The 15th issue of the Japanese Weekly Shonen Jump, officially on sale March 14, revealed more information on the upcoming movie, One Piece Film: Gold. 

First, a new character — the “legendary gambler” Rays Max (tentative English spelling).  What’s particularly special about this person, who seems to have a gambling addiction, is that he is apparently a part of the Revolutionary Army!  What role will he play in the movie?  Only time will tell. 

Furthermore, the magazine also revealed new staff credits for the movie — Masayuki Sato will be taking on the roles of Character Designer and Chief Animation Director, Kazuo Ogura will be joining the staff ranks as the movie’s Art Director, while Nobuhito Sue will be the responsible for the background art.  Sato also worked on One Piece Film: Z and One Piece Strong World in the same positions.  Similarly, Kazuo Ogura and Nobuhito Sue will also reprise their roles from the production of One Piece Film: Z. Sue has additionally worked on background designs for Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX. 

Sato, Ogura, and Sue each commented on their involvement with the newest film:

Sato: “It’s this time of year again.  This is my third One Piece film, but I’m able to approach it with a fresh perspective.  Look forward to it.” 

Ogura: “I’ve been appointed as the art director for this film, just like I was for the last one, and I’m working hard with background staff every day towards the theater release date.  This movie’s location is also really flashy, so I hope you’ll enjoy the overall color scheme.” 

Sue: “Like Mr. Ogura, I’m also returning to do the background art for One Piece Film: Gold.  We’re building a setting that will surprise all of you.  This time, we’re doing most of the background using 3-D models, so please enjoy the detailed designs.” 

One Piece Film: Gold is set to premiere in Japan on July 23, 2016.  For the latest news and information about the movie, make sure to stick with the One Piece Podcast.  To get instant updates, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. 

What do you make of this mysterious new character?  Let us know in the comments! 

SOURCE: Weekly Shonen Jump