This article contains spoilers for the One Piece manga.
When it comes to the most dominant manga of the last few decades, there is one manga that comes to mind, and that's One Piece, Eiichiro Oda's masterpiece. One Piece has been going strong since its debut all the way back in 1997. However, due to a multitude of issues, the manga’s pace has obviously slowed down greatly. Indeed, since 2024, Oda, the creator, has been taking breaks more frequently.
One Piece Anime Officially Reveals Elbaf Arc's Release Date
The Elbaf arc of One Piece is coming soon. An official release date is finally available.
Now, in January 2026, this has become even more apparent. As One Piece returns with chapter 1171 this week, a new break is set to commence right after. One Piece chapter 1172 is being delayed and will be released two weeks later, at the very beginning of February. In that sense, January has definitely been an underwhelming month, but that's nothing new for fans as it's usually the case with every Winter season of each year.
One Piece Is Going On Break After One Piece Chapter 1171
- New One Piece Break Starts January 18, 2026
One Piece has experienced quite a few breaks recently, but the manga is set to return on January 18, 2026. Indeed, after a long delay, One Piece Chapter 1171 is finally releasing, and fans are excited for it. However, to the disappointment of many, it has been revealed that right after the manga's return with Chapter 1171, the manga will go immediately on break again. This has definitely surprised a few, as the manga has been on a run of unending breaks for a while over the course of the last two months, and fans were hoping that chapter 1171 would be the end of it.
Unfortunately, the next break starts as soon as the next chapter releases, which means fans should say goodbye to their favourite manga for a while on January 18, 2026, while waiting for its eventual return next month.
One Piece Returns With Chapter 1172 On February 1st, 2026
The number of breaks has definitely been on the higher end over the last few weeks, and while that is unfortunate, fans already know when their favorite manga is returning. With the break starting on January 18th, 2026, the manga will return exactly two weeks later. In other words , One Piece will have no more new chapters in the month of January, and One Piece 1171 will mark the end of it. Instead, One Piece chapter 1172 will drop on February 1st, 2026.
One Piece Only Received Two Official Releases In January 2026
- Breaks Were Due to Oda And Weekly Shonen Jump
Both December 2025 and January 2026 have been quite rough months for fans of One Piece. After all, the series experienced quite a few breaks during these two months. While that's nothing new, it is definitely hard to deal with every year. The bulk of the breaks come around the holidays and the New Year and they have nothing to do with Eiichiro Oda. Instead, the magazine that One Piece is serialized in, Weekly Shonen Jump, goes on a few breaks due to holidays in Japan. Naturally, these breaks are beyond Oda's control. The latest delay for One Piece 1171 was due to the magazine as well.
It's important to note, however, that the upcoming delay for One Piece chapter 1172 is due to Oda's own schedule. Oda takes breaks about every 3 weeks, and this is simply one of them. Oda does not change his schedule to adapt to Weekly Shonen Jump’s breaks. So, to fans, it will definitely feel very long. Given that Oda has technically delivered 3 chapters without any of his own breaks, it is time for him to rest.
A New Straw Hat Is Coming, And He Will Finally Dethrone Zoro In One Piece
Zoro will no longer be the second strongest once this character joins the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece.
With that, One Piece will end its January run with only two official chapters being released. Out of these two, one was even leaked early. So for those following the scans, January 2026 technically only saw the release of one chapter.
Of course, while Oda's breaks come fast and often, fans need to remember that he needs these breaks for his own health and well-being. The work of a mangaka is definitely not easy, and it takes a toll on them. Eiichiro Oda is getting older, and he needs more rest than ever before.
While a few years ago, Oda could get away with taking little to no breaks in a year, now, that is not possible anymore.
Oda also wishes to spend more time with his family. Previously, Oda had described how little free time he had, barely having time to sleep or even eat. Fans should wait patiently for his grand return and remember that the new year and holidays are an exception when it comes to the number of breaks. Fans should expect the schedule to switch back to normal in February. At the very least, the breaks will extend the life of One Piece, so it's not all too bad.
What’s Next In The One Piece Manga?
- The Elbaf Arc Continues, And The Flashback Will End Soon
One Piece breaks have always been hard for fans, but they are especially difficult to go through when the events are as exciting as they have been in Elbaf. Indeed, Elbaf is One Piece's newest arc, and ever since its beginning, it has been quite heated, delivering top-tier content each week. Eiichiro Oda went on to reveal a ton of exciting world lore with the Harley mural, the Holy Knights, Imu, and even the full events of the God Valley Incident in this arc.
Now, in 2026, the story is looking to heat up even more. Recently, fans saw Loki's full backstory and how it all connects to his father, Harald who wanted Elbaf to make a deal with the World Government.
Now, the flashback is almost over, and fans will soon turn back to see how things are going with Luffy and the others. While the flashback was exciting, a huge battle awaits in Elbaf, with Imu, the Holy Knights, and Domi Reversi’d Giants waiting to be dealt with. Fans are especially ready to see big moments for Loki, the Accursed Prince of Elbaf, and Oda will surely give the fans a display of his abilities soon.
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 1171 is January 18, 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.