Eiichiro Oda's manga One Piece has been serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since 1997, and even after all these years, the story is still ongoing. The ending of One Piece has been a point of contention for many, and Mangaka Eiichiro Oda has not helped matters by making contradictory claims.
The answer to whether or not the series is ending is, of course, yes, but not in the way that the entire series must end. One Piece is indeed coming to an end. However, things are a little more complex.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.
The One Piece manga is coming to an end, and what Eiichiro Oda had to say about it
How do we know One Piece is coming to an end?
Aside from Mangaka's admission that One Piece was ending a few years ago, which caused quite a stir, readers can also deduce that the series is nearing an end based on how things have been progressing in the current Egghead arc. Oda was initially eager to start the final saga because of how quickly he wrapped up the lengthy Wano arc.
The very mysterious figure of Dr. Vegapunk, who has eluded readers and the Straw Hats for years, has finally revealed himself in the Egghead arc. Above all, he has been divulging a lot of valuable information about the One Piece universe that has been kept from readers for years. This includes an affirmation that Luffy's Devil Fruit Awakening is modeled after the Sun God Nika, also known as the Warrior of Liberation. Furthermore, things have been heating up with the World Government going after Vegapunk and the Straw Hats.
Blackbeard is fighting Law to get his hands on the Road Poneglyph, so he can figure out where the Laugh Tale is. He will most likely get it. In contrast, the kid has arrived at Elbaf, which is thought to be the location of the final Road Poneglyph. The kid might find the final Poneglyph on the Giants' Island, and Blackbeard might go after him next. If Blackbeard discovers the location, he will try to be the first to show up at Laugh Tale.
These developments guarantee more revelations, and we are undoubtedly getting close to discovering all of the secrets of the One Piece universe.
Why is there still a long way to go before the series concludes?
At the JUMP Festa Super State 2023, Oda opened up about the end of the series. He openly admitted that he had exaggerated when he had previously said that the manga would end soon. He assured the fans that there is still a long way to go and to enjoy the journey. Additionally, he pledged to finish the manga gradually.
Indeed, the series has entered the final saga, with only a few other wars remaining after the defeat of the strongest man alive, Kaido. However, the discovery of Laugh Tale, the collapse of the World Government, and Luffy becoming the Pirate King are all events that will take a long time to set up and execute.
It would take much longer than a year or two to finish because there are so many secondary but still very important events and secrets to be revealed, such as what exactly happened in the Void Century, what Shanks' role is, and so on. There's no question that the final story will go on for years.