One Piece creator Oda reveals official character details about rain god Jaza in a new message

The a piece Toei Animation's anime is one of the longest running anime series, having started airing on Fuji TV in 1999. While the series is incredible, it certainly isn't perfect and suffers from some production issues when it comes to adaptations of Oda's magnum opus manga. As busy as Oda is, he is rarely involved in the production of anime.

However, soon after the release a piece Chapter 1182, an extraordinary piece of information was revealed by Kohei Tanaka, the composer of a piece, about the author's involvement when it comes to the Elbaph arc.

On May 12, 2026, It was officially confirmed by music composer Kohei Tanaka that he was contacted directly by Oda For one major request: to make Rain God Zaza as scary as possible, but cool at the same time. This is a major highlight for Oda's new character, but the new OST may take some time to reach fans.

Ichiro Oda's message to Kohei Tanaka confirms the fearsome and cool personality of the rain god Zaza

The a piece The animation by Toei Animation has been continuously releasing episodes since 1999. At this moment, the anime has accumulated 1161 episodes, with no signs of stopping anytime soon. The anime has switched to a semi-seasonal format, and from now on, it will release a moderate batch of episodes annually. Even with the One Piece remake on the way, fans still tune in weekly to see major manga events come to life in the anime. The most recent return of the One Piece anime in April 2026 finally marked the beginning of the Elbaf arc, and with it came many anticipated revelations such as the introduction of the Rain God Zaza.

When it comes to the manga, the most recent development in the story has seen the introduction of a divine entity known as Rain God Zaza. The Rain God was mentioned back in Skypea, and in the most recent chapter 1182, it was finally brought to life as an MMA manifested by Killingham's Kirin Devil Fruit. Interestingly, Eiichiro Oda himself is particularly excited about the reveal of Rain God Zaza in the anime, where he sent a message to the music composer to handle the adaptation of this character carefully. Oda directly contacted Kohei Tanaka via LINE and made a simple request to make Zaza's musical theme strike terror, but remain calm at the same time.

“Jaja. What is this “Rhythm of Rain Prayer”…? From Mr. Oda, I received a one line message.

'Please make it scary and beautiful'” – Kohei Tanaka (One Piece Music Composer)

Eiichiro Oda's message shows how Rain God Zaza personifies

The gods of the fragmented world were alluded to all the way back to Scipia, with revelations of the sun god, forest god, earth god, and rain god being made in chapter 287. It was only in Wano that one of these gods finally made an official appearance in the manga. In chapter 1044 of the story, Sun God Nika officially appears, with Luffy finally revealing his Gomu Gomu no Mi, or Hito Hito no Mi, model: Nika's true nature. With his divine white form and gear 5, Luffy's Drums of Liberation also activates. Drums of Liberation had a very specific OST made specifically for the One Piece anime that debuted in episode 1070. Luffy's Gear 5's music is upbeat and brings excitement by inspiring others to dance and celebrate with Luffy, featuring the main character of the Sun God Nick. Oda's intention with Drum of Liberation was to instill hope in the hearts of many and make them dance and laugh. Needless to say, the anime definitely nailed the first symphony revealed for God.

Rain God Jazza, however, will be a completely different symphony that will highlight its unique character. The rain god Jaja does not inspire hope, and instead, it causes panic. These subtle details indicate the personality of the deity. While Nika inspires hope, Zaza brings terror, meaning that this god is deadly scary and cool, unlike Luffy's stupid Nika form. Fans can expect low-key music, with clashing notes and eerie melodies to showcase the anxiety and tension this deity brings to the front of the Celestial Dragons. The Celestial Dragons are greatly feared by Zaza due to their innate fear of rain as they live above the clouds in Marizoa.

Of course, there is one more god whose OST and music symphony fans are looking forward to hearing in the anime, and that is Saint Emu Nerona. Emu is the devil of the world and acts as a secret sovereign who rules over all. It has already been revealed that the One Piece anime is working on a specific OST for Imu, called “Imu's Descent”. This OST will also undoubtedly be scary, but in a different way than Zaza's. As Emu infuses everything around him with demonic energy, his musical symphony will reflect that.

The Rain God Zaza will make its anime appearance in 2028

Oda has already expressed what he wants to see in the One Piece anime when it comes to Rain God Zaza's musical composition. However, Zaza's adaptation into anime may still be far ahead. Zaza made his first appearance in the manga's One Piece Chapter 1182, which was released on May 10, 2026. Currently, the anime has slowed significantly due to Toei switching to only 26 episodes a year compared to the 40+ it used to produce.

At the anime's current rate, Zaza won't appear in the anime until 2028 at any time. Of course, it all depends on the speed of the anime. At the moment, according to Toei Animation, they're aiming for one chapter per episode, which slows things down significantly. At the very least, it gives Kohei Tanaka plenty of time to come up with a perfect symphony.

One piece Elbaf's arc will be filled with new music

Image by Toei Animation

The Elbaf Arc is shaping up to be a musical masterpiece, especially since it's already confirmed to feature two huge OSTs for Zaza and Imu. Along with them, more is coming from the talented Kohei Tanaka, who has been working on One Piece since the anime's inception.

Many major events in Elbaph have a special OST made just for them. For one, the Harley text is going to have its own beat, which will make the reveal even more fascinating. Holy Knights are also getting their own theme, which can be revealed through Shamrock's entrance. Emu Descent is anticipated, and Domi Reversi will also have his own tune, labeled “Black Turn Domination”. In addition, the veterans themselves will be highlighted with new music with Roger's left wing, Skipper Gabon.

Source: Kohei Tanaka, a piece music composer