Summary
- Megumi Ishitani excels at storyboards & direction, turning regular episodes into movie-like experiences.
- One Piece: Fan Letter, directed by Ishitani, is the 3rd highest-rated anime on MyAnimeList.
- Ishitani aims to direct a movie soon, possibly for a new One Piece movie, as hinted by Eiichiro Oda and Toei Animation.
Megumi Ishitani is one of the most well-known anime directors in the world. She has mesmerized the world with her talents and established an unshakable reputation. She has been on a phenomenal run, and everything she touches turns to gold.
Megumi Ishitani is unbelievable at storyboards and directing. With her in charge, even a regular episode feels like a movie. Her most recent project was One Piece: Fan Letter, an adaptation of a novel revolving around the regular people in One Piece. It was released on November 23, 2025, and it earned a lot of positive acclaim from the audience. In fact, it is currently the third highest-rated anime-related title on MyAnimeList.
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Megumi Ishitani Speaks About One Piece Fan Letter
After a long wait, the talented director finally discussed the success of One Piece: Fan Letter.
Since the story’s protagonists are not members of the Straw Hat Crew but entirely new characters, I initially assumed that only hardcore One Piece fans would understand and appreciate it. While some understanding of One Piece is necessary to enjoy the work, I thought its appeal might be limited to existing fans. After it aired, I saw a comment that said, ‘I’ll never be able to watch another filler episode again!’ That honestly made me happy and relieved a lot of my stress.
From the statement, it is rather apparent that she is elated with the performance of One Piece: Fan Letter. As previously stated, the project was a hit among viewers, who thoroughly enjoyed the animation and the story.
In a recent statement, Megumi Ishitani also expressed her desire to direct a movie. She was clear that her next project should be a movie. Given her skills, this is hardly surprising. After directing such high-quality episodes, the next step would be to direct a movie.
A One Piece Movie Is Coming Soon
It is actually possible that this dream will be fulfilled soon. At Jump Festa 2025, Eiichiro Oda effectively confirmed that a new One Piece movie is on the way. Toei Animation’s financial reports also prove that the studio will be producing two movies. Keeping both these things in mind, it is highly likely that Megumi Ishitani will work on at least one of them.
One Piece fans will be hoping that the famous director is involved in the movie related to their beloved series, but at this point, it is too early to tell. Fans should also remember that this is all conjecture and has yet to be confirmed by official sources. An announcement related to the project will likely happen on the next One Piece Day.
Source: X (Formerly Twitter)
- Release Date
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October 20, 1999
- Studio
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Toei Animation
- Creator
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Eiichiro Oda