Since it began in 1997, One Piece has become one of the most famous and longest-running manga series in the world. Created by Eiichiro Oda, the story follows Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew as they explore the Grand Line in search of the legendary treasure known as the One Piece.
Over the years, the manga has built a vast world filled with thrilling adventures, rich characters, emotional moments, and intricate mysteries. Now, as the story moves closer to its conclusion, fans are eagerly watching for any sign of when it will finally end.
In a 2025 interview with Gosho Aoyama, the creator of Detective Conan, Oda surprised readers by saying he planned to finish One Piece in three more years-aiming for a conclusion around 2028. The interview appeared in a special feature published in Japanese magazines and quickly spread throughout the manga community.
Oda explained that, while he wasn’t absolutely certain of the exact date, he had set a personal goal to wrap up the story within that timeframe. This estimate gave fans a rough target of 2028, though many remembered that Oda’s past projections often shifted.
Eiichiro Oda has a long history of offering time estimates for the series’ end-at least seven times over the past two decades. His first prediction came early on, around 1999 or 2000, when he suggested he wanted to finish the story within five years. At that point, the world and narrative were still relatively small compared to today, and that five‑year mark obviously passed without conclusion. The manga is still ongoing more than 28 years later (MangaPlus).
Eiichiro Oda Says One Piece Will End in 2028, But Fans Remain Cautious
In 2010, Oda remarked that One Piece was about halfway done-around Chapter 597, just after the Marineford War arc. Fans hoped the end was drawing near, but the second half of the story proved even more expansive, introducing new islands, characters, and powers.
At the 2016 Jump Festa event, Oda updated readers that the final arc was “not far off” and that he already had the ending in mind, though he still avoided giving a date. Then in 2019, while promoting the One Piece Stampede movie, he made headlines by saying the manga would finish in five years. He repeated that estimate on Fuji TV in 2020, suggesting four to five years remained-projecting an end between 2024 and 2025.
Despite these announcements, fans treated each projection as hopeful rather than definitive, recalling how past predictions had slipped.
Oda’s Changing Predictions: A 25‑Year Journey to the End of One Piece
Over the last quarter‑century, Oda’s timeline estimates have shifted numerous times:
- 1999–2000: First 5‑year prediction made early in serialization.
- 2010: Series “about halfway done” after Marineford.
- 2016: Final arc “not far off,” no date given.
- 2019: Announces a 5‑year finish timeline.
- 2020: Repeats 4–5 years remaining on television.
- 2025: Sets a 3‑year goal, targeting a 2028 conclusion.
Each announcement generated excitement-but also skepticism-because the story’s scope kept expanding, and Oda has prioritized quality over speed.
One Piece Nears Its Final Saga as Oda Targets a 2028 Conclusion
As of 2025, One Piece has entered its Final Saga. Major events are unfolding, and decades‑old mysteries-like the Void Century, the nature of Devil Fruits, and the true identity of Joy Boy-are finally coming to light. Characters such as Shanks, Blackbeard, Imu, and the Revolutionary Army play increasingly pivotal roles.
Luffy has unlocked Gear 5, and the narrative pace has quickened. Oda now publishes around 35 chapters per year, allowing roughly 100 over three years-potentially enough to resolve remaining threads, provided he maintains his health and avoids burnout.
Oda has faced health challenges, including eye surgery and stress from tight deadlines, prompting scheduled breaks that slow the story’s pace. Voice actors and production staff, many devoted to the anime for over 20 years, are also aging-adding both urgency and caution to the completion process.
Despite these challenges, Oda’s passion remains undiminished. He promises that core secrets-about Shanks, Blackbeard, Devil Fruits, and Joy Boy-will be answered before the finale. Whether One Piece wraps in 2028 or slightly later, fans know the end is finally in sight.
After more than two decades of weekly chapters, the Straw Hat Pirates’ ultimate journey is poised to reach its climax-and fans around the world are ready to follow them to the very end.
