‘One Piece’: Eiichiro Oda’s extreme work schedule in his early years as a manga artist
Nearly 200 chapters in which the author didn’t take a moment’s rest.
‘One Piece’ has been with us for almost 30 years, a staggering figure, especially when we talk about a series whose story is constantly evolving and never stops. It was July 19, 1997, when the world was very different from the one we know today, but amid so many changes, one thing has remained intact: the work of Eiichiro Oda.
The popular mangaka stood out greatly from the very beginning. Nowadays, it is common for him to take various breaks throughout the year, pausing the publication of the manga; however, in his early days, this was not the case, demonstrating a consistency that was almost out of this world. From chapter 1 to 171, Oda did not take a single break, a fact that is shocking and seems almost impossible today, but which the master achieved in his youth.
A striking and relentless start for ‘One Piece’ as a manga
Between 1997 and 2000, One Piece did not have a single week off. It was not until 2001 that the first voluntary break came, specifically in chapter 172, due to a trip to the United States. That trip served to research and inspire him, shaping many of the designs that would later materialize in the Skypiea arc.
That break—the only one he took in 2001—was followed by many more, gradually increasing to a total of 195 breaks throughout the history of the manga. In 2025, there were 13 breaks, fewer than the 16 in 2023 and 2024. Age takes its toll, as do the many projects surrounding One Piece, to which Eiichiro Oda must also devote his attention.
Related stories
Even so, what continues to be astonishing are those first four years in which there was not a single moment of rest, quite an achievement in a genre as demanding as shonen.
Follow MeriStation USA on X (formerly known as Twitter). Your video game and entertainment website for all the news, updates, and breaking news from the world of video games, movies, series, manga, and anime. Previews, reviews, interviews, trailers, gameplay, podcasts and more! Follow us now!