstration of the Energy Steroids' effects. We get a Luffy who feels as fast as he actually is in Gear Second. Most importantly, we get a narrative that doesn't lose its emotional teeth because you’ve forgotten the beginning of the scene by the time it ends.
It’s about尊重 (respect) for the viewer's time. Honestly, the core themes of this arc—systemic racism, the cycle of hatred, and the burden of inherited will—are some of the heaviest Oda has ever written. They deserve better than being buried under padding. When Queen Otohime is pleading for the future of her children, you shouldn't be checking your phone because the scene has been dragging for ten minutes. You should be crying.
Why Hody Jones Deserves a Second Chance
Hody Jones is often ranked as one of the weakest villains in the franchise. People say he’s one-dimensional. They say he’s just a "Arlong clone" without the charisma. But that’s exactly why a Fishman Island arc remake is so vital.
Hody isn't supposed to be a legendary powerhouse like Kaido. He’s a product of his environment. He’s a monster created by nothing—literally "nothing" as he famously says when asked what humans ever did to him personally. He represents the danger of indoctrination. In a tighter, more focused remake, his descent into drug-fueled madness can be portrayed as a horror element rather than a repetitive power-up.
Visualizing the Undersea World in 2026
The technical side of this is where things get really exciting. Underwater physics in animation have come a long way since 2011. The original anime struggled with the lighting of the deep sea. It often felt flat or overly bright.
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A modern Fishman Island arc remake can play with bioluminescence. It can make the Ryugu Kingdom look like the psychedelic, vibrant wonder it was meant to be. Think about the Kraken fight. Think about the Noah—the massive ship of promise—descending through the dark water. With modern compositing and 3D environment work, that sense of scale can finally match the panels Oda drew.
The Fisher Tiger Flashback is the Real Prize
If we’re being honest, the flashback sequence involving Fisher Tiger and Queen Otohime is the emotional backbone of the entire story. It’s a masterpiece of storytelling. It deals with the nuance of "forgiveness" versus "non-discrimination" in a way few shonen series ever dare to touch.
In the original anime, this flashback was split up and drawn out. In a remake, this could be treated as a standalone, movie-quality mini-arc within the season. Seeing the Sun Pirates’ journey with the fluid animation of a modern production would be a game-changer. Koala’s story—the young slave girl who couldn't stop smiling because she was afraid of being killed—needs that raw, unfiltered emotional delivery that only tight directing can provide.
Addressing the "Skip It" Culture
There’s a segment of the fandom that tells new watchers to "just read the manga" for Fishman Island or, worse, skip it entirely. This is a tragedy. This arc is where the Straw Hats show off their two years of training. It’s where we first hear about Joy Boy and Poseidon. It sets up every single thing that happens in the New World, from Big Mom’s grudge to the eventual revelation of the Void Century.
A Fishman Island arc remake fixes the "Skip It" problem. It makes the arc essential viewing again. It turns a chore into a highlight.
What This Means for the Future of One Piece
By remaking these older arcs, Netflix and WIT are essentially future-proofing the series. They are creating a version of One Piece that doesn't have the baggage of the weekly release schedule of the 2010s. For a newcomer in 2026, the prospect of starting a 1,100+ episode show is terrifying. A streamlined remake that treats Fishman Island with the respect it deserves makes the mountain much easier to climb.
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It’s not just about better graphics. It’s about better storytelling. It’s about making sure that when Luffy stands in front of 100,000 Fishmen and drops them all with Conqueror's Haki, it feels like the monumental shift in power that it actually is.
How to Experience the Best of Fishman Island Right Now
If you can’t wait for the full remake to drop, there are a few ways to appreciate the arc without the fluff:
- Read the Colored Manga: Oda’s art is at its peak here, and the official colored version brings the undersea world to life in a way the old anime couldn't.
- Watch "Episode of Nami" and "Episode of East Blue": While not directly Fishman Island, these specials give you a taste of how modern production handles the Arlong/Fishman themes, providing context for the later arc.
- Focus on the Flashbacks: If you’re rewatching the original, skip to the Fisher Tiger episodes (540-547). These held up significantly better than the Hody Jones fight sequences.
- Track the Lore: Keep a notebook or a digital doc of every mention of "Joy Boy" and "Noah." You’ll realize that Fishman Island is actually the most important lore dump in the entire series.
The reality is that One Piece is a living, breathing epic. It evolves. And just as the characters grew over their two-year timeskip, the way we consume their story is growing too. The remake isn't replacing the original; it's finally giving the source material the stage it deserves.