One Piece Shinkansen unveiled just days before it enters service

JR West has unveiled the first “One Piece Shinkansen” train due to run on the Sanyo Line.

They presented the “Setouchi Blue” train to members of the press on April 9th.

The train is named after the “Setouchi” region of west Japan

This is the first of three specially themed high-speed trains based on Eiichiro Oda’s globally popular manga and anime One Piece.

Numerous decals have been applied to the train featuring One Piece characters

The “Setouchi Blue” is scheduled to commence operation on Saturday, April 12th, primarily serving as a “Kodama” service along the Sanyo Shinkansen, connecting Shin-Osaka Station and Hakata Station in Fukuoka.

The ONE PIECE Shinkansen will operate between Shin-Osaka and Hataka Stations

This unique train is part of the “ONE PIECE x Sanyo Shinkansen” project, launched to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Sanyo Shinkansen’s full-line operation, which was celebrated in March 2025.

The entire train has been repainted blue and re-decorated

The project aims to offer passengers a “new riding experience” while showcasing the “charms of the areas along the line” many of which boast scenic beauty as the Sanyo Line follows the coast of the Seto Inland Sea region.

The “Setouchi Blue” is the first of three One Piece Shinkansen trains

In total, three distinct “ONE PIECE Shinkansen” trains will be introduced to the Sanyo Line. The first is the “Setouchi Blue” while the second and third trains will be based on Chopper and Luffy respectively.

Utilizing the 700 series, an 8-car train typically employed for “Kodama” and other local Shinkansen services, each train will feature an exclusive and original design for both its exterior and interior.

The train interior is also One Piece themed

The “Setouchi Blue” train draws its inspiration from the project’s central concept, “Let’s go to the Grand Rail!”, a railway themed take on the concept of the “Grand Line” from the One Piece series.

One Piece art now adorns the walls, doors and seats

With an overarching theme of a “Journey to Setouchi”, the exterior of the “Setouchi Blue” is predominantly painted in a vibrant blue hue, evoking the imagery of the Seto Inland Sea.

The One Piece trains will be 8 carriages long

The train’s exterior features numerous “One Piece” characters, prominently featuring the series’ protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and the iconic “Straw Hat Crew”.

The One Piece Shinkansen trains will only be in operation for a few months

Utilizing newly drawn illustrations, the train aims to infuse the Sanyo Shinkansen journey with the spirit of adventure and the camaraderie of the popular characters.

Each carriage has a unique design on the outside featuring different characters

The interior of the “Setouchi Blue” has also been customized with original “One Piece” designs.

The seating layouts remain the same as on a normal bullet train

The head covers of all seats in the regular cars have been replaced with exclusive “ONE PIECE Shinkansen” covers.

New head rest covers feature the Straw Hat Crew

The passenger and boarding doors are wrapped in designs that complement the exterior theme, with multiple variations available throughout the train.

The boarding doors have also been updated to match the exterior

The advertising spaces located near the doors also feature original “ONE PIECE Shinkansen” artwork.

Advertising has been replaced with One Piece artworks

Adding a playful touch, some of the wash basins within the train have mirrors decorated with “wanted poster” designs of the “One Piece” characters, providing passengers with a unique photo opportunity.

Wash room mirrors have been transformed into “WANTED” posters

In an effort to enhance the experience at stations, the chime melody that plays when the train departs from and arrives at each station has been specially arranged using the original opening theme song “We Are!” from the long-running “One Piece” television anime series.

Passenger doors will have different themes in each car e.g. Car 1 will feature Shanks artwork

This aims to immerse passengers in the world of “One Piece” through a familiar tune, adapting the iconic opening song into a distinctive Shinkansen chime.

Additionally, voice actors from the anime series will provide in-car announcements when departing and arriving at select stations.

On the “Setouchi Blue,” Mayumi Tanaka, the voice actress for Monkey D. Luffy, will make announcements intended to build excitement for the journey ahead.

The “Setouchi Blue” (identified as the E13 train), unveiled at the press event, made a striking impression with its vivid blue livery.

Luffy features prominently in the train design and will also serve as the voice of train announcements

The blue paint serves as a backdrop for the wrapped “One Piece” characters and accompanying images that extend along the train’s body beneath the windows.

The characters on the outside of the train are mostly members of the Straw Hat Crew

Takezawa Toru, the general manager of the Marketing Department at JR West Japan Railway, who addressed the press at the unveiling event, remarked: “The blue of the train stands out even more than I expected. Seeing it in person made me realize once again what a great train it is”.

The design of the train will catch the eye of anyone waiting at a station it passes through

The train had only just been completed on the day of the unveiling, highlighting the lengthy preparation involved in customizing a Shinkansen bullet train.

One PIece art is displayed throughout the train, even in non-seating areas

For One Piece fans wanting to travel on the new trains, we have a comprehensive guide to the new One Piece Shinkansen trains including how to buy tickets and the currently announced schedule.

Reserved and non-reserved seating will be available on all One Piece Shinkansen trains

The “Setouchi Blue” is scheduled to commence its operational service as the “Kodama 842” (departing Hakata Station at 7:04 AM and arriving at Shin-Osaka Station at 11:25 AM) and the “Kodama 849” (departing Shin-Osaka Station at 11:37 AM and arriving at Hakata Station at 3:51 PM) from April 12th to April 15th, and again from April 18th to April 22nd.

All of the character artwork on the outside of the train has been specially commissioned

Looking ahead, the second themed train, the “Tony Tony Chopper” inspired by the beloved reindeer doctor of the Straw Hat Crew, will be introduced on May 28th.

The Chopper train will see pink and teal stripes alternate between carriages

This train will feature coloring and a design reflecting Chopper’s iconic appearance, with in-car announcements voiced by Ikue Otani, Chopper’s voice actress.

The third and final train in the initial series, the “Monkey D. Luffy” train, is scheduled for introduction on July 2nd.

The Luffy design will feature yellow and red colors on the train

Its design will incorporate Luffy’s signature straw hat motif into the train’s color scheme, and Mayumi Tanaka will again be responsible for the in-car announcements.

The “ONE PIECE Shinkansen” project is currently scheduled for operation for a limited time, with operating dates beyond July to be announced at a later date.

Source: My News Navi