All quests must eventually reach their conclusion, and, for worldwide global sensation manga One Piece, that day might finally be in sight according to its creator. The tale of a young pirate named Luffy and his adventures on the high seas has now crossed the 1000-chapter mark, with 1053 chapters of the shonen (under-18) pirate epic completed and 102 collected volumes published. And while this miraculously long-running series has grown into one of the biggest media franchises on the planet, it appears this story of magic, mayhem and monsters might finally be approaching its grand conclusion, at least according to its writer/illustrator, Eiichiro Oda.
Beginning publication in 1996 in Akamaru Jump magazine, later moving to Weekly Shonen Jump, One Piece has long enthralled readers with its action-packed, optimistic appeal and charming set of oddball characters as it unfolds the story of Monkey B. Luffy and his quest to become the King of the Pirates. Taking readers through tales of cursed swords, giant sea monsters and absurdity-tinged pirate battles, Luffy and his stalwart, if somewhat dysfunctional, crew known as the Straw Hat Pirates have yet to find the mythical “One Piece” treasure of Gol D. Rogers. However, as the series has worn on, and their bounties have risen, it hardly seems to matter with the series’ popularity seeing it spawn numerous films, a hit television series and a host of other media.
With its longevity quickly approaching a quarter-century in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump, it should not be a surprise to readers that, according to a recent interview, Oda is aiming for his current run to be the beginning of the end. Talking to fellow mangaka Gosho Aoyama of the manga Detective Conan, Oda said that he has scheduled the series to end in 3 years, though he was reportedly quick to qualify this, admitting he “has been pretty off” of his own estimates in the past. If true, this means that the story is already in its wind-up for the final arc.
Given that Oda recently announced a one-month break from his regular schedule for June in order to prepare for his 25th Anniversary issue in Weekly Shonen, it can be surmised that the 47-year-old Oda is likely busy at work plotting the final narrative touches on his longtime work. Known for its brilliant plot-sequencing and conventional, yet well executed shonen fare, Oda’s dedication to his series has seen the sale of over 500 million copies of the collected works worldwide, making it the highest selling manga in history by a single creator.
But will it truly only take 3 years? Only time will tell.
Source: Shonen Jump News Unofficial