Shonen Jump confirmed that Portgas D. Ace will take over Sanji's place in "One Piece." The publication is a weekly manga anthology in Japan that releases popular manga, including "One Piece."

To celebrate manga's 20th anniversary, Shonen Jump plans to develop a story mainly focused on Ace of "One Piece." Crunchyroll reported that the Japanese publication confirmed that one of its big plans for the series is a character closest to Luffy. This news comes alongside the announcement of the return of the "One Piece" kabuki play on October 6.

At present, there is no confirmation yet on what the spinoff story will be about. However, despite the minor details, fans are all excited about the homecoming of Portgas D. Ace. Comic Book writes that there are speculations that the project will be modified into a novel and this has received approval from "One Piece" creator Eiichiro Oda. In this case, it will be an additional item that can be pinned to the lengthy list of the popular manga's canon content.

Portgas D. Ace in "One Piece" manga is also known as "Fire Fist" or simply Ace. He is Luffy's adopted older brother. Ace helped raise Luffy alongside a blond-headed guy named Sabo. He is the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. Portgas D. Ace is known for his fierce loyalty and hot temper. He is also his younger brother's prototypical inspiration when it comes to the seas.

In "One Piece," Ace's death inspired Luffy to trainmore seriously to realize his dream of becoming a Pirate King. Prior to his passing, Ace was hunted by the World Government and was sentenced to death because he was the son of Gol D. Roger -- the most famous pirate in "One Piece." Still, in denial and unwilling to accept his brother's fate, Luffy interfered and paved the way for the Battle of Marineford. Eventually, Ace died sacrificing his life to save Luffy from Akainu while aiding his escape.