When Will Katakuri Come Back in One Piece? (& How?)

One Piece features a lengthy list of loveable protagonists, as well as various characters that have ambiguous stances. Katakuri has become a pretty popular One Piece character, but with such short screen time, many fans are wondering if and how Katakuri will come back in One Piece.

Katakuri’s return has not been confirmed in the One Piece manga, but his comeback has been teased by the One Piece staff on TikTok during a sneak peek of the One Piece: Red movie. However, if Katakuri does make a return, it is still unknown whether he will fill the role of a villain seeking revenge or an ally that will aid Luffy during the final war.

While fans have not gotten a glimpse of Katakuri in ages, many people have begun anticipating a comeback – and theorizing how exactly Katakuri could return in One Piece later down the line. Stick around to find out about Katakuri in One Piece, the last time fans saw him, as well as how fans think he could come back during the later stages of the One Piece story’s progression.

Charlotte Katakuri In One Piece

There have been countless plot twists and interesting character arcs throughout One Piece, and one of the most pivotal parts of the Wano Country arc setup was the Whole Cake Island arc. This arc introduced One Piece fans to Big Mom as well as her extended Charlotte Family crew, providing fans with a taste of what an Emporer’s crew could be capable of.

Charlette Katakuri stands at the top of this crew and acted as a significant hurdle for Luffy and the Straw Hats. This character was definitely one of the most interesting and curious additions that could have been added to the storyline, primarily due to the fact that he had a super high bounty and an odd relationship with Luffy himself.

This character can use all 3 types of Haki making him really special in the One Piece world, and the battle that Katakuri had with Luffy was quite a momentous point within the overall storyline as well. This is since it was during Luffy’s battle with Katakuri that he awakened the ability to use Future Sight, meaning that Katakuri did have a great impact on Luffy’s fighting development.

Will Katakuri Come Back In One Piece?

Katakuri’s battle with Luffy ended up revealing that these two fighters had a strange rivalry going on, but it was outlined by a certain level of respect. His odd nature and not-so-villainous stance towards Luffy have made him a fairly unique and popular minor character in One Piece – it didn’t take long for fans to want him back in action!

One of the most key aspects of fighting and battles throughout the One Piece saga is that it rarely ends in the death of the losing opponent. It’s common for one of the contenders to simply walk away with injuries, without any confirmed deaths to prove a victory.

This is the case with Katakuri, as he was not mortally wounded and there is no evidence to suggest that he died. While it hasn’t been confirmed, the author and series creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda, seems to enjoy leaving open-ended plots that make it possible for antagonists, protagonists, or anything in between to make a surprise comeback.

Katakuri To Return In One Piece Film Red

With all that being said, Oda has confirmed that the 15th movie of One Piece will be bringing back some characters, including Red-Haired Shanks along with the introduction of Uta, his daughter. It has been said that Katakuri will be making an appearance in the movie as well, which would be the first time we would be seeing him since the Whole Cake Island arc.

One Piece Film Red is said to be hitting screens as early as August, starting in Japan, and also aims to introduce a number of brand new characters as well. The official One Piece staff shared the design for Charlotte Katakuri on the One Piece TikTok account, as seen below:

Allowing room for characters to return just at the right or at the wrong moment really opens up a world of potential for future chapters and episodes, which greatly contributes to the success of this long-running saga. But, it does raise the question of what One Piece’s future may hold for Katakuri, and many fans believe that he could come back on screen and in the manga as well.

How Could Katakuri Come Back In One Piece?

There is a ton of debate regarding what kind of role Katakuri might fill if he returns – since the relationship between Katakuri and Luffy is still somewhat ambiguous. Some believe he would be dead set on revenge, while others believe that there may be an unspoken bond between Katakuri and Luffy – something only the two of them seem to understand.

But, things seem to be changing quite a bit, especially after Katakuri’s mother, Big Mom, teamed up with Kaido in order to seek revenge against Luffy. Considering that Katakuri was defeated at the hands of Luffy and Monkey’s Gear Four powers but is an odd character, to begin with, we can only imagine what thinks about the War for Wano arc’s ending, or what plans he has in store for the One Piece protagonists.

Katakuri Seeks Revenge On Luffy

The only main factor here is that Big Mom is clearly set on seeking revenge on Luffy and the Straw Hats, and it may be assumed Katakuri is on board as well. It would be understandable for Katakuri to want to seek revenge since he was defeated by Luffy, and it’s possible for Katakuri’s return to only spell trouble for our beloved heroes.

Some fans believe that if Big Mom made it out of the island unscathed or at least undefeated, it would easily open the door for Katakuri to come back with a similar stance as before. But, Katakuri may have not come along with the Charlotte Family as Big Mom invaded Wano, which may change things quite a bit.

Katakuri Becomes an Ally To Luffy

Many believe that if Katakuri were to make a surprise appearance at a later stage of One Piece’s storyline, it would likely revolve around some more complex situations. Quite a few fans even feel that there is a pretty high chance of Katakuri showing up not to take Luffy down, but to act as a sort of ally, aiding Luffy and the crew.

According to quite a few One Piece fans, Katakuri and Luffy may owe each other in a strange way, only due to the way in which they fought each other with honor and respect. Many fans even believe it is quite possible that he may not fill the same antagonistic role as he did before. Perhaps not an official ally, but he may be seen as something new – it might make for an amazing plot twist!

There are so many ways this character could go, it’s really hard to pin down the most-likely case. Below is an overview of other situations for Katakuri to make a return appearance, as well as what kind of role he might fill in the future:

• A handful of fans also believe Katakuri could betray Big Mom and take over.
• Some believe he may come back in the final showdown, only to guard the island while Big Mom is not around.

With all that being said, considering the light that was shed at the end of Luffy and Katakuri’s honorable and respectful battle, things may not be as cut and dry as they were before. Either way, we’re all eager to see what the potentially revived version of Katakuri has in store for Luffy, the Straw Hat crew, and anticipating One Piece fans.