Luffy’s next defining moment is being hailed as the best in the entire series by a certain One Piece manga leaker (Image via Toei Animation)

With the release of the One Piece anime’s latest episode, anime and manga fans alike are beginning to get excited for what’s next on the animation horizon. While manga fans have known for quite some time what’s in store for the anime’s adaptation of the Wano arc’s climax, even anime-only fans can tell something big is coming, thanks to the series’ quality as of late.

Likewise, the series’ leakers are getting in on the fun, whether it’s due to having insider info about the climax’s anime production or just by knowing what’s to greet the viewers next. Either way, reputable series leaker @pewpiece has recently claimed that the Gear 5 transformation episode “will be the strongest/biggest episode” in the series’ history, “not just in 2023.”

ollowing this claim, fans are trying to decide if @pewpiece is saying this out of love for the series and faith in Toei Animation’s work, or because they have insider knowledge about the episode itself. No matter what the case, fans believe there are a few key reasons why One Piece enthusiasts can and should be excited for the Gear 5 episode, which also support @pewpiece’s claim.

Warning: Light spoilers for the climax of the anime’s Wano arc below.

One Piece anime set to deliver the greatest episode in its history, but what makes it so momentous?

The latest claim by @pewpiece (Pewpiece) was further shared by Twitter user and reputable series news source @OP_SPOILERS2Ø23 (Spoilers 2023). Spoilers 2023 has proven themselves a very reputable news account for the One Piece series, delivering accurate manga spoilers and television anime series information time and time again.

Likewise, there’s no major reason to doubt the veracity of Spoilers 2023’s latest claim regarding Pewpiece’s words on the upcoming Gear 5 anime episode. Gear 5 references the activation of Luffy’s next major transformation, which is referred to as Gear 5. It’s achieved during the fight against Kaido, and is considered to be the beginning of the Wano arc’s climax by many fans.

The transformation is momentous because of what it reveals about Luffy’s journey and the series’ world as a whole. While this article will avoid going into any further spoilers or specifics beyond this, the transformation makes for one of the most revelatory moments in the series. Likewise, it leads into a fantastic finale for the fight between the two Yonko Captains.

Spoilers 2023 also claims that Pewpiece “knows some animators” who are set to work on the upcoming installment. While this isn’t quite the same as seeing a leak, referencing an animator’s past work can say a lot about how a specific episode will turn out to be. Likewise, the director credits, both overall and for animation on the episode, can also be very telling of its eventual aesthetic.