As of late, Fuji Television, the Japanese TV channel that broadcasts a multitude of programs such as the One Piece anime every week, has been suffering from diminishing TV ratings. To combat this, Fuji TV will be broadcasting the One Piece The Movie Episode of Chopper Plus – Bloom in Winter, Miracle Sakura on Dec. 31, 2014 at the same time as the annual popular music show Kôhaku Uta Gassen, which runs on the public broadcasting channel, NHK.

However, according to Weekly Shônen Jump Issue 52, the broadcast will not just be the normal One Piece The Movie Episode of Chopper Plus – Bloom in Winter, Miracle Sakura, but will be a 2014 Special Edition. It has not been revealed what exactly will be different from this “2014 Special Edition” and the Episode of Chopper DVD and Blu-ray releases, but we will keep you updated if any new information is released.

After last year’s four-hour New Year’s special programming competing against NHK’s Kôhaku, Nippon TV’s Zettai ni Waratte wa ikenai chikyû Bôeigun 24Hrs, as well as the other big TV channel’s New Year’s Eve programs, Fuji TV was only able to rake in a meager 2.5% and 2% of the viewership, being left the as big loser of the night.

One Piece has had a history of relative success for Fuji TV. On January 18th, One Piece Film Z was able to garner a 12.6% viewership, and the summer TV special One Piece 3D2Y was able to bring in a 12.2% rating. Needless to say, Fuji TV is hoping to be able to count on the stable One Piece viewership without having to spend a big budget on something entirely new.

The movie, One Piece The Movie Episode of Chopper Plus – Bloom in Winter, Miracle Sakura, was released in 2008 as One Piece‘s 9th Movie, and won first place in the 32nd Japan Academy Prize in the Animation category.

Source: Weekly Shônen Jump Issue 52

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