One Piece animator Vincent Chansard is reportedly taking a break from the studio – but he’ll return for one of the manga’s most popular fights.
In November 2023, shortly before the Final Saga of One Piece began, Chansard was confirmed to join Toei Animation Studio for a full year.
The renowned animator previously worked for MAPPA in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 17; specifically, Episode 1109 featuring Zoro vs S-Hawk.
The Wano and Final Saga of One Piece has improved the show’s visuals significantly. However, Toei Animation studio has been heavily modifying the animator’s storyboards, which left Chansard frustrated.
He’s set to rejoin the team during one of the most hyped fights of the Final Saga, Luffy vs Kizaru.
Vincent Chansard announced that he’s taking a break from One Piece after expressing frustration over his action storyboard being heavily modified, almost to the point of erasure. He’ll return for the Luffy vs. Kizaru fight, and in the meantime, he’ll be working on other shows. pic.twitter.com/yTqgytXIZQ
— Pew (@pewpiece) August 14, 2024
The One Piece leaker wrote: “Vincent Chansard announced that he’s taking a break from One Piece after expressing frustration over his action storyboard being heavily modified, almost to the point of erasure. He’ll return for the Luffy vs. Kizaru fight, and in the meantime, he’ll be working on other shows.”
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Fans have been left disappointed, given this is the second time a fan-favorite animator has left the One Piece team. In July 2024, Henry Thurlow (who directed the epic Law and Kid vs. Big Mom episode) left Toei Studio.
One fan complained, “First with Henry, then with Vincent. Why are they getting this treatment when they carried out some of the fights? This is just dogsh*t.”
“Vincent was excited for an upcoming fight (most likely Garp vs. Aokiji) and has been talking about it for months. He had many ideas he wanted to implement. Someone at Toei basically scrapped most of his ideas and kept very little. We don’t know who, but it was not the director,” explained another.
Another also wrote, “I don’t understand Toei sometimes man. Just when I thought things were going up we lost Henry and now Vincent (for a period of time).”
For more from One Piece, check out the release date and spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1123. Also, look at why Roger Pirates didn’t act after learning the truth and the manga confirming Imu’s gender.