Popular Comic Series ‘One-Piece’ Could Be Ending In 5 Years Time According To The Author

I’m a huge fan of anime and manga.

Even till this day, I’d burn through dozens of hours into the night just reading and watching away.

And if you’ve been around for a while, I’m pretty sure you would’ve come across One Piece.

The Shonen Jump hit has been in publication since 1997, and the biggest community joke is that the series is so long it’s never-ending.

96 volumes and over 980 chapters would definitely make you feel that way.

Though, recently, talks of the series ending seem to be in sight.

Not Ending Soon

These aren’t simply rumours, either.

Twitter user @sandman_AP recently posted a translated interview with One Piece author Eiichiro Oda.

Here is my summary of Oda’s TV interview today. Summary is divided to multiple tweets.👍
Oda said he would like to finish OP in 4-5 years (again). He rarely goes to Jump office where today he witnessed his manuscript of chapter 1 for the first time in 23 years.😆

— sandman (@sandman_AP) August 27, 2020

In it, Oda mentions that he would like to conclude the lengthy manga within four to five years.

The keywords here are ‘would like to’ so don’t go setting any plans in stone yet.

Moreover, if past statements were anything to go by, this could turn out inaccurately.

He once claimed in 2002, during a certain section of the story, that the series was halfway done.

This comment was then repeated around 2004.

In fact, the series was initially slated to only run for five years.

In 2017, Oda also predicted another story arc would start in that same year. This ended up happening only the following year.

Then, of course, COVID-19 happened this year and he announced back in May that delays were likely.

At the very least, fans of the series know they’ll be able to stick it out for a bit more.

End In Certain Sight

Barring some timeline hiccups, there is one thing Oda is very sure of.

Namely, how his series will end.

Be warned that there are some huge spoilers in the interview.

2 guests were invited in recent ONE PIECE event in Saudi Arabia. One is Shimizu (TOEI anime) and the other is Heishi (Jump editor). According to Shimizu, the ending of Wano arc will be “surprising”. 😍

Below is my summary of the interview. (source: https://t.co/en9ji4Oqlu pic.twitter.com/oRoi0Z8SW2

— sandman (@sandman_AP) November 17, 2019

Once again, Sandman managed to interview both then producer at TOEI Animation and Shonen Jump editor.

The former stated that he already knew the ending to the series, but did not want to say much since Oda “would be mad at him”.

He also stated that once the current arc concludes, the end of the series “would be in sight.”

The ending of the series has also been confirmed by Oda’s editor.

23 years is very long for a manga series nowadays, and Oda even states that he’s not sure what to draw after One Piece ends.

But whatever happens, I’m sure the fans would support his passion for the series till the end.

Hopefully, at least, it won’t be as bad as Doraemon’s ending.