One Piece is one of the most popular and longest-running manga series of all time. Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece debuted in 1997 and has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine ever since. With over 1000 chapters published so far, One Piece has captivated fans around the world who are eager to follow the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates on their quest for the titular treasure – the One Piece.
Despite its longevity, One Piece is still far from over. While some long-running manga like Naruto and Bleach have concluded in recent years, One Piece continues to churn out new chapters. This has left many fans wondering – just how much longer will One Piece run? Is the manga truly nearing its end? Let’s take a closer look at some key facts about One Piece to determine if the series is likely to end soon.
One Piece Story Arcs
As a long-running manga, One Piece’s story is broken up into several distinct narrative arcs. Some of the major story arcs that have been published so far include:
| Story Arc | Chapters |
|---|---|
| East Blue Saga | 1-100 |
| Alabasta Saga | 101-217 |
| Sky Island Saga | 218-302 |
| Water 7 Saga | 303-448 |
| Thriller Bark Saga | 449-489 |
| Paramount War Saga | 490-574 |
| Fishman Island Saga | 575-654 |
| Dressrosa Saga | 655-801 |
| Four Emperors Saga | 802-current |
As this table shows, there have been 9 major sagas so far in One Piece’s story. At the time of writing, the manga is currently still in the midst of the Four Emperors saga, which began in chapter 802. With over 200 chapters published in this saga so far, it’s clear there is still a lot of story left to tell in this arc.
Statements from Eiichiro Oda
Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, has dropped several hints over the years regarding how much longer the manga will run. Some key comments from Oda:
- In 2012, Oda stated he had completed about 65% of the manga’s story.
- In 2018, Oda said he wanted to finish One Piece in 5 years time.
- In 2020, Oda estimated he was about 80% done with the story.
- Most recently in 2022, Oda said the manga is nearing its final saga.
While the “5 years” timeline has clearly not held up, Oda’s comments suggest One Piece likely has at least a couple more years left to go. With only 80-90% of the story complete even after 25+ years of publication, expect One Piece to cross the 30+ year mark before concluding.
Number of Planned Story Arcs
In various interviews over the years, Oda has hinted at how many major story arcs he has planned for One Piece. Though the exact numbers vary, here are some of his quotes:
- “I’ve already thought up all the ways the Straw Hats will arrive at Raftel.” (2002)
- “One Piece is 60% done. I have the ending planned already.” (2007)
- “I have the blueprint in my head for about another ten arcs.” (2009)
- “I want to complete the entire series in about 30 arcs.” (2018)
Accounting for sagas that have been published since these comments, most estimates put the eventual total number of major One Piece story arcs around 40-50. At only 30-35 arcs completed so far, that suggests at bare minimum 5-10 major story arcs remain before One Piece can end.
Loose Plot Threads
Beyond just the number of arcs, there are still many crucial unresolved plot threads that must be addressed before One Piece can come to a satisfying conclusion. Some of the biggest unanswered questions include:
- What happened during the Void Century? What is the “True History”?
- What is the “Will of D.” and its significance?
- What exactly happened with the Ancient Kingdom?
- What is One Piece and how is it related to the Void Century?
- What is the deal with Blackbeard and his unusual abilities?
- What is Im-sama’s role in the world’s politics?
- Where did Devil Fruits come from?
- What is the Ancient Weapon Uranus?
With so many massive mysteries and plot threads left dangling, it’s hard to imagine One Piece resolving everything satisfactorily in just a few arcs. There is likely still years of content needed to properly setup and deliver the final answers.
Popularity and Sales
At the end of the day, One Piece is still a hugely successful commercial property. As of 2022, One Piece had over 490 million manga volumes in circulation, making it the best-selling manga series worldwide. The anime adaptation and related movies are also massively popular around the world.
Given this popularity, Shueisha is likely hesitant for the One Piece “gravy train” to end by rushing towards a conclusion prematurely. The publisher will want to maximize profits for as long as interest remains high. Why conclude the story when One Piece still sells millions of copies yearly?
Conclusion
Based on all the evidence, it seems clear that One Piece is not ending anytime soon. Eiichiro Oda still has many story arcs planned and countless plot threads to resolve. Given the steady pacing of recent arcs like Wano Country, the manga isn’t speeding towards the finish line either. Significant milestones in the overall narrative still need to occur before the series can deliver a narratively satisfying conclusion. Fans frustrated at the lack of an ending should settle in – the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates will continue for years to come!