On February 5, 2026, BigHit Music officially announced the release of the BTS Official Light Stick Special Edition: Version 4 (often referred to by fans as the “ARMY Bomb Ver. 4”).
While the announcement of a new lightstick typically generates excitement, it has instead triggered a massive backlash from the global ARMY fandom.
The primary point of contention is not the design itself, but the sudden decision to discontinue wireless control support for older versions at upcoming concerts.
Compatibility Issues Spark Outrage
According to the official notice, starting with the group’s highly anticipated “ARIRANG” world tour concerts in June 2026, older models—specifically the Map of the Soul Special Edition (MOTS SE) and Version 3—will no longer be compatible with the central wireless control system.
This means that fans who own these older versions will not be able to participate in the synchronized light shows that have become a hallmark of the BTS concert experience.
Fans have taken to social media and community platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustration, with many citing the following reasons for their anger:
BTS Official Light Stick (Credit: YouTube)
- Financial Burden: Many fans recently purchased the MOTS SE lightstick during the group’s hiatus, only to find it “obsolete” for the new tour. With prices for the new version expected to exceed $60–$70 USD, many feel “forced” to buy a new device after already spending heavily on concert tickets.
- Timing: The rollout has been criticized for being “too close” to the tour dates, giving fans little time to save up or secure the new hardware before shipping deadlines.
- Sustainability Concerns: Critics have pointed out the environmental impact of making thousands of perfectly functional electronic devices “useless” for their primary purpose, labeling the move as unnecessary electronic waste.
New Features of Version 4
Despite the controversy, the new Version 4 lightstick introduces several technical upgrades designed to justify its release:
- Rechargeable Battery: Moving away from AAA batteries, the new version features a dedicated charging cradle and an internal rechargeable battery.
- Enhanced Lighting Effects: The new model supports a wider range of color gradients and strobe effects that are reportedly incompatible with the hardware of older versions.
- Customization: Similar to other recent HYBE group lightsticks (like SEVENTEEN’s), the Ver. 4 features a more customizable internal dome, allowing fans to personalize the look of their “bomb.”
HYBE’s “Scarcity” Strategy
Industry analysts have linked this move to HYBE’s recently announced “Hybe 2.0” business model, which focuses on a “new experience model based on scarcity.”
While the company claims these upgrades are necessary to provide a cutting-edge fan experience, a large segment of the fandom views it as a “calculated milking of fans” following the group’s three-year hiatus.
As of February 5, the “Boycott Ver. 4” hashtag has begun trending in several regions, with fans calling on BigHit Music to release a firmware update that would allow older lightsticks to remain compatible with basic light-sync functions, even if they cannot support the most advanced new effects.
Neither BigHit Music nor HYBE has yet issued a follow-up statement regarding the backlash.
ONE PIECE HEROINES draws its inspiration from the novel series ONE PIECE novel HEROINES , originally serialized in ONE PIECE magazine .
The anime adapts one of the stories from the collection, episode: NAMI, bringing it to the screen with female characters from the ONE PIECE world positioned at the core of the narrative. Through these stories, the series explores each heroine’s character, individuality, and personal identity.
In addition to Nami, the anime will spotlight Nico Robin and incorporate original, anime-only content, broadening the storyline beyond what was presented in the source material.
ONE PIECE HEROINES Anime
The series is directed by Yu Kamatani, recognized for his work on Looking for Magical Doremi and as the series director of Koisuru One Piece . Character design is led by Takashi Kojima, who previously served as character designer and animation director on The Colors Within and as character designer on MONSTERS .
The screenplay is penned by Momoka Toyoda, who worked as the scriptwriter for ONE PIECE FAN LETTER and as series composer for ONE PIECE Special Edited Version: Fish Man Island Arc .
ONE PIECE first appeared in Weekly Shonen Jump on July 22, 1997, and has since become a legendary ocean adventure centered on the mythical treasure known as the One Piece, left behind by the Pirate King Gol D. Roger.
One Piece Heroines has a total of 8 chapters and details are as below.
You can click on any chapter to read the summary:
- Bonus Chapter: Nami & Robin – A Fleeting Moment
- Chapter 1: Nami – The Shoe Must Go On!
- Chapter 2: Robin – The Archeologist’s Unscrambled Eggs
- Chapter 3: Vivi – The Blue Rose and the Writingale
- Chapter 4: Perona – Nightmare of the Drifting Barrel
- Bonus Chapter: Nami – Don’t Let Me Go
- Chapter 5: Hancock – Why Grandma Nyon Keeled Over
- Chapter 6: Tashigi – There’s Something About Her
- Chapter 7: Reiju – A Terrible Cook
- Chapter 8: Uta – Where the Wind Goes
Chapter 1 – Nami’s High-Fashion Heist
Our favorite navigator, Nami, hits the famous Lebno Listchaque shoe store for some new heels. Things get bumpy when she tries to return a pair that hurts her feet, but the designer himself is so floored by her beauty that he recruits her to model for his upcoming runway show.
During the fitting, an employee named Miucha reminds Nami of her late mother, Bell-mère. Nami notices Miucha’s incredible talent and wonders why she’s stuck in the shadow of a designer who prioritizes prestige and vanity over actual comfort for the wearer.
Nami pushes Miucha to strike out on her own, even as the designer grows more arrogant. While Lebno focuses on elite status, Nami encourages the young girl to find her own path, proving that true style shouldn’t have to come with a painful price tag or a bruised spirit.
At the fashion show, Nami shocks the high-society crowd by wearing Miucha’s practical, comfortable designs instead of Lebno’s stiff outfits. Her natural grace steals the spotlight, making everyone realize that functional clothing can be just as stunning as the most expensive luxury brands.
The story ends with a classic Straw Hat twist when Nami “liberates” all the jewelry from the store. Miucha quits her job to start her own brand, keeping Nami’s secret as a thank-you for the inspiration, while the navigator sails away with a fresh haul of treasure.
Chapter 2 – Robin’s Revolutionary Recipe
Nico Robin is currently sailing toward Sabaody with the Revolutionary Army on the Wind Granma. While she reflects on her heavy past and her life with the crew, Sabo and Hack interrupt her thoughts to ask for help with a mysterious discovery found below deck.
She meets Koala, who is struggling to translate an ancient tablet rescued from the war-torn ruins of the Yukari kingdom. Koala is determined to solve it as a personal project, and Robin, being the brilliant archaeologist she is, offers some expert guidance on how to read it.
Robin points out that the tablet is actually pottery that was hardened by a fire, and it was being read at the wrong angle. She explains the difference between phonogram and ideogram languages, giving Koala the “hints” she needs to decode the symbols without doing the whole job for her.
While the scholars work, a subplot unfolds involving a terribly bitter mushroom dish that Sabo accidentally prepared for the crew. Everyone is too polite to complain, but Robin manages to eat the dish with a straight face despite the overwhelming bitterness that paralyzes other diners.
The tablet turns out to be a simple recipe for mushroom soup, proving it was found in a kitchen rather than a palace library. This discovery helps Sabo fix the meal for the next day, and Robin shares a quiet moment with him, promising to keep his survival a secret from Luffy.
Chapter 3 – A Princess’s Burden in Alabasta
Back in Alabasta, Princess Vivi is busy with her royal duties while a local boy named Fata draws an “abstract” portrait of her. Meanwhile, Koza finds Fata at the clocktower and discovers the young boy is hopelessly in love with the princess, much to his amusement.
Fata is devastated to hear Vivi is leaving for the Levely and decides to write her a confession letter. In a classic comedy of errors, the letter falls from the tower and starts circulating through the city, leading Koza to pretend he wrote it to protect Fata’s dignity.
The situation escalates when King Cobra and his guards get involved, teasing Koza about his supposed feelings. When Vivi arrives and reads the letter, she immediately recognizes Fata’s handwriting, gently rejecting the young boy’s confession and putting an end to the public chaos.
Fata takes the rejection like a champ, viewing it as a milestone of his maturity. Vivi eventually moves the portrait out of her sight to avoid feeling guilty, focusing on being the leader her people need while acknowledging that she has far more important worries than childhood crushes.
Chapter 4 – Wine and Spirits on Kuraigana
Perona and Zoro are stuck on Kuraigana Island, arguing as usual about Zoro’s lack of shopping skills. They find a drifting barrel in the sea that Perona hopes is cocoa powder, but Zoro swims out to retrieve it only to find three bottles of high-quality red wine instead.
The two return to the castle where Perona gets a bit tipsy on the first bottle. Zoro actually shows a rare bit of care by bringing her food, but things go south when they realize the third bottle has been “confiscated” by the master of the house, Dracule Mihawk.
Mihawk refuses to share the wine for a sangria, leading to a hilarious skirmish where Perona tries to steal the bottle. Zoro jumps into the fray to “help,” but his involvement leads to a Negative Hollow accident and a shelf collapse that shatters the precious last bottle.
The three roommates eventually settle their differences over the remaining drops of wine and some sparkling water. Unknown to Perona, Mihawk is secretly planting cocoa trees so her favorite hot chocolate will always be available, showing a softer side to the world’s greatest swordsman.
Volume 1 Extra – The Bird of Seven Colors
In this unique side story, we see a young Nami through the eyes of a beautiful bird. The bird was passed from one wealthy owner to another before being kidnapped by pirates, eventually crossing paths with Nami while the young thief was busy looting a corrupt politician.
Years later, Nami encounters the bird again during a different heist and finally sets it free from its cage. The bird notices that Nami is no longer the lonely, desperate girl she once was, as she is now traveling with a kind companion like Nico Robin.
Robin and Nami share a pastry while they watch the bird take flight into the horizon. The narrator, now free and soaring on seven-colored wings, realizes that Nami has found her true “nakama,” leaving them both happy to have finally found their own versions of freedom.
Chapter 5 – Boa Hancock’s Love Hurricane
Hancock summons Dahlia to “interrogate” her, but she’s really just looking for tips on how to woo Luffy. As Dahlia describes the struggles of caring for a baby, Hancock’s “love-brain” translates every detail into a romantic fantasy about her and her beloved Straw Hat captain.
The Snake Princess views Dahlia’s wedding story as a parallel to her own experiences. By the end of the conversation, Hancock is fully convinced that she and Luffy are already on the path to starting a family, leaving the wise Elder Nyon absolutely exasperated by the delusion.
Chapter 6 – Tashigi’s Justice and the Next Generation
After a Sea King attack forces their ship to dock at a small village, Tashigi learns that the locals are being terrorized by pirates. The villagers have given up hope, preferring to pay a “peace tax” rather than fight back, but Smoker and Tashigi refuse to let it stand.
Tashigi begins training a young girl named Hiwa, who wants to become strong enough to protect her home. Despite a brief misunderstanding where Hiwa calls Tashigi “weak” for having superior officers, the two form a bond over the discipline of the blade and the meaning of strength.
When Hiwa tries to take on the pirates alone, Tashigi rushes to the rescue and dismantles the gang with ease. Smoker arrives just in time to stop a desperate pirate with a bomb, showing the girl that the Marines are a force of nature when justice is truly on the line.
As the Marines depart, Tashigi realizes she has restored the village’s faith in the law. Hiwa continues her training, inspired by the pink-haired swordswoman, and dreams of one day joining the Marines to carry on the fight for justice just like her new mentor.
Chapter 7 – Reiju: A Kitchen Catastrophe
The Vinsmoke siblings find themselves in a rare predicament when they are left on a ship without their professional staff. Reiju and her brothers are royalty used to being served, so having to prepare their own dinner becomes a total disaster.
Genetic enhancements might make them powerful warriors, but those skills do not translate to the culinary arts at all. The kitchen turns into a battlefield of burnt ingredients and failed experiments as they struggle to feed themselves without a chef.
Through the smoke and spoiled food, we see a more relatable side of the Germa 66 royalty. Even the coldest soldiers can be humbled by a simple recipe, proving that even a Vinsmoke has their limits when it comes to domestic chores and basic cooking.
Chapter 8 – Uta: A Song of Memories
Uta is deep in thought while working on the lyrics for her latest track, “Where the Wind Goes.” As she writes, her mind drifts back to the golden days she spent aboard the Red Force with her father, the legendary Shanks.
She reminisces about the rowdy laughter of the Red Hair Pirates and the pure freedom of the open sea. These memories are bittersweet, fueling the emotional depth of her music while highlighting the loneliness she feels in her current life.
The chapter offers a beautiful look at her creative process and her internal struggle. It shows how her past with the crew shaped her into the world-renowned singer who dreams of bringing peace to everyone through the power of her songs.
Volume 2 Extra – Nami and Robin: A Fleeting Moment
Nami and Robin take a much-needed break from the rowdy energy of the Straw Hat boys. They spend their time discussing beauty routines and the constant struggle of maintaining hygiene while living on a cramped pirate ship with messy men.
It is a charming look at the friendship between the two women of the crew. They bond over shared struggles and the quirks of their fellow crewmates, finding a moment of serenity amidst their wild and often dangerous adventures.
The conversation is lighthearted and reminds us that even legendary pirates have everyday concerns. It is a perfect way to close out these stories, showing the quiet strength and bond that keeps the crew together through thick and thin.
