Toei Animation reports that the broadcast of both series, one of the most popular on Japanese television, is paralyzed until further notice.
The broadcast of the next episodes of the One Piece and Digimon Adventure series (2020) are suspended indefinitely by the severity of the coronavirus. Toei Animation, the animation studio in charge of creating both productions, has extended the measure internationally, given that Japan has decreed a state of emergency until May 6 due to the spread of the pandemic throughout the country.
The news therefore affects not only the broadcast of the next episodes of the two series on Japanese television, but also the streaming networks with rights in the West; in this case, Chunchyroll, which is in charge of broadcasting via simulcast —almost simultaneous broadcasting of the chapters in Japan and the rest of the world through online platforms— in the United States and Europe (Spain included).
The measure is binding, therefore, for all issues until May 6, the date on which it will be possible to begin to resume normal activity progressively if everything goes according to what is established by the Japanese government. The video game sector has also warned of possible delays in future releases.
To All Our Fans: https: //t.co/G9BfjtaxDa pic.twitter.com/zvRmbJbxuA
– Toei Animation (@ToeiAnimation) April 20, 2020
As for One Piece, the best-selling manganime in history so far, it has 929 episodes aired to date and is in the middle of the Wano arc. Each episode airs on Sundays at 4:00 AM CEST. Digimon Adventure (2020), meanwhile, is the reboot of the original series that began airing just a few weeks ago. So far, three episodes had been published; the broadcast is every Sunday at 04:30 CEST.
Both series are closely linked to the video game sector. For starters, Bandai Namco and Koei Tecmo published on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch this past March the remarkable One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4; while Digimon will have from this same publisher the expected Digimon Survive, currently in development after its delay to the year 2020. The game, which will collect the creatures of the first generation, will be an SRPG where the fighting will be established on a board by grids ; a mix of genres where there will also be room for the point and click phases.
