Eiichiro Oda releases a major update on the end of the series

One Piece is known to be the most iconic manga of all time. One Piece was created by Eiichiro Oda, a legendary writer, in 1997. One Piece has been going strong for almost 28 years now, and fans know it will continue for the next few years as well. With One Piece approaching 1200 chapters, fans know that with each passing chapter, the manga is now getting closer to its final end. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates are very close to achieving their dreams, and while there are still enemies standing in their way, the end that Oda envisioned for the story is nearing.

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One Piece: Oda confirms another time jump after the Elbaf arc

Elbaf is a big arc, and after its end, One Piece will have another short time jump.

Last, during Jump Festa 2026, Oda revealed a big message for fans of the storyand once again, he released an update on the ending that may very well be on the way. Fans fear the end of One Pieceeven though it's such a long series, and they want it to continue as long as possible, considering the world still has a lot to offer. Still, it has to end at some point, and according to Oda, that day is approaching very quickly.

One Piece is already in the final saga

• The final saga began in 2022

• Oda promised to finish One Piece in 5 years

The end of One Piece isn't too far off, given that the story is already in the Final Saga. The Wano Country arc was what drove One Piece to the final saga. Before Wano even started, Oda clearly told fans that by the end of the arc, fans would have a clearer picture of the truth about One Piece than ever before. The Wano arc ended and more details about One Piece, as well as the history of the world, were revealed to fans. With the conclusion of Wano, the final saga finally kicked off and was followed by an arc that saw the Straw Hat Pirates head to the island of science, Egghead.

Egghead proved to be the gateway to the finale. While it was a pretty intense arc, it wasn't as big as Wano, or even the likes of Dressrosa or Arabasta. Egghead was just a teaser for what was to come, and Elbaf has already delivered incredible action. Elbaf is the first major arc of the Final Sagaand it will see Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates clash with the forces of the World Government. This arc is going to be absolutely huge going forward, and fans absolutely cannot wait for its final climax, which will follow immediately after the flashback ends.

That said, it seems The Elbaf arc of One Piece will not continue for long. Oda's announcement during Jump Festa confirmed to fans that he intends to end Elbaf in 2026and after this arc, One Piece will go to an even more exciting phase that most fans wouldn't have even imagined for next year.

Oda confirms that The Final Arcs Of One Piece will begin soon

Image by Toei Animation

According to Oda's announcement during Jump Festa 2026, One Piece will enter its very last leg, when the Straw Hat Pirates will finally set sail for the island that only the Pirate King has been to before. This is an absolute shock to most fans because, as fans know, the main island that the Pirate King visited before and that no one else has is most famous for being Laugh Tale.

Now then, since it's Jump Festa, let's talk about the original Jump manga!

After a long, long flashback – more like a deep dive into history – we return to the present, and just when your perspective on Elbaf has started to change… boom!! It ends with a big, flamboyant finish. And from now on it gets really intense.

To that island that only the Pirate King reached!? The man marked by flames appears!! Two people who never crossed paths finally meet!! And the two bump into each other too!! Will next year be a full-blown festival of meetings?

The story moves at lightning speed, but unfortunately I'm getting older, so while taking care of my health, next year I'll continue to sail through One Piece at its fastest pace yet – steady and full force. A festival is ahead!! Please look forward to it!!!” — Eiichiro Oda

This is the island where One Piece is, and no other pirate in 800 years has reached this place before. It was on this island that Roger found out the true history of the world. Now, Oda's words make it seem like Laugh Tale is the next arc of One Pieceafter the conclusion of Elbaf, and it is really huge. If Oda intends to start the Laugh Tale arc in 2026, then One Piece most likely doesn't have much left and will definitely end in 2030. However, there is another more likely possibility here.

Only 2-3 arcs of one piece remain after Elbaf

• Lodestar Island may come after Egghead

• The log bag will lead the Straw Hats to Lodestar

Although Oda made it seem like Laugh Tale is the arc that will follow Elbaf, the most likely answer here is that fans will see the Straw Hat Pirates head to Lodestar Island, even if it's only a brief location. Lodestar is where Roger reached by following his Log Pose to the end. It's the island at the end of the Grand Line, and it's where he learned all about the Poneglyphs, as well as their true meaning.

Roger reached the island 39 years ago and he clearly said that he and his crew were the first ever to reach the place that no one else had reached before. In other words, The Straw Hat Pirates will most likely head to Lodestar Island after the completion of the Elbaf Arc. It's way too early for them to go to Laugh Tale, not because they aren't prepared for it, but simply because they don't have the final Road Poneglyph.

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One Piece: 7 arcs to come after Elbaf

Elbaf is good, but even bigger arcs come after it in One Piece.

The last Road Poneglyph is clearly connected to the man with the burns, and Oda himself revealed that he will first introduce the man with the burn scar in 2026, meaning it most likely won't be Scopper Gabanand will not appear in the Elbaf arc of One Piece.

Without having the final road pony glyph and meeting the man with the burn wound, it is impossible for Oda to begin the comic arc. If you put two and two together, it is clear that the next arc of One Piece will be Lodestar. That said, even that would put the story near the end.

If Lodestar Island really starts in 2026, it will most likely continue for a year or two, which means that the final arc of One Piece, that is Laugh Tale, could start in 2027, or maybe 2028, at the latest. This arc will most certainly last for a few years as well, and One Piece will then end soon after.

One Piece Manga may end in 2032

Considering how it is right now, One Piece will only have two or three more arcs. If Lodestar follows Elbaf and Laugh Tale follows Lodestar, fans will most likely just get the Great War arc after that, and then possibly an arc to tie up the loose ends in the epilogue. These three to four arcs will be crucial going forward.

Considering Oda's pacing in the story, it's highly likely One Piece officially ends in 2032. There is still plenty of time for fans to get through the story, but one must remember that the end of this series is now fast approaching.

Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they sail the seas to claim the great treasure known as One Piece. The manga is currently in its Final Saga. One Piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue. The official release date for One Piece Chapter 1170 is January 4, 2026. In Japan, One Piece is released at 12:00 JST on Monday, which is 11:00 EST or 8:00 PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps. If you do that, the fans will always support the writer.