This article contains spoilers from the Final Saga of One Piece.
One Piece is known to be the most iconic manga of all time. Created by Eiichiro Oda, a legendary author, in 1997, One Piece has been going strong for almost 28 years now, and fans know that it will continue for the next few years as well. With One Piece closing in on 1200 chapters, fans know that with each passing chapter, the manga is now edging closer to its eventual conclusion. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates are very close to achieving their dreams, and even though there are still enemies that stand in their paths, the end that Oda envisioned for the story is now approaching.
One Piece: Oda Confirms A New Timeskip After The Elbaf Arc
Elbaf is a major arc, and after its end, One Piece will get a new short timeskip.
Most recently, during Jump Festa 2026, Oda revealed a big message for fans of the story, and once again, he dropped an update on the ending that could very well be on the way. Fans are dreading the ending of One Piece, even though it is such a long series, and they want it to continue for as long as possible, given that the world still has a lot to offer. Still, it has to end someday, and according to Oda, the day is approaching very fast.
One Piece Is Already In The Final Saga
- The Final Saga Began In 2022
- Oda Promised To End One Piece In 5 Years
The ending of One Piece isn't all that far away, considering the fact that the story is already in the Final Saga. The Wano Country arc was what propelled One Piece to the final saga. Before Wano even began, Oda stated to the fans clearly that at the end of the arc, fans would get a clearer picture of the truth about the One Piece than ever before. The Wano arc ended and more details about the One Piece, as well as the history of the world, were revealed to the fans. With the conclusion of Wano, the Final Saga finally kick-started and it 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 quite an intense arc, it was not as major as the likes of Wano, or even the likes of Dressrosa or Arabasta. Egghead was only an appetizer for what was to follow, and Elbaf has delivered some incredible action already. Elbaf is the first major arc in the Final Saga, and it will see Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates clash with the forces of the World Government themselves. This arc is going to be absolutely massive moving forward, and fans absolutely cannot wait for its eventual climax, which is to follow immediately after the flashback wraps up.
That said, it appears that the Elbaf arc of One Piece won't continue for long. Oda's message during Jump Festa confirmed to the fans that he intends to end Elbaf in 2026, and following this arc, One Piece will move to an even more exciting phase that most fans wouldn't even have dared to imagine for the next year.
Oda Confirms The Final Arcs Of One Piece Are Beginning Soon
According to Oda's message during Jump Festa 2026, One Piece will be heading into its very last stretch, as the Straw Hat Pirates will finally sail towards the island that only the Pirate King has been to in the past. This is an absolute shocker for most fans, because, as fans know, the main island that the Pirate King visited in the past that no one else has is mostly known to be 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 day, and just when your perspective on Elbaf has started to shift… boom!! It ends with a big, flashy finish. And from here on out, things get really intense.
To that island that only the Pirate King ever reached!? The man marked by flames appears!! Two people who never crossed paths finally meet!! And those two run into each other as well!! Is next year going to be a full-blown festival of encounters?
The story moves at lightning speed, but I’ve unfortunately gotten older, so while taking care of my health, I’ll continue next year to sail through One Piece at its fastest pace yet—steady and full force. Ahead lies a festival!! Please look forward to it!!!” — Eiichiro Oda
This is the island where the 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 Piece, following the conclusion of Elbaf, and that certainly is huge. If Oda intends to start the Laugh Tale arc in 2026, then One Piece most likely does not have much left and will definitely end by 2030. However, there is another more likely possibility here.
Only 2-3 Arcs Of One Piece Are Left After Elbaf
- Lodestar Island Could Come After Egghead
- The Log Pose Will Lead The Straw Hats To Lodestar
Even though 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, although it is only a briefly mentioned place. Lodestar is where Roger reached by following his Log Pose to the very end. It is the island at the end of the Grand Line, and it is where he learned all about the Poneglyphs, as well as their true importance.
Roger reached the island 39 years ago and he clearly stated that he and his crew were the first to ever reach that place that no one else had reached before. In other words, the Straw Hat Pirates will most likely be heading to Lodestar Island after the conclusion of the Elbaf Arc. It is 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 last Road Poneglyph.
I will draw all the mysteries left in this world that I have been hiding until now. It's going to be really interesting. Please fasten your seatbelts. Thank you so much, I hope you keep up with me a bit longer. — Eiichiro Oda, One Piece
One Piece: 7 Arcs To Come After Elbaf
Elbaf is great, but even bigger arcs are coming after it in One Piece.
The last Road Poneglyph is clearly connected to the Man with the Burn Scar, and Oda himself revealed that he will only introduce the Man with the Burn Scar in 2026, meaning that it most likely is not Scopper Gaban, and will not appear in the Elbaf arc of One Piece.
Without having the last Road Poneglyph and meeting the Man with the Burn Scar, beginning the Laugh Tale arc is impossible for Oda. Putting 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 close to the end.
If Lodestar Island truly does begin in 2026, it will most likely go on for a year or two, which means that the final arc of One Piece, that is, Laugh Tale, could begin in 2027, or perhaps 2028, at the latest. This arc will most certainly last for a few years as well, and One Piece will then end shortly after.
The One Piece Manga Could End By 2032
Given how things are at the moment, One Piece will only have two or three more arcs. If Lodestar follows Elbaf and Laugh Tale follows Lodestar, then fans most likely will only get the Great War arc after it, and then possibly an arc to tie up the loose ends in the epilogue. These three to four arcs will be crucial moving forward.
If one takes into consideration Oda's pacing of the story, then it is highly likely that One Piece will officially end by 2032. That is still a lot of time for the fans to get through the story, but it must be kept in mind 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 lay claim to the grand treasure known as the 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 of One Piece Chapter 1170 is January 4, 2026. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps. Doing so will ensure that fans always support the author.