One Piece to end in 3 years and Oda anticipates "the greatest battle ever"

Eiichiro Oda wants to finish One Piece in three years. "I have answered this question so many times already I have lost credibility,” the author declared in an interview on the occasion of the manga's 25th anniversary, “so I don’t think I should answer. I shouldn’t really say this out loud, because so far I have been pretty off, but as of now it’s a three year end goal.”

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Will One Piece end in 2025?

And although we all always joke about Oda's curious timing (it's as if one of his years is equivalent to many more of ours), there are several analyses of his statements that show that the author's forecasts are not usually as far from reality as we think. Well, yeah, he said that Wano would start in 2017 and ended up starting until 2019. He also promised, for example, that Shanks would make "his big move" at the end of 2021 and did not do so until this very week, already in the middle of 2022. But all in all, the differences are not that wide. Maybe his three years will turn into five, but the end already seems near and unavoidable.

In 2002, Oda talked about 20 years (until 2022). In 2014 he estimated that One Piece would last 10 more years (until 2024). And in 2020 he predicted about 4 or 5 years to go (again, 2024 or 2025). The roadmap seems clear, although you never really know since there is so much story left to tell and the characters keep moving and evolving. "We are all navigators," Oda joked.

How will One Piece end?

Speaking about the ending, the author has repeated once again that he is very clear about it. He admits that some specific aspects of it have been changing, but insists that in his head he knows perfectly well how he will draw the final chapter of One Piece. And keep in mind that he also made it clear that the series will end when it is known what the One Piece is.

This is an important detail, as many theories suggested that Luffy would arrive at Laugh Tale and find the One Piece before the end. These speculations, with millions of followers, were based on the fact that the great mystery of the Void Century would be discovered there and that it would trigger the final battle against the Marines. However, if it happens, all that will be before.

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“Things are heating up in the Wano Contry right now, but if Luffy can set sail from here safely, there will be developments on a global scale, a thrilling story the likes of which no one has ever read before, I’ll draw the ‘greatest battle ever’ in OP history,” commented Oda. “it will be exciting! In other words, I made such an statement so readers could be mentally prepared to understand that even a story as long as this one is properly heading towards its end. That said, for now just take your time and enjoy Wano while it’s hot. I’ll be drawing with all of my strength!”