One Piece features a long list of lovable protagonists, as well as various characters with ambiguous positions. Katakuri has become a fairly popular character in One Piece, but with such a short screen time, many fans are wondering if and how Katakuri will return to One Piece.

Katakuri's return has not been confirmed in the One Piece manga, but his return was teased by the One Piece team on TikTok during a preview of the One Piece: Red movie. However, if Katakuri does return, it remains unclear whether he will play the role of a villain seeking revenge or an ally who will help Luffy in the final war.

Although fans haven't had a glimpse of Katakuri in ages, many people have begun anticipating a return—and theorizing how exactly Katakuri might return in One Piece later on. Stick around to learn more about Katakuri in One Piece, the last time fans saw him, and how fans think he might return during the later stages of One Piece's story progression.

Charlotte Katakuri in one piece

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

Charlette Katakuri sits at the top of this crew and has been a significant obstacle for Luffy and the Straw Hats. This character was certainly one of the most interesting and curious additions that could have been made to the storyline, mainly due to the fact that she had a very high bounty and a strange relationship with Luffy himself.

This character can use all 3 types of Haki, which makes him truly special in the world of One Piece, and the battle Katakuri had with Luffy was also a rather important moment in the overall storyline. In fact, it was during Luffy's battle with Katakuri that he awakened the ability to use Future Sight, meaning that Katakuri had a big impact on Luffy's fighting development.

Will Katakuri return in One Piece?

Katakuri's battle with Luffy ultimately revealed that the two had a strange rivalry, but it was underscored by a certain level of respect. His strange nature and not-so-mean attitude towards Luffy made him a rather unique and popular minor character in One Piece—it wasn't long before fans were wishing for him to return to action!

One of the most important aspects of fights and battles throughout the One Piece saga is that they rarely end with the death of the losing opponent. It's common for one of the contenders to simply walk away injured, with no confirmed deaths to prove their victory.

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

Katakuri returns in One Piece Film Red

That being said, Oda confirmed that the 15th One Piece film would bring back some characters, including the red-haired Shanks, as well as the introduction of his daughter, Uta. It has been rumored that Katakuri will also make an appearance in the film, which would be the first time we've seen him since the Whole Cake Island arc.

One Piece Film Red is set to hit theaters in August, starting in Japan, and also aims to introduce several new characters. The official One Piece team shared Charlotte Katakuri's design on the One Piece TikTok account, as seen below:

Allowing characters to return at just the right or wrong time truly opens up a world of potential for future chapters and episodes, which greatly contributes to the success of this long-running saga. But this raises the question of what the future of One Piece might hold for Katakuri, and many fans believe he could also return on screen and in the manga.

How could Katakuri come back in one piece?

There is much debate about what kind of role Katakuri could fill if he returned—since Katakuri and Luffy's relationship is still somewhat ambiguous. Some believe he would be hell-bent on revenge, while others believe there might be an unspoken bond between Katakuri and Luffy—something only the two of them seem to understand.

But things seem to be changing a bit, especially after Katakuri's mother, Big Mom, teams up with Kaido to get revenge on Luffy. Considering Katakuri was defeated by Luffy's powers and Monkey's Gear Four, but he's a strange character to begin with, we can only imagine what the end of the War for Wano arc means, or what plans he has in store for One Piece's protagonists.

Katakuri seeks revenge on Luffy

The only major factor here is that Big Mom is clearly determined to get revenge on Luffy and the Straw Hats, and it's safe to assume that Katakuri is on board as well. It would be understandable if Katakuri wanted revenge since he was defeated by Luffy, and it's possible that Katakuri's return will only cause problems for our beloved heroes.

Some fans believe that if Big Mom were to leave the island unscathed, or at least undefeated, it would easily open the door for Katakuri to return in a similar position to before. But Katakuri may not have come with the Charlotte family when Big Mom invaded Wano, which could change things a bit.

Katakuri becomes an ally of Luffy

Many believe that if Katakuri were to make a surprise appearance at a later stage in One Piece's storyline, it would likely revolve around more complex situations. Many fans even believe that there's a good chance Katakuri would appear not to eliminate Luffy, but to act as a sort of ally, helping Luffy and the crew.

According to many One Piece fans, Katakuri and Luffy may have a strange bond, simply because of how they fought with honor and respect. Many fans even believe it's quite possible that he won't fill the same antagonistic role as before. He may not be an official ally, but he could be considered something new—this could lead to an incredible twist!

There are so many ways this character could evolve that it's really difficult to pinpoint the most likely scenario. Below is a look at other scenarios in which Katakuri will return, as well as the types of roles he could fill in the future:

• A handful of fans also believe that Katakuri might betray Big Mom and take over.
• Some believe he might return during the final confrontation, only to guard the island while Big Mom is away.

That being said, given the light that was shed at the end of Luffy and Katakuri's honorable and respectful battle, things may not be as simple as before. Regardless, we're all eager to see what the potentially revived version of Katakuri has in store for Luffy, the Straw Hat Pirates, and the anticipated One Piece fans.