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Mai Otsuki Returns to One Piece to Sing Theme for 'Heart of Gold' Special
posted on by Kyle Hallmark
The official website for The One Piece anime announced on Monday that Maki Otsuki (pictured at right) will perform the theme song for the upcoming One Piece: Heart of Gold television special.
Otsuki's performance of the theme song "Destiny" marks her return to the franchise after 15 years. She previously wrote and performed the first two ending theme songs "memories" and "RUN! RUN! RUN!" for The One Piece television anime. The two ending theme songs were also featured in One Piece: The Movie and One Piece Special: Adventure in the Ocean's Navel.
Otsuki will release the "Destiny" single on July 20. The single will also include self-covers of "memories" and "RUN! RUN! RUN!"
The One Piece: Heart of Gold special will premiere on July 16 from 9:00-11:10 p.m. Actor Shun Oguri (live-action Lupin III's titular character, live-action Terra Formars' Kō Honda, Harlock: Space Pirate's Captain Harlock) will guest star in the special as the evil treasure hunter Mad Treasure, and the character will also appear in One Piece Film Gold. Mad Treasure is a chainman devil fruit user who has eaten the JaraJara (clank clank) fruit.
The special will tie in to One Piece Film Gold, which opens a week later in Japan on July 23. The story will center around a mysterious treasure called "Pure Gold" that even Gild Tesoro desires. The Straw Hat Pirates meet a girl named Orga who knows the treasure's location, and together they sail to the legendary island Alchemy. Original manga creator Eiichiro Oda drew the designs for the new characters as well as new costume designs for the Straw Hat Pirates for the special.
One Piece Film Gold is getting 3D, 4DX, and MX4D screenings in Japan, and six theaters in Japan will also screen the film with English and Chinese subtitles starting on July 23. The film will open on 743 screens, which is the largest opening for any Japanese film.
