From the next three seasons, the 3D2Y anime special, to One Piece Film: Gold… It hasn’t even been two months since we heard about FUNimation acquiring season 8, and we have been hinted at even more content potentially to come.

FUNimation has recently updated the One Piece section of their official website. The respective section now conspicuously lists the next three seasons of the One Piece anime, among the list of acquired episodes. The most recently acquired season 8 is set to cover right up to the time-skip in the anime, episode 516 “Luffy’s Training Begins! To the Place We Promised in 2 Years!”. If the newly updated listings were to be considered accurate, One Piece season 9 will consist of episodes 517 to 574, the Fishman Island saga. Following that, season 10 will have episodes 575 to 625, mainly covering the Punk Hazard arc. Last but not least, season 11 contains episodes 626 to 685, the first half of the Dressrosa arc.

We should note that prior to this update, the website listed only up to the seasons for which the home video distribution rights were announced publicly by FUNimation.

If this is indeed true, it will not be the first time for FUNimation to acquire the home video distribution rights to this many episodes in bulk. Back in 2012, while announcing One Piece season 5 (episodes 264 to 336) and Strong World at Otakon, FUNimation accidentally let it slip that they also have the rights to distribute season 6 (originally planned to cover from Thriller Bark to Impel Down, episodes 337 to 451) and Film Z via a press release attachment that was sent to a few people. However, this information was retracted from the press release that went up later that day on their official website.

When a Twitter user asked the anime dub giant to comment on the recent update, FUNimation responded with:

@SenorBepo Hang tight for an answer coming soon — Funimation (@FUNimation) April 2, 2016

Besides these hints at potential acquisition of the upcoming seasons, the North American One Piece dub fans can also expect FUNimation to release the 3D2Y anime on home video. Josh Kocurek, FUNimation’s former brand manager for One Piece, made an appearance on the One Piece Podcast back in February. He said that FUNimation is planning to acquire the One Piece TV specials with the English dub on home video, along with the simulcast rights where possible. North Americans consumers can expect the 3D2Y special to arrive later this year. It would make sense for them to put out the 3D2Y anime special later this year, since FUNimation will start releasing the content from Paramount War arc starting this May. Whether we will get more specials on home video down the line, only time will tell.

When asked about the company’s plans to bring the 13th One Piece movie over to North America, he said that FUNimation is trying to acquire One Piece: Film Gold as soon as possible, similar to how they got the new Dragon Ball movies so quickly, especially since FUNimation’s theatrical division has now been established. He implied that FUNimation will try to support Toei’s Japanese theatrical release of the movie first, followed by an English dubbed theatrical release of the movie, and then finally a home video release. However, the talks were still in the early stage at that time and none of it has been officially announced by the company itself as of now. Therefore, please remember that it is subject to change. And more recently, someone asked the company representatives about the status of Film: Gold‘s license during a live stream, to which they responded with, to paraphrase, “no news yet, but hang on.”

Please keep it in mind that all of this is unconfirmed at this point, and we are reporting this on the basis of the hints that we have been getting over the course of months. We will let you know once FUNimation makes an official announcement!

SOURCE: FUNimation

UPDATE: FUNimation responded to this question with:

@SenorBepo Here's the clarification to your question: this is not related to home video rights. Since the season is still going, it (1/2) — Funimation (@FUNimation) April 6, 2016