ONE PIECE in 2026: The Final Saga Has Arrived — Here's Everything Happening

One Piece passed 1,100 chapters in 2024. It is the best-selling manga in history. And in 2026, it is publishing chapters that feel — to the readers who have followed it for 20+ years — like the culmination of everything Oda spent those two decades building.

This is the complete status guide for readers new and returning.

Where the Story Is Now: The Final Saga

Eiichiro Oda announced the Final Saga of One Piece in 2022, marking the beginning of the end for the 27-year journey. Since then:

The Egghead Arc concluded after extensively expanding the Void Century mythology through Dr. Vegapunk's broadcasts, delivered the return of Shanks in force, and set multiple factions on direct collision courses with each other. This arc is being called by many fans the best since Marineford.

The Elbaf Arc is currently ongoing as of 2026. Elbaf — the legendary Giant island referenced since the early chapters — has been one of the most anticipated destinations in the series' history. Its exploration is delivering on years of tease.

Who Is Imu, and Why Does the Final Saga Hinge on This?

One Piece's final antagonist tier has crystallized around Im (or Imu) — the mysterious figure sitting on the Empty Throne above the Five Elders, whose existence was only revealed several hundred chapters into the series. What Imu wants, what Imu is, and why the World Government has operated in service of Imu's goals for 800 years has been the series' deepest mystery. The Final Saga is pulling those threads together.

Key Threads the Final Saga Is Resolving

  • The Will of D. — Why do people with 'D.' in their names seem to carry a specific fate?
  • Joy Boy — Who was Joy Boy, what did they promise, and how does it connect to Luffy's Devil Fruit?
  • Laugh Tale — What is the truth waiting at the end of the Grand Line?
  • The Void Century — What happened 800 years ago that the World Government has erased from history?
  • The Ancient Weapons — Pluton, Poseidon, and Uranus have all been accounted for; what are they being used for?

Anime Status

The One Piece anime (Toei Animation) is ongoing and has significantly improved its pacing and animation quality for the Final Saga arcs. It airs weekly on Fuji TV in Japan, with Crunchyroll simulcasting globally.

The anime is currently covering the Egghead Arc — which means manga readers are significantly ahead. For new viewers, the anime is the recommended entry point for the first several hundred episodes; many manga readers switch to the manga around the Wano Arc and never look back.

For Completely New Readers

Start One Piece. Start it now. Start from Chapter 1.

The 1,100+ chapter count is intimidating and entirely irrelevant. The chapters are short. The early arcs move faster than most modern manga. You will hit Marineford, and it will make you understand why people who have followed this story for 20 years still show up every Sunday.

Legal reading options:

  • MANGA Plus (mangaplus.shueisha.co.jp) — Free, official, every chapter
  • VIZ Media / Shonen Jump app — $2.99/month for complete legal archive
  • Collected volumes — 107+ volumes and counting, available worldwide