One Piece Magazine

[Claudio]

So I guess some people really will lose it if Oda decides to "rush" things, huh.

[StrawHatJedi]

@Deicide:

This is what I'm expecting as well.

We get two more sagas (my definition, not official): one for Revolutionaries/Tenryuubito/Vegapunk, and one for Blackbeard/Laugh Tale. Each comprised by several arcs. However, none as long as the Yonko saga.

I do generally agree with this notion, but I think it'll be more like the next set of arcs / next 'saga' is building toward Laugh Tale, culminating in the fight against Blackbeard. Then the final part will be the war against the World Government.

I do think Vegapunk / SSG is next, but I think it'll be a transition arc into the Shanks / Teach conflict.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

@Claudio:

So I guess some people really will lose it if Oda decides to "rush" things, huh.

Let's not pretend there aren't a lot of things that left to resolve in the series. There's a big difference between 'losing it' and just not believing the series is close to ending. For all the comments made in interviews, magazines, etc., I see very of that reflected in the pacing of the actual manga / narrative. Oda hasn't really accelerated the pace of the story as far as I've seen.

[wolfwood]

Well i guess we can safely say that we are officially in the end game now that it has been double and tripled down on

[StrawHatJedi]

But what does that mean in practical terms? For a series like One Piece, the 'end game' simply means the last leg of the voyage. I don't buy for a second the series is gonna end in five years time. At an average of 38 chapters per year, we're talking 190 chapters. Wano alone is going to take up probably another 50 - 60 chapters. The idea that Oda could wrap the entire series in any type of satisfactory manner in a little over 100 chapters is honestly ridiculous unless we get a Game of Thrones season 8 quality conclusion.

I just don't see it - and I don't think Oda cares so little as One Piece as to let something like that happen.

And also a reminder that Alabasta was 'the halfway point' of the series.

[Sengokusgoat]

Blackbeard and the WG are gonna go down the same arc because that's the only thing that will top the Kaido + Big Mom combo.

The picture will be clearer once Wano is over and we know both how long it lasted and how much stuff it resolved, but for now I'd bet the series ending somewhere between chapter 1200 and 1300.

[StrawHatJedi]

Personally, I disagree. The whole story has been building to a conflict with the darkness of the world, the World Gov; the powers that have controlled the world from the void century. The dark power that controls and has shaped the world, the void century, etc. aren't just side stories to the central quest to find One Piece. They are the central narrative. Teach is just a rival to inherit the mantle of Pirate King.

[Deicide]

To me, the series can end in two ways, either:

• Luffy defeats Blackbeard and becomes Pirate King, then goes directly against the World Government, with all the allies he gathered over the journey. In this case, the WG is responsible for the darkness of the Void Century, and finding One Piece will reveal its crimes.

Or

• Luffy and the Revolutionaries defeat the World Government, and Blackbeard, being the last remaining super power, becomes the major threat to a weakened defenseless world. In this case, the WG actually formed to stop the darkness of the Void Century and make sure it would never return, but power and stagnation led its purpose to be corrupted over time. The One Pìece holds the secrets that can bring that darkness back, and Blackbeard, following the will of Rocks, is the true evil that must be stopped.

[StrawHatJedi]

@Deicide:

To me, the series can end in two ways, either:

• Luffy defeats Blackbeard and becomes Pirate King, then goes directly against the World Government, with all the allies he gathered over the journey. In this case, the WG is responsible for the darkness of the Void Century, and finding One Piece will reveal its crimes.

Or

• Luffy and the Revolutionaries defeat the World Government, and Blackbeard, being the last remaining super power, becomes the major threat to a weakened defenseless world. In this case, the WG actually formed to stop the darkness of the Void Century and make sure it would never return, but power and stagnation led its purpose to be corrupted over time. The One Pìece holds the secrets that can bring that darkness back, and Blackbeard, following the will of Rocks, is the true evil that must be stopped.

Interestingly, I think there's a sort of mix of the two. I don't actually think the people who formed the World Government were evil, nor do I think the Ancient Civilization was a moral good. Oda never really paints with a broad brush.

My impression is that the Ancient Civilization represented a mounting threat. The fact that the ancient 'weapons' were given the names of gods betrays a certain reverential attitude toward world destroying power. We have been sort of conditioned to understand the Nefertari monarch of the age as a morally good person through our familiarity with Vivi and Cobra. In that way, it is implied that the initial act of the twenty kings banding together was not a morally evil act. But whatever they took part in, whatever gave them the power to destroy the ancient civilization, is probably where things turned. The Nefertari monarch chose to remain in the world below - to not ascend and become 'gods above men'; I do think the Celestial Dragons represent the corrupting influence of time. But the power source which has allowed them to maintain their position seems to be true evil.

Oda has also pretty consistently used the symbolism of the World Government being the 'darkness of the world', or at least being the apparatus by which it rules.

My theory is that the Twenty Kings turned to a source of power they didn't understand; made a deal with the devil to become gods and become unwitting pawns in Im's climb to power - and also that Im is not yet finished in whatever he / she / it ultimately wants to achieve. We've seen evidence that the World Gov. is actively working toward something. I believe whatever action Joy Boy and his allies around the world took circumvented total defeat. Best analogy I can come up with is Yoda and Obi-Wan going into hiding, Bail Organa adopting Leia, bringing Luke to the Lars homestead to wait out the dark times and prepare for the day when the proper stars align to defeat the Sith and the Empire.

[Gia Sado]

I think we can all agree here that regardless of how it plays out, there is an insurmountable amount of plot, characters and content that needs to be addressed. Even if you take away all of the smaller plotlines that don't seem to be tied to the actual ending (The Underworld, Impel Down Escapees,, Kuma's deal with Vegapunk, Weevil, they could be but who knows at this point), the plotline are massive in scope. Theres still so much we don't know about:

• The Last 2 Yonko
• The World Government
• Dragon and his Revolutionaries
• The Marines
• Supernova
• Strawhat Fleet
• Multiple Island locations and their significance
• The Strawhat dreams and endings.

And a ridiculous amount more its not even funny. Unless we anticipate a truncated ending like Bleach, how can people realistically say its ending soon at all? Like imagine Wano x5, thats pretty much what this last conflict is going to feel like in terms of stakes, characters, and more.

[Cockycent]

The steps and time that Teach took to get where he's at, the WG being as powerful w/o showing all of it's cards and then look how Luffy and co. have barely survived BM and Kaido who are less important to the whole plot.

Skipping straight to Teach and the WG isn't consistent with how Oda has handled the last 5 arcs. It's not about chapter count or this being OP's 23rd year. I look at how much was stuffed into WCI arc and that isn't bad at all. What these next few arcs to "end" the series sounds like stuffing 3x as much to comfort someone's fatigue.

What is the point of the Supernova if they just stand aside going forward as the SH crew just advance? When the story is coming to a close, there will be less loose ends. As much as WCI arc accomplished, it didn't give closure to many things. Germa's fate is still a mystery, we didn't know about Jinbe and the Sun Pirates until this arc, BM is still chasing them, etc. So, 1 of the most crowded arcs couldn't tie up as much loose ends as it opened up future plot points like Elbaf or the fact that there are special paramecia. Why do I have to know that BM is missing 3 races from Totland?

So I guess some will lose it if this comment means close to nothing like the last 100 comments. ​See how that logic works?

[Claudio]

@Vongola_Boss_XI:

Let's not pretend there aren't a lot of things that left to resolve in the series. There's a big difference between 'losing it' and just not believing the series is close to ending. For all the comments made in interviews, magazines, etc., I see very of that reflected in the pacing of the actual manga / narrative. Oda hasn't really accelerated the pace of the story as far as I've seen.

I'm not pretending anything; It just seems to me that you, among others, really dislike the idea of Oda "rushing" things. I understand and would prefer he takes his time but looking at from his perspective; he's been working on the series for over half his life(nearly 1000 chapters). I won't be upset if he decides too speed things up.

[Gia Sado]

@Claudio:

I'm not pretending anything; It just seems to me that you, among others, really dislike the idea of Oda "rushing" things. I understand and would prefer he takes his time but looking at from his perspective; he's been working on the series for over half his life(nearly 1000 chapters). I won't be upset if he decides too speed things up.

I think the point being made is there isn't a precedent set for it, so why should we assume it, if you know what i mean. 986 chapters and Oda has consistently played the long game with his plot. Yes, now is the time to finally address everything and im sure he will, but if its a testament to how he's done it in the past, the final arc/saga/whatever will be gargantuan, considering how much bigger it will be compared to anything the last 5 arcs have been.

[rayleigh92]

Let's sum up what we still miss to chapter 986. About the current storyline, we should get sooner or later: Big Mom and Kaido's fate, Wano's ending, Kaido's World War, Ancient Weapons (Shirahoshi? Shyarly's profecy and FI's destruction). About the Levely and WG storyline, we still miss: whatever happened to Nefertari Family (Pluton?), Sabo, a proper Revolutionary Army role, Ryokugyuu, Vegapunk (and DF's origin), CP0 (even in Wano), Sky Dragons' ending, the missing history, the D, the Five Elders, Im, the giant hat and his throne. Then Rocks, Black Beard's final battle, Kuzan's real purposes (if he did to PH's iced prisoners), Shanks's final role. Then the seven warlords: aside Hancock, Weevil, Buggy and Mihawk (his final battle too)'s ending, we still have Moriah and Crocodile around and Doffy obv hiding the Mary Geoise's secret. Then we should get Elbaf, Loki, the ancient giants. In the end we still have to discover about Luffy's ability to hear things' voice, his awakening, the return of the allies fleet, Roadstar Island, Laught Tale, Joy Boy and the One Piece. And this is an improvised list where I surely missed something (or indeed avoided, as I can't take seriously Florian's huge shadows and I'm still unsure about Enel's return).

One Piece is getting near the end? Yeah, and we have to deal with Oda's bad habit to not definitively ending almost any of the charas till now. God, I can't even figure Kaido and BM falling in this arc after the speech about the world war, but carrying them further would be too much…

[Gia Sado]

@rayleigh92:

Let's sum up what we still miss to chapter 986. About the current storyline, we should get sooner or later: Big Mom and Kaido's fate, Wano's ending, Kaido's World War, Ancient Weapons (Shirahoshi? Shyarly's profecy and FI's destruction). About the Levely and WG storyline, we still miss: whatever happened to Nefertari Family (Pluton?), Sabo, a proper Revolutionary Army role, Ryokugyuu, Vegapunk (and DF's origin), CP0 (even in Wano), Sky Dragons' ending, the missing history, the D, the Five Elders, Im, the giant hat and his throne. Then Rocks, Black Beard's final battle, Kuzan's real purposes (if he did to PH's iced prisoners), Shanks's final role. Then the seven warlords: aside Hancock, Weevil, Buggy and Mihawk (his final battle too)'s ending, we still have Moriah and Crocodile around and Doffy obv hiding the Mary Geoise's secret. Then we should get Elbaf, Loki, the ancient giants. In the end we still have to discover about Luffy's ability to hear things' voice, his awakening, the return of the allies fleet, Roadstar Island, Laught Tale, Joy Boy and the One Piece. And this is an improvised list where I surely missed something (or indeed avoided, as I can't take seriously Florian's huge shadows and I'm still unsure about Enel's return).

One Piece is getting near the end? Yeah, and we have to deal with Oda's bad habit to not definitively ending almost any of the charas till now. God, I can't even figure Kaido and BM falling in this arc after the speech about the world war, but carrying them further would be too much…

Better yet, imagine Kaido/BM continue to to some form of a Rocks plot. If it doesnt get resolved entirely in Wano, then it'll be interesting to see where it gets carried on to. Weevil especially and his mother apparently had ties to them. Oda namedropped like 3-4 other pirates (whom I think are the other Impel down escapees aside from Shiki). You don't do that unless you mean to introduce them.

[Claudio]

@Gia:

I think the point being made is there isn't a precedent set for it, so why should we assume it, if you know what i mean. 986 chapters and Oda has consistently played the long game with his plot. Yes, now is the time to finally address everything and im sure he will, but if its a testament to how he's done it in the past, the final arc/saga/whatever will be gargantuan, considering how much bigger it will be compared to anything the last 5 arcs have been.

We should maybe assume it because they keep saying it. If it's all just "hype" then great but I don't think it's unreasonable to think that they are serious when we've gotten 3 arcs in a row with "road ponegliffs". One more and "One Piece" is obtainable. Once the "One Piece" is found, we are pretty much in the endgame right?

[Gia Sado]

@Claudio:

We should maybe assume it because they keep saying it. If it's all just "hype" then great but I don't think it's unreasonable to think that they are serious when we've gotten 3 arcs in a row with "road ponegliffs". One more and "One Piece" is obtainable. Once the "One Piece" is found, we are pretty much in the endgame right?

Like we've been discussing here, percentages and their statements about a final arc/saga do not actually tell you how much, in terms of chapter count there is left. I've given this example before, but Naruto and Bleach's final arcs account for maybe 10% of their overall plots and where everything went, yet both accounted for approximately a 3rd of their total chapter counts
. Oda would not know how much he physically has to do until he's in the thick of doing it. Its like GRRM finishing ASOIAF. The man has repeatedly mentioned how close he is to the end, yet apparently books 6 and 7 are thousands of pages each and he is still struggling to release the 6th.

Hopefully thats clearer. I personally can't assume he'll pick up the pace because I've been hearing those arguments for 10 years now, when he started dropping percentages around fishman Island. And still, not once, has he really upped the pacing of the manga. I personally see this final saga being the biggest hes done easily, bigger than this Yonko Saga (which is now at 190 chapters or so, but wont be over for at least another 50-60)

[StrawHatJedi]

The 'Yonko' Saga really started with Punk Hazard. Everything from that point forward has been building to Wano. Doflamingo was a sub-boss. You can draw direct parallels between the current Saga and the Baroque Works saga.

Punk Hazard - Whiskey Peak
Dressrosa - Little Garden
Zou / Whole Cake - Drum
Wano - Alabasta

The 'Yonko Saga' will have been 400+ chapters by the time Wano ends.

At the end of the day, Oda cares deeply about the series. I just don't think it's in his nature as a writer to 'rush' things.

[Gia Sado]

@Vongola_Boss_XI:

The 'Yonko' Saga really started with Punk Hazard. Everything from that point forward has been building to Wano. Doflamingo was a sub-boss. You can draw direct parallels between the current Saga and the Baroque Works saga.

Punk Hazard - Whiskey Peak
Dressrosa - Little Garden
Zou / Whole Cake - Drum
Wano - Alabasta

The 'Yonko Saga' will have been 400+ chapters by the time Wano ends.

At the end of the day, Oda cares deeply about the series. I just don't think it's in his nature as a writer to 'rush' things.

Yep, really the "Dressrosa Saga" doesn't exist. Both it and Punk Hazard should be blanketed under the Yonko Saga. So really, if we are being honest, the Final Saga could be just as long as this, if not longer. Hell, the Yonko Saga isn't even over.

The important thing people seem to no realize is how much time Oda spend on only 2 Yonko, when there is much more than this moving forward.

And I agree, this is Oda's magnum opus, I don't see him rushing it ever. The series deserves to be told in full. We are getting there, but it will definitely take some time

[Cockycent]

It's not about how you want it to end. I didn't want any nakama after Brook, but guess what, Oda is adding some anyway and I never thought it was as impossible. This makes no sense tho. It's like telling me to completely ignore what's happened in the last 2 arcs and listen to this comment that can be as wrong as Oda telling his wife in 04, OP would end in 2014.

It's about how the story has been paced. You would have to think that Oda will make arcs that are twice as congested as these last 2 going forward. The crew aren't supposed to just meet the standards of the Roger crew, they are supposed to surpass them and do something that they couldn't. How can the crew, as we see them being developed rn, be not too far from surpassing Roger's crew?

[Deicide]

I think next arc will be way more focused on the crew itself. Then as the next saga builds up we will get more interaction with allies (probably Revolutionaries), but I don't expect something as big as this Yonko finale until the very last fight against the World Government (which may be either before or after Laugh Tale).

I feel two more people are going to be on the boat as well: the 11th nakama and Vivi.

[StrawHatJedi]

@Deicide:

I think next arc will be way more focused on the crew itself. Then as the next saga builds up we will get more interaction with allies (probably Revolutionaries), but I don't expect something as big as this Yonko finale until the very last fight against the World Government (which may be either before or after Laugh Tale).

I feel two more people are going to be on the boat as well: the 11th nakama and Vivi.

Smoker and Vivi

[Claudio]

@Gia:

Hopefully thats clearer. I personally can't assume he'll pick up the pace because I've been hearing those arguments for 10 years now, when he started dropping percentages around fishman Island. And still, not once, has he really upped the pacing of the manga. I personally see this final saga being the biggest hes done easily, bigger than this Yonko Saga (which is now at 190 chapters or so, but wont be over for at least another 50-60)

All I'm assuming is that the story won't deviate anymore. When Wano is done, 3 of the "road ponegliffs" will be accounted for and it will be onto the next. After that: "Laugh Tale".

[imperioonepiece]

Yes, based on Oda's history I can't see how One Piece will end in less than 5 years.

But they're repeating this again and again, and I've started to suspect, what if they know something that we don't? Of course, it could be marketing, but what if it isn't?

[Gia Sado]

The point im making is that regardless of if you think Oda knows or not, 5 years (now 4 since the comment was made, let's not forget) is way too little for where we are and what is left.

Wano easily has another year. On average, we get 38 chapters per year, which is a 152 chapters in 4 years. Wano isnt even over either. The sheer content that we know is actually left is undeniable. The point im making is that in order for them to meet this statement, Oda would either need to significantly, and I mean, severely rush his remaining plot in order to meet it.

Its either going to be rushed or its going go as long as it needs, and thats not 4 years.

[All Fiction]

Yeah, the "5 years" comment has always been Oda's desire than a plan. I don't think there is a single believable estimate, even a rough one, on how many years the series has left.

[Kdom]

maybe you could make a dedicated thread (if it does not exist already) because it starts to be a bit off topic.

[Legate]

World Government is pretty much the only major villain left after Four Emperors, makes sense that we're entering the endgame

[NamiRobinFrankyAce]

Oda and his editors are telling in many ways that we're close to the final arc (In Oda's interviews,in editors interviews with foreigner youtubers,in magazines like this one,and in the story itself! What are the "Reverie" chapters between the Wano acts,if not a glimpse of the final arc?) but some people just dont want to listen. So they will keep repeating it by the way i think that after Wano ends,it will be clear to everyone that all the things that remains are endgame material. It will be a long final arc,with different islands like the Baroque Works arc or the Yonkou arc,but it will be the final one indeed. So there will be time for Elbaf or even the Moon,dont worry.

[wolfwood]

@Vongola_Boss_XI:

But what does that mean in practical terms?

In this context hold on to your hat cause things are going down. I mean to me end game refers to the imminent culmination of all plotlines and baited hooks that have been set up

[Gia Sado]

@wolfwood:

In this context hold on to your hat cause things are going down. I mean to me end game refers to the imminent culmination of all plotlines and baited hooks that have been set up

I think we all understand this. The point is, it can't be short. It all still needs to escalate into a something huge (which it hasn't yet) and Oda somehow will have to get the strawhats involved. Look how long it took for Luffy and crew to be fully involved in taking down Kaido.

Oda is 100% all about panel presence and making something feel important:

• He did it with Alabasta. We got multiple arcs to get to know Vivi, her problems, Boroque Works, leading to the final conflict at Alabasta.

• He did again with Marineford. Ace vs. BB was the only ingredient needed for this, yet it still took many chapters and several arcs for Luffy himself to get where he needed to be, to be involved.

• Hes doing it again with Wano, in that everything since Punk Hazard has been leading up to this moment. Consistent characters, issues and plotlines, all leading to this moment.

So thats what I mean when I say it won't be short when One Piece leads us into its final conflict. Oda just isn't going to teleport Luffy into the final conflict immediately after Wano with zero context. Guaranteed it will be a string of islands all leading Lodestar/Laughtale. Either before or after this (my guess is after), the plot will pull Luffy and his crew in the direction of the war, which may start even arcs before they are involved.

Not to mention, its going to involve almost everything. Like, literally most of characters, mysteries, groups, etc will all be involved. Its going to be a monster of a plotline to resolve

[andre]

I could believe the estimates if the breaks weren't so frequent. Doesn't seem like enough chapters in a year at this pace, though, to even think about it being finished that quickly.

[StrawHatJedi]

I don't deny it's the final 'saga'; but the current 'saga' in One Piece took 400 chapters. It's very obviously not a single island because there are tons of big players on the board still, foreshadowed big events, etc. Even a non-stop ride or one revelation after the next will take lots of time given Oda's pace and writing style. And I don't believe he'll change that for the most important events in the series. He spent two chapters on Onimaru. Will he spend 3 pages on the destruction of Fishman Island? Half a chapter on Joy Boy? Maybe a passing mention of All Blue?

-Vegapunk / SSG & His new weapon
-Kuma and Bonney
-Vinsmoke Family's fate
-Elbaf
-Uranus
-Zunesha's Curse
-Pluton
-Straw Hat Grand Fleet Incident
-Poseidon & Destruction of Fishman Island
-Void Century
-Roger's backstory
-Will of D.
-Devil Fruit & Awakening
-God Valley Incident
-Final Road Poneglyph
-Laugh Tale & One Piece
-Shanks & Blackbeard
-Revolutionary Army
-Aegis Zero
-Celestial Dragons, Five Elders, & Im
-Joy Boy
-The Final War

How could all of this reasonably be wrapped up in 3 years (5 years minus the two years spent on Wano after the statement was made) or, roughly 100 - 120 chapters?

People complained about the final season of Game of Thrones for a reason. The events that happened in season 8 weren't bad; they were abrupt and severely rushed. Pacing is important. It's not just about what happens, but how it happens. No one sat back and said, well you know Dan & Dave were tired of making the series so it's not a big deal that they ruined the series.

But like I said, I see no evidence that Oda is going to do that. Just like he planned the entire series to last five years and said Alabasta was the midpoint, I believe the 'final arc' comments are a 'true from a certain point of view' type deal.

Just recently Oda spent 14 chapters on Oden's flashback alone. The first 10 chapters have been people running around. You're suggesting that post-Wano, the entire series can be finished in fewer chapters than comprised the Dressrosa arc alone. There has been no sense of urgency in Oda's writing in the actual manga. I just don't see why it would suddenly rush to a conclusion and if it did, how it would not ruin his masterpiece? And yes, One Piece can be ruined if the finale is a rushed mess. Need I remind you that Bleach started out pretty good? I don't think this will happen. I believe Oda is an incredibly talented and dedicated author who wouldn't let that happen in his own series. I'm not even suggesting he's going to add new plot points. I'm only talking about finishing the ones he already set up. And yes, many of them are connected, but there are a ton of big events in the One Piece world that have already been set up. The word arc / saga here clearly means 'segment of the story' and we already know that can mean multiple sub-arcs. The current 'saga' contains Fishman Island, Punk Hazard, Dressrosa, Zou, Whole Cake Island, Reverie, and Wano.

I'm suggesting we've got something like:

Vegapunk / SSG / Revolutionary arc -> Elbaf -> Lodestar -> God Valley -> Laugh Tale -> Final Battle / War

I dunno if those are the exact arcs. Just a guess. But something like this. A search for the last Road Poneglyph, clash with Shanks / Blackbeard, culminating in Laugh Tale. Then a war that can only happen after the treasure is found because setting the world right is the very reason the treasure exists and can only be understood after reaching Laugh Tale.

[Kfunk]

@andre:

I could believe the estimates if the breaks weren't so frequent. Doesn't seem like enough chapters in a year at this pace, though, to even think about it being finished that quickly.

Yep, around 40 chapters per year on average. (even less this year with all the breaks)
If there's less than 5 years left, it would mean less than 200 chapters before the end of the series Knowing that Wano alone still has a few dozens of chapters left before ending except big twist.
We know Oda has no problem with off-screening stuff, but even then the only way I can see the series ending within 5 years is Oda getting tired of drawing the series for real and there's a drastic change of writing with him just rushing everything.

[GanonBR]

The only way I see One Piece finishing in 4/5 years is if Oda pulls a Togashi and ends it like Yu Yu Hakusho did.

But I sure hope it doesn't come to this.

[Gia Sado]

@Kfunk:

Yep, around 40 chapters per year on average. (even less this year with all the breaks)
If there's less than 5 years left, it would mean less than 200 chapters before the end of the series Knowing that Wano alone still has a few dozens of chapters left before ending except big twist.
We know Oda has no problem with off-screening stuff, but even then the only way I can see the series ending within 5 years is Oda getting tired of drawing the series for real and there's a drastic change of writing with him just rushing everything.

Which I highly doubr because everything after Wano is seemingly what Oda has wanted to draw for decades now. To offscreen that would be extremely ironic all things considering. The list Vangola made above you is pretty evident of that. He saved all of the big stuff for the end, and its going to monumentally huge.

I'm highballing it and saying it will take another 10 years (not including the time needed to finish Wano). Not even saying that to be cynical. I think that once Oda gets into the thick of the final arc, he (when actually drawing it) and the fans in general will understand how much actually needs to be done. He's not one to rush the elements of his plot. He hasn't in 23 years. This is going to be the biggest portion of plot elements hes put together. I really can't see it being any shorter than the last 400 or so chapters we've gotten.

Just wait, when the next arc starts "slow" and almost has nothing to do with the final war (like how Punk Hazard at first had little to do with Kaido), people will understand what i mean. Its like Luffy and crew landing on Whiskey Peak, we didnt know that would lead to Alabasta. Just like Luffy landing on Amazon Lily, we didnt know that would lead to Marineford. Only this time, it will be bigger than anything else done before, so it will take more time do so.

Wouldn't put it beyond Oda to take us to a completely new and not foreshadowed island after Wano. Geographically, he still needs to keep the characters moving forward towards Lodestar, and I think they still have a ways to go.

[Vast]

Reminder that everything from Saboady to Shanks ending the battle at Marineford lasted only 84 chapters. Each arc was about 30 chapters or less during the Summit War. So there is a precedent for a fast-paced One Piece.

I agree that 4 years seems a bit too short, but I don't think it wont be much longer than that. After Wano we are going to enter a non-stop succession of “end game” arcs leading to the finale, similar to the Summit War.

[Gia Sado]

@Vast:

Reminder that everything from Saboady to Shanks ending the battle at Marineford lasted only 84 chapters. Each arc was about 30 chapters or less during the Summit War. So there is a precedent for a fast-paced One Piece.

I agree that 4 years seems a bit too short, but I don't think it wont be much longer than that. After Wano we are going to enter a non-stop succession of “end game” arcs leading to the finale, similar to the Summit War.

Yeah but nothing was actually resolved in that time span. It actually managed to introduce more plotlines and characters than it resolved. Marineford was pure setup for the future, not really ending anything other than Ace and Whitebeard's lives. It:

• Propelled Blackbeard as one of the quintessential and inevitable threats in the World. Introduced 5 more crew members into his crew.
• Introduced Akainu
• Introduced Ivankov, Jinbe, and hinted at Kuma's sacrifice as a pacifista
• Introduced and teased and teased and teased Whitebeard's commanders powers
• Introduced and teased Vice Admirals
• Teased Sengoku, teased Kong, teased WG higher ups commanding Doflamingo
• Teased Mihawk, teased Hancock, teased Kuma, teased Sentoumaru, teased admirals vs. Yonko commanders, etc.

And much more. Like everything else, those 84 chapters add to the eventuality of the Final War. It merely was a stepping stone.

Ending stories take a hell of a lot longer than introducing them. That's why Sabaody- Marineford is on 84 chapters, while Punk Hazard-Wano is almost over 400, because its actually trying to end a plotline it started.

Now imagine the scale it needs to be for the Final War. Not saying it will be that much longer, but I can't see the Final Saga being anything shorter than the Yonko saga because of it. It all needs to end somehow, and that takes time unless we assume he will rush it.

Edit: Not to mention, but Luffy was the only main character for nearly the span of 100 chapters. Oda never truly had to shift perspectives like he does now with 30 different characters. It was all focused on Luffy.

[StrawHatJedi]

@Vast:

Reminder that everything from Saboady to Shanks ending the battle at Marineford lasted only 84 chapters. Each arc was about 30 chapters or less during the Summit War. So there is a precedent for a fast-paced One Piece.

I agree that 4 years seems a bit too short, but I don't think it wont be much longer than that. After Wano we are going to enter a non-stop succession of “end game” arcs leading to the finale, similar to the Summit War.

Not nearly as much happened in that span of time as must happen in the conclusion of the entire series. Also worth noting that 8 of the 9 main characters at the time played no role in those story arcs whatsoever and that Luffy didn't fight anyone and win. He was tossed about like an ant in a hurricane. The Paramount War was Luffy way out of his depth and it only served to set up future storylines. Now we're talking about Luffy rising up to become Pirate King, inheriting the history of the world, and leading the charge in a global scale war. The entire main cast is involved. Completely different scale from the Battle of Marineford.

[Gia Sado]

Yep, its the ONLY reason those arcs were 10-30 chapters a piece. Luffy was the sole perspective and none of the locations required buildup.

Elbaf likely requires buildup, there are several things leading to a significant plot there. Things like God Valley/Lodestar have been teased. Vegapunk/Kuma/Bonney have been teased, which almost feels separate from the Final War, Blackbeard and Alabasta.

Hell, Elbaf and the possible Vegapunk Centric arc could be a 100 chapters a piece and lead nothing into the final war save for further setup, but it'd all would be part of the final "saga" because they are all inherently related I would assume.

[NamiRobinFrankyAce]

I recently saw a Youtube video in which the author of the video was suggesting (I dont necessarily agree with him,but i think what he was suggesting was interesting) that some things we "give for granted" Oda will explore,he actually doesnt care about them. For example,he was suggesting that Oda isnt planning to explore the Revolutionary Army so much,because when he had the chance (the Reverie) he off-screened their battle in Marejoa. So altough we give for granted we will have an entire arc devoted to the Revolutionary Army or a Dragon flashback,this might not be the case. And maybe Oda isnt even planning to tell us how Mihawk became the strongest swordsman in the world,or what Crocodile secret is. Basically according to this Youtuber Oda only cares about Luffy's adventure and he wont show us anything else. He also thinks Enel will never come back because he is actually the only villain who obtained what he wanted,so he has no reason to come back. I actually disagree with most of the things i reported here,but i did it because for the first time i thought: what if its true that we as fandom are giving too many things for "granted"? What we think it will be important it wont actually be important in Oda's plans at all. Maybe Vegapunk wont have a sad flashback,maybe we wont see Shanks and Mihawk when they were young,etc.

[Claudio]

Yeah I think Elbaf is probably the next arc and that's where the 4th "road ponegliff" is. As for how long it will be; I don't know. It could be as long as Wano or as short as Zou.

"Laugh Tale" will be next which will signal the endgame. I'm not going to guess how long it will be just that it will be packed.

[Deicide]

I think Oda may be able to end the series with around 1.300 chapters so long as he avoids introducing a lot of new elements and focus on closing past storylines. We would also never have another Dressrosa or Wano as well, and most arcs should focus on the crew and have less allies.

If that's the case, what I call the Revolutionary and Final Sagas would be only one last saga that deals with Blackbeard and the WG in the same story, rather than one after the other. That would also mean that places like Raijin, Elbaf, Lodestar may be more like Zou, without their own storylines and only fitting as steps in the larger conflict.

[auem]

It is now becoming standard way to attract new readers to OP and keeping some of the disgruntled fans hooked. Oda is doing fine with his pacing. Another decade should be about right timeframe to wrap up the story satisfactorily.

[Solid]

@Deicide:

I think Oda may be able to end the series with around 1.300 chapters so long as he avoids introducing a lot of new elements and focus on closing past storylines. We would also never have another Dressrosa or Wano as well, and most arcs should focus on the crew and have less allies.

If that's the case, what I call the Revolutionary and Final Sagas would be only one last saga that deals with Blackbeard and the WG in the same story, rather than one after the other. That would also mean that places like Raijin, Elbaf, Lodestar may be more like Zou, without their own storylines and only fitting as steps in the larger conflict.

Thats about 8 more years from now on… i really do believe Oda in that he that he will end the series in 4 years, but probably itll take 5 years..

[Gia Sado]

@NamiRobinFrankyAce:

I recently saw a Youtube video in which the author of the video was suggesting (I dont necessarily agree with him,but i think what he was suggesting was interesting) that some things we "give for granted" Oda will explore,he actually doesnt care about them. For example,he was suggesting that Oda isnt planning to explore the Revolutionary Army so much,because when he had the chance (the Reverie) he off-screened their battle in Marejoa. So altough we give for granted we will have an entire arc devoted to the Revolutionary Army or a Dragon flashback,this might not be the case. And maybe Oda isnt even planning to tell us how Mihawk became the strongest swordsman in the world,or what Crocodile secret is. Basically according to this Youtuber Oda only cares about Luffy's adventure and he wont show us anything else. He also thinks Enel will never come back because he is actually the only villain who obtained what he wanted,so he has no reason to come back. I actually disagree with most of the things i reported here,but i did it because for the first time i thought: what if its true that we as fandom are giving too many things for "granted"? What we think it will be important it wont actually be important in Oda's plans at all. Maybe Vegapunk wont have a sad flashback,maybe we wont see Shanks and Mihawk when they were young,etc.

Weird take because Oda just introduced 4 RA commanders so to say he doesn't care (not you, the youtuber), is weird. The rest of his comments are not shown because the characters still have stories to tell and relevancy. The battles at the Reverie were skipped just as the battles at Marineford were: Hes not going to waste surprise and effort on characters that still will have relevancy in the future. He'd rather surprise you when it is relevant to show off major fights like this.

To say Oda doesnt care is weird, he wouldn't introduce the concepts if he didn't. He wouldn't tease it if he didn't.

[NamiRobinFrankyAce]

@Gia:

Weird take because Oda just introduced 4 RA commanders so to say he doesn't care (not you, the youtuber), is weird. The rest of his comments are not shown because the characters still have stories to tell and relevancy. The battles at the Reverie were skipped just as the battles at Marineford were: Hes not going to waste surprise and effort on characters that still will have relevancy in the future. He'd rather surprise you when it is relevant to show off major fights like this.

To say Oda doesnt care is weird, he wouldn't introduce the concepts if he didn't. He wouldn't tease it if he didn't.

Yeah i agree about the Revolutionary Army. They are clearly important so that Youtuber was wrong in saying that Oda doesnt care about them. But about other things i think he may be right. I am starting to think some "little misteries" will never be resolved or just resolved in SBS like Crocodile's secret or how Shanks and Mihawk met each other for example

[zeltrax225]

The way I see it is that a lot of the plotlines that requires closure are closely interrelated with one another.
Therefore the justification that OP can end within 3-4 years after Wano is a huge possibility.
Instead of approaching them as independent factors, it is easier to see them piled up as different factions in a final war to end things.

You have the Elder stars, Im, New Kumas, VegaPunk, Celestial Dragons, basically all who represents Navy and "Order" on one side.
And then The Revolutionaries on the other side that opposes this, representing "Change".
In between this spectrum you have characters like Garp, Fujitora, Coby, etc
This is the setup for the "big war".

And then you have the pirates (wild card): Blackbeard, Shanks and Luffy and their corresponding ideals.
Blackbeard is Chaos. Shanks desire Order and Luffy likely represents balance.
The Pirates spectrum even have their own characters that are on the fence on who they align with.
Mihawk, Weevil, Big Mom, Crocodile, etc.

This is one huge war with three factions.
Of course this is largely conjecture and subjective but I feel like this is how things will go down:
The final war although foretold to be brought by Luffy will be the recoluntionary's fight just like how Wano was the scabbards one.
The pirates( that strive for peace) will play a third party role that eventually transit into the primary one once the Revolutionaries fall or when Im / Blackbeard pulls off his scheme.
That is likely where the weapons come to play.

Im represents absolute order and Blackbeard represents absolute Chaos.
Luffy and the role of the story, is this importance of balance.
In the end, the war will happen and a winner will emerge(Im/BB) and the finale will be the straw hats against whoever is the winner (likely BB)
A tale as old as time, good vs bad. I know one piece is not that simple a story but this is likely the finale Oda always wanted largely because of his first pilot when he was younger, with pirates dividing into peaceful ones and evil ones.

Everything has already been set up for the final arc once you realize what the primary characters and their factions represent in terms of ideology.
Oda has been setting up his entire story for a new world order.
It can all come to a close in less than half a decade and 4-5 years is enough buffer for pacing without it feeling like a cramped abridged version of what he wanted.
I don't believe that is Oda style to write an arc just for Luffy to challenge Shanks or they have some adventure or some mentorship together.
But rather, Shanks appearance in and out of the story seems to be a setup for a reveal that will likely turn the tide in the conflict and narrative of an ongoing arc.
While I see Elbaf as an adventure spot and could might as well be the last adventure driven arc, I don't think it will be pure adventure but rather an information based arc( relation to Lost century) and likely a transition arc to spark either final war or laugh tale.

[StrawHatJedi]

Closely related sure, but to wrap all of it and give any focus at all to the Straw Hats in less than 100 chapters is insanely rushed pacing. The best Oda could do is give the big story elements a passing mention. It would be Game of Thrones season 8. The events that happened in that season were fine. The fact that they all happened in six episodes made it a colossal failure.

Oda hasn't changed his pacing. I second the notion that it's a marketing push. Oda has been historically terrible at predicting how long it will take him to write a story. I don't think he'll rush the most important part of One Piece. I think Wano ends around 1040 - 1050. About 400 - 450 chapters to wrap up everything in the 'final saga', just about matching the 'Yonko Saga' in length and complexity.

Also, I really disagree with whoever this youtuber is that says Oda doesn't care about those other elements or won't give them any mention or any focus. I don't think they're reading One Piece very attentively if they believe that to be the case.

I think Wano will probably take us to the end of 2021; From there maybe another 10 - 12 years. About twice what Oda says. I don't think he was even considering Wano when he said 'five more years'; Oda said Whole Cake was going to wrap a year earlier than it did. And he said that while writing the WCI arc. Immediately after the interview about the series ending 'in five years', we got two chapters focused on Onimaru. Oda could've easily streamlined the entire second act of Wano. He could've rushed right into the raid on Onigashima. He could've shortened Oden's flashback significantly. Oden's flashback didn't even answer any major questions. It raised more questions than it answered. The same can be said about Reverie and the Intermission chapters. I do agree that Oda is moving pieces into place for 'the final saga', but I also expect that saga to be bigger and more involved than any previous saga in One Piece. Basically all it means is that, after Wano, Laugh Tale is in sight. I highly doubt it'll be Wano -> Elbaf -> Laugh Tale because it's way too predictable. Way too easy. I also have other reasons to not believe that the Fishman Island Road Poneglyph was moved to Elbaf. There's still Luffy's greatest pirate rival, Teach and the World Government itself - the reason One Piece exists - to contend with. There's a lot of story left to tell. Oda hasn't added any urgency to the writing. He's taking his time with Wano. It's already longer than Whole Cake (second longest in the series). Oda's arcs have gotten longer and longer as the New World has gone on - and it's not because he's wrapping up storylines. He's been adding more and more characters and more and more plot points that are related to the endgame.

GRR Martin was brought up earlier in this topic. Great example. Winds of Winter has been a year away for what, seven years now?

[imperioonepiece]

@zeltrax225:

It can all come to a close in less than half a decade and 4-5 years is enough buffer for pacing without it feeling like a cramped abridged version of what he wanted.

Are you saying 4-5 years after Wano, right? Because Wano might last 1 to 2 years more…

When Dressrosa ended, and Doflamingo said his famous speech about the "throne wars", I thought that if Dressrosa lasted 100 chapters, and we know there might be 5 more sagas or arcs (one for every Yonkou and one more for the WG), I predicted the series would end on chapter 1300, based on 100 chapters for every saga.

So far, Big Mom has not been defeated, nor Kaidou is 20 chapters close to that. I mean, Big Mom and Kaidou's arcs are taking longer than 100 chapters each since that point.

Even if after the end of Wano, Oda manages to develop the final three arcs (Shanks, Blackbeard and WG), even if they are connected or specially if they are connected, considering how long he took with Kaidou and Big Mom, 300 chapters more seems to be a very conservative estimate. Because now some of those characters will probably take part on the final war too.

If Wano ends in chapter 1050, that's 125 chapters for Kaidou and Big Mom individually. If he repeats this (without considering all the setup from Gyojin Island and so on...), for the three big sagas left, it would mean One Piece would end on 1425, but we know that the final arc might be longer than that because there are many plot points left, or he will probably add more.

Someone has mentioned here too that in Naruto, the final saga lasted a third of the time of the entire series. If we believe the final arc will start on 1050, and considering One Piece has a plot more interconnected and complex than Naruto, if the final arc is a third of the entire series, that would mean, we have 525 more chapters.

That's why I'm now thinking it will last between 400-500 chapters more.

[Gia Sado]

@zeltrax225:

The way I see it is that a lot of the plotlines that requires closure are closely interrelated with one another.
Therefore the justification that OP can end within 3-4 years after Wano is a huge possibility.
Instead of approaching them as independent factors, it is easier to see them piled up as different factions in a final war to end things.

You have the Elder stars, Im, New Kumas, VegaPunk, Celestial Dragons, basically all who represents Navy and "Order" on one side.
And then The Revolutionaries on the other side that opposes this, representing "Change".
In between this spectrum you have characters like Garp, Fujitora, Coby, etc
This is the setup for the "big war".

And then you have the pirates (wild card): Blackbeard, Shanks and Luffy and their corresponding ideals.
Blackbeard is Chaos. Shanks desire Order and Luffy likely represents balance.
The Pirates spectrum even have their own characters that are on the fence on who they align with.
Mihawk, Weevil, Big Mom, Crocodile, etc.

This is one huge war with three factions.
Of course this is largely conjecture and subjective but I feel like this is how things will go down:
The final war although foretold to be brought by Luffy will be the recoluntionary's fight just like how Wano was the scabbards one.
The pirates( that strive for peace) will play a third party role that eventually transit into the primary one once the Revolutionaries fall or when Im / Blackbeard pulls off his scheme.
That is likely where the weapons come to play.

Im represents absolute order and Blackbeard represents absolute Chaos.
Luffy and the role of the story, is this importance of balance.
In the end, the war will happen and a winner will emerge(Im/BB) and the finale will be the straw hats against whoever is the winner (likely BB)
A tale as old as time, good vs bad. I know one piece is not that simple a story but this is likely the finale Oda always wanted largely because of his first pilot when he was younger, with pirates dividing into peaceful ones and evil ones.

Everything has already been set up for the final arc once you realize what the primary characters and their factions represent in terms of ideology.
Oda has been setting up his entire story for a new world order.
It can all come to a close in less than half a decade and 4-5 years is enough buffer for pacing without it feeling like a cramped abridged version of what he wanted.
I don't believe that is Oda style to write an arc just for Luffy to challenge Shanks or they have some adventure or some mentorship together.
But rather, Shanks appearance in and out of the story seems to be a setup for a reveal that will likely turn the tide in the conflict and narrative of an ongoing arc.
While I see Elbaf as an adventure spot and could might as well be the last adventure driven arc, I don't think it will be pure adventure but rather an information based arc( relation to Lost century) and likely a transition arc to spark either final war or laugh tale.

The "problem" with this thought process is the fact that all of what you are mentioning requires panel time and presence. There are far less important plot threads and aspects to Wano,WCI and everything before it, its taken hundreds of chapters for Oda to address.

You have to assume Oda is going to, at all, increase the pace of his manga, when he's had no sign of doing so in decades. Then you have assume he wouldn't only increase the pace, but massively stuff every lingering plot this manga has, which is pretty much than anything done before, combined. Quite literally, it builds off every previous plot point. Its all been leading to this moment. Its why I can't see it being at all rushed.