One Piece New Trailer Hypes Elbaf Arc Anime With Holy Knights Reveal

One of the most mysterious groups in One Piece is finally making its first anime appearance in the ongoing Elbaf arc, and Toei Animation is doing its best to ensure its viewers realize just how threatening these new characters are. Ahead of the release of episode 1164, the anime studio recently released a trailer dedicated entirely to the Holy Knights and their anime reveal, highlighting their power, personality, and status as some of the World Government’s most elite enforcers.

After years of buildup surrounding Imu and the hidden rulers of the world, the Holy Knights are shaping up to be the kind of villains that could push even the Straw Hat Pirates beyond their limits. The new trailer further hints that with its cinematic animation, a high-class voice cast, and several important revelations, the Elbaf arc could become one of One Piece‘s most ambitious anime arcs yet.

Series Title	One Piece
Episode 1164 Release Date (on Crunchyroll)	May 31, 2026
Manga Author	Eiichiro Oda
Current Arc	Elbaf Arc
Anime Rating (IMDb)- as of May 29, 2026	9.0 / 10
Where to Watch	Crunchyroll, Netflix

The Holy Knights Already Feel Like One Piece‘s Most Dangerous Villains

The trailer immediately establishes how intimidating the Holy Knights are. While Shamrock grabbed most of the attention in the new trailer, it gives a proper look at the other Holy Knights, such as Gunko, Sommers, and Killingham, and Toei Animation is presenting them as a major threat from the very beginning.

The trailer confirmed that Shamrock will be voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda, whose deep and commanding performances have already made him one of anime’s most recognizable voice actors. Gunko, Sommers, and Killingham are also receiving major talent behind them, with Sumire Uesaka, Hiroki Yasumoto, and Shinnosuke Tachibana voicing Gunko, Sommers, and Killingham, respectively.

— ONE PIECE.com(ワンピース) (@OPcom_info) May 29, 2026

The casting already makes the Holy Knights feel more imposing than most recent One Piece villains.

What truly elevates the trailer, however, is the presentation itself. Scenes like Shamrock summoning Cerberus and the arrival of Sommers and Killingham in Elbaf are packed with fluid compositing, dramatic lighting, and highly polished visual effects. The Holy Knights represent the direct military force of the Celestial Dragons and Imu, making them narratively different from the Yonko or Marines.

One Piece‘s Trailer May Have Quietly Revealed Bigger Plans For The Anime

Beyond the action itself, the trailer also sparked major discussion about the anime’s future pacing. One Piece‘s current scheduling approach has led many fans to speculate about a split-cour style structure, with reports suggesting the anime would air in shorter seasonal batches instead of running continuously throughout the year.

That originally led many fans to believe the first Elbaf cour would end around manga Chapter 1138. However, the trailer prominently features Sommers and Killingham, characters who do not properly appear until Chapter 1140. Their inclusion strongly suggests that Toei may adapt more material than expected before the break.

If that ends up happening, then the first cour of Elbaf could run longer than anticipated, giving the anime more room to fully establish the Holy Knights before the story reaches its inevitable large-scale conflict. Meanwhile, the recent Episode 1163 of the One Piece anime adapted the events of manga Chapter 1133.

Considering how much effort the production team is already putting into their introduction alone, it would not be surprising if the Holy Knights become the centerpiece of some of the best animated fights in modern One Piece.

With the Final Saga escalating faster than ever and the World Government finally revealing its strongest monsters, the Straw Hats may be heading into one of their most dangerous battles yet. And if this trailer is any indication, are the Holy Knights about to become the greatest villains in One Piece history? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The One Piece anime is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.