Spoiler Alert !!!This article contains some spoilers from One Piece manga.
Eiichiro Oda rarely gets directly involved with the production of the One Piece anime, which is why his newest request regarding Rain God Zaza immediately stands out. Following the release of Chapter 1182, legendary composer Kohei Tanaka revealed that Oda personally contacted him through LINE and asked him to make Zaza’s musical theme feel “terrifying and cool” at the same time (via @pewpiece on Twitter/X).
The reveal came at the perfect moment as Chapter 1182 pushed the Elbaf arc into complete chaos. With the terrifying debut of Rain God Zaza, Imu’s overwhelming presence, and the setup for multiple major battles, Oda’s Final Saga suddenly feels even darker and more intense than before.
Oda Personally Stepped In for Rain God Zaza’s Anime Debut
The most interesting part about Oda personally messaging Kohei Tanaka is that it highlights how important Rain God Zaza truly is to the Final Saga. Oda rarely steps into anime production directly because of his demanding manga schedule, unless a moment is extremely significant.
Rain God Zaza from One Piece. | Credit: Shueisha
According to Tanaka, Oda specifically wanted Zaza’s soundtrack to feel terrifying while still sounding cool. That description completely separates Zaza from Monkey D. Luffy and Sun God Nika.
The Rain God was first mentioned all the way back in the Skypiea arc alongside the Sun God, Forest God, and Earth God. For years, fans believed those were simply myths. However, after Luffy’s Sun God Nika reveal in Chapter 1044, Oda slowly began turning those legends into major endgame plot points.
In One Piece Chapter 1182, Rain God Zaza finally appeared through Saint Killingham’s MMA manifestation powers tied to his Kirin Devil Fruit. Even Killingham admitted he accidentally summoned the wrong thing after losing control. The result was one of the most terrifying reveals in recent One Piece chapters.
When the anime adapted Gear 5 in Episode 1071, the soundtrack was energetic, joyful, and hopeful, perfectly matching Luffy’s liberating personality, moving in tandem with Nika, the Sun God. Zaza, however, represents fear and destruction instead of freedom. As a result, Zaza’s musical identity in anime will likely be the opposite of Gear 5’s famous “Drums of Liberation.”
That contrast reveals a lot about the Rain God itself. While Nika inspires laughter and hope, Zaza appears designed to create terror. The setup also connects perfectly to the Celestial Dragons, who symbolically fear the “rain” in the world below while living high above the clouds in Mariejois.
This detail could become extremely important later because Monkey D. Dragon has long been linked to mysterious storms and abnormal weather phenomena throughout the story. With Rain God Zaza now officially introduced, there is a strong possibility that Oda is setting up a deeper connection between Dragon and the ancient Rain God mythology.
Unfortunately, anime-only fans will have to wait a while for Rain God Zaza’s anime debut. Since Toei Animation switched One Piece into a semi-seasonal format with around 26 episodes yearly, Chapter 1182 content may not appear until sometime in 2028, depending on the pacing.
One Piece Chapter 1183 Release Date and What Fans Can Expect Next
After the release of One Piece Chapter 1182, Chapter 1183 is officially scheduled to release on May 24, 2026 (via Manga Plus by Shueisha). Unlike the previous Golden Week hiatus, this upcoming delay comes directly from the author himself as part of Oda’s usual break schedule.
Credit: Shueisha
Credit: Shueisha
Credit: Shueisha
Credit: Shueisha
As for the story itself, Chapter 1183 is expected to focus heavily on Saint Sommers and Saint Killingham after both characters displayed overwhelming strength in 1182. The chapter also strongly hinted that Zoro and Sanji are finally about to take center stage as the “Wings of the Pirate King.”
At the same time, we can expect to see more of the ongoing clash involving Loki and Imu. Although Imu currently appears dominant, the story continues emphasizing that his existence in the lower world is unstable, turning the conflict into a race against time for the Straw Hats.
With Elbaf now entering its climax and Rain God Zaza officially introduced, the next few chapters could become some of the most important setup chapters in all of One Piece‘s Final Saga.
Series TitleOne PieceManga AuthorEiichiro OdaChapter 1183 Release Date (US)May 24, 2026Manga Rating (Mal) – as of May 13, 20269.21 / 10Where to ReadManga Plus by Shueisha, Viz Media
Here are some of the questions fans may have.
Who is Rain God Zaza in One Piece?
Rain God Zaza is a terrifying god introduced in Chapter 1182 through Saint Killingham’s MMA manifestation powers.
When will One Piece Chapter 1183 release?
One Piece Chapter 1183 will officially release on May 24, 2026.
When could Rain God Zaza appear in the anime?
Due to the anime’s current pacing structure, Zaza may not appear in the One Piece anime until 2028.
So now the big question – Do you think Oda is somehow planning to connect Rain God Zaza to Monkey D. Dragon and his abilities in the upcoming chapters? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
One Piece manga is currently available to read on Manga Plus by Shueisha.
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