Singer of the First Opening Releases a Cover Album with Artwork by Eiichiro Oda

Hiroshi Kitadani is releasing a new album featuring covers of many One Piece themes. Kitadani is the original singer for one of the most iconic One Piece themes, “We Are”, the first opening theme.

Official cover albums — that means, albums in which the singer (or band) gets approval from everyone who holds rights to the songs — are not that uncommon in Japan, especially when it comes to anime themes. For example, in 2023, FLOW released FLOW THE COVER ～NARUTO SHIBARI～, with cover versions of many Naruto themes.

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Kitadani’s new album is titled ONE PIECE COVER SONGS ～Nakama no Shirushi～ (Friends’s Mark), and is slated to debut on March 26, 2025. Furthermore, the deluxe edition will feature artwork drawn by Eiichiro Oda himself! Check it out:

Tracks Included In The Album

The album will include 11 songs, selected by Kitadani himself:

1. “Wake Up!” (OP theme for the Dressrossa arc, originally performed by AAA);
2. “Watashi wa Saikyou” (Uta’s insert song in ONE PIECE FILM RED, originally performed by Ado)
3. “Hikari he” (OP theme for the Alabasta and Sky Island arcs, originally performed by The Babystars);
4. “Kokoro no Chizu” (OP theme of the Water Seven arc, originally performed by BOYSTYLE);
5. “sailing day” (theme for One Piece: Dead End Adventure, originally performed by BUMP OF CHICKEN);
6. “BRAND NEW WORLD” (OP theme of the Thriller Bark arc, originally performed by D-51);
7. “Jungle P” (OP theme for the Thriller Bark arc, originally performed by 5050);
8. “DREAMIN’ ON” (OP theme for the Wano arc, originally performed by Da-Ice);
9. “One Day” (OP theme for the Marineford arc, originally performed by The Rootless);
10. “Shinjidai”https://gamerant.com/”New Genesis” (theme for ONE PIECE FILM RED and Uta’s insert song, originally performed by Ado);
11. “Memories” (ED theme for the East Blue arc, originally performed by Maki Otsuki).

Hiroshi’s Kitadani And One Piece

Kitadani debuted professionally in 1994, and his collaboration with One Piece goes further than singing the first opening song for the series. He also sang “We Go!” (15th opening song), “We Can!” (19th opening song, with Kishidan), “OVER THE TOP” (22nd opening song) and “UUUUUS” (26th opening song). He also sang many versions of “We Are!” for special and other One Piece media.

He is currently part of the JAM Project, an anison group founded in 2000 by the late Ichiro Mizuki, with many renowned singers from the 1970s-1990s, including Hironobu Kageyama (“Cha-La-Head-Cha-La”).

Source: Comic Natalie