Kind of wanted to get a thread going because I feel like this is an interesting discussion to have at this point. So, we ALL know Oda and his editor made 2 distinct comments the last 2 years about One Piece and where it is in its story:
- 1st, his editor mentioned the story is about 80% Finished. This was before or around the time Wano Country started. It is unknown if Wano Country was included in that percentage or not.
- 2nd, Oda mentioned last September (?) that he "would like to end One Piece in 5 years". Keep a distinction on the word "like". This seems like a personal preference, but possibly not what he believes would be good for his story.
Anyway, many people have discussed Oda notorious percentage comments in the past and poor estimations based on how much he has added to his story. I don't think I need to go over this save for the fact that it was, according to Oda's comments:
50% at Skypeia
60% at Fishman Island
70% at WCI
80% at Wano
While yes, there seems to be a certain....consistency to his comments recently, you can clearly see that percentages do not equate chapters. Apparently the first 50% is the first 300 chapters lol. The next 10% is the next 350 chapters. The next 10% is another 200 chapters. Finally, the next 10% is another 100. While it SEEMS like there is some downward trend, I wanted to remind people of what this story NEEDS to tackle before the end:
And plenty of other smaller plotlines. Assume that Wano does not resolve the above in any way (I am, none of these are related to Wano, save for maybe Moria/Sword?). Just try and account for the fact that Oda does not rush his characterization and plotlines. If Big Mom and Kaido, combined, are about to receive nearly 400 chapters of plot, combined with a myriad of other, smaller plotlines tied in (Doflamingo, Underworld, Strawhat Fleet, Vegapunk Teases, CP-0, now Rocks, etc etc), what does that say about Shanks and Blackbeard, who are infinitely more important characters than these 2? What does that say about the time Oda may spend building their final conflicts with each other or with Luffy?
Not only that, but Big Mom and Kaido's plots have been relatively isolated. We are now reaching a point in the story were a variety of other factions (Revolutionaries, Vegapunk, World Government, Marines) all need to be tied into the next two Yonko plotlines.
So if people are taking Oda's comments quite literally, how will he finish the remaining story in under 5 years? Barring the fact that Wano itself probably has another 2 years of arc content left (Oda does ~38 chapters per year and we've barely begun any sort of battle in this 70+ chapter arc), how will he then address the remainder in less than 3 years? This is something I've wanted to discuss with people seriously for a while.
In my opinion, there is still way too much to address. And realistically, if Oda does keeps at his average pace and does not rush, he can tie up the above plot points after Wano in like 8-10 years (so another 10-12 years from now). I have always thought of One Piece as potential 3rds. We are nearing the end of the 2nd 3rd now with Kaido/BM, but we still have so much left to address, that you could essentially consider it another 3rd of the manga once Wano is finished.
Forget the idea about the number of arcs after this too, lets say that Oda just jumps straight to Lodestar/Laughtale then the Final War (or whatever order), it still does not change the fact that the above list needs to be addressed. Like any Final Arc in most manga (Bleach before it was cut off, Naruto's final war), it will likely be the biggest arc the manga has done. And if Wano is clearly 120-150 chapters, the Final War itself will probably be longer than this. The man has yet to forget a significant detail in his manga, why would he start now?
This is clearly something Oda can't avoid without abruptly rushing/ending his story. Even if he fast tracks to the final arcs, much of the above still requires significant panel time. This is why I think One Piece will still be here for the long haul, as Oda is not one to rush major plot points with characters he's been building for nearly 2 decades.
Tldr: Regardless of how Oda addresses it (Multiple "smaller" arcs after Wano + Final War/or one giant Final War), Oda will be spending years, longer than he thinks imo, addressing a myriad of plot points that have nothing to do w/ BM or Kaido. Hell, these plot points are infinitely bigger than anything we've had in this manga thus far.
- 1st, his editor mentioned the story is about 80% Finished. This was before or around the time Wano Country started. It is unknown if Wano Country was included in that percentage or not.
- 2nd, Oda mentioned last September (?) that he "would like to end One Piece in 5 years". Keep a distinction on the word "like". This seems like a personal preference, but possibly not what he believes would be good for his story.
Anyway, many people have discussed Oda notorious percentage comments in the past and poor estimations based on how much he has added to his story. I don't think I need to go over this save for the fact that it was, according to Oda's comments:
50% at Skypeia
60% at Fishman Island
70% at WCI
80% at Wano
While yes, there seems to be a certain....consistency to his comments recently, you can clearly see that percentages do not equate chapters. Apparently the first 50% is the first 300 chapters lol. The next 10% is the next 350 chapters. The next 10% is another 200 chapters. Finally, the next 10% is another 100. While it SEEMS like there is some downward trend, I wanted to remind people of what this story NEEDS to tackle before the end:
- Address 2 more Yonko, 3 if Big Mom's storyline continues.
- Possible Rocks Plot
- Sabo, the Revolutionaries and their plot with Vivi/Alabasta, Kuma, and more
- Vegapunk, his Marine Science Division, and the SSG
- Significance of CP-0 to the overall plot
- Caesar and Judge/Germa, assuming they are not returning in Wano (my assumption is a Vegapunk arc)
- Whereabouts of Smoker and Tashigi
- Tie up the remaining Supernova storylines, i.e. Bonney and Urouge. Tie up whatever Supernova plotlines that lead them to ally with Luffy for the end or face against him.
- Bring the Strawhat fleet back into the fold
- Level 6 Inmates
- How the Underworld factors into the remainder of the story.
- Bring back Crocodile, Enel and Moria, who have been teased to have further relevance in the story.
- Tie in all former shichibukai and their remaining plotlines (Hancock, Kuma, Mihawk, Buggy and Weevil)
- Aokiji's whole deal with Teach
- The Marines in general (Akainu being a driving force against Luffy aside from Blackbeard in the least). Fujitora, Ryokugyu and Kizaru's roles in the end.
- Sword and their significance opposed to the entire Marine force.
- Locations like Vegapunk's facility (if its part of the other locations in this list), Elbaf, God Valley, Lodestar, Laugh Tale, New Marineford and Mariejois being addressed. Where will the Final War take place? My guess is the final 2 locations I mentioned.
- The Entire World Government. Im's play. Gorosei, Kong, etc etc.
- The 3 Ancient Weapons
- Void Century/True History
- Laugh Tale
- Strawhat Dreams
- Possible Rocks Plot
- Sabo, the Revolutionaries and their plot with Vivi/Alabasta, Kuma, and more
- Vegapunk, his Marine Science Division, and the SSG
- Significance of CP-0 to the overall plot
- Caesar and Judge/Germa, assuming they are not returning in Wano (my assumption is a Vegapunk arc)
- Whereabouts of Smoker and Tashigi
- Tie up the remaining Supernova storylines, i.e. Bonney and Urouge. Tie up whatever Supernova plotlines that lead them to ally with Luffy for the end or face against him.
- Bring the Strawhat fleet back into the fold
- Level 6 Inmates
- How the Underworld factors into the remainder of the story.
- Bring back Crocodile, Enel and Moria, who have been teased to have further relevance in the story.
- Tie in all former shichibukai and their remaining plotlines (Hancock, Kuma, Mihawk, Buggy and Weevil)
- Aokiji's whole deal with Teach
- The Marines in general (Akainu being a driving force against Luffy aside from Blackbeard in the least). Fujitora, Ryokugyu and Kizaru's roles in the end.
- Sword and their significance opposed to the entire Marine force.
- Locations like Vegapunk's facility (if its part of the other locations in this list), Elbaf, God Valley, Lodestar, Laugh Tale, New Marineford and Mariejois being addressed. Where will the Final War take place? My guess is the final 2 locations I mentioned.
- The Entire World Government. Im's play. Gorosei, Kong, etc etc.
- The 3 Ancient Weapons
- Void Century/True History
- Laugh Tale
- Strawhat Dreams
And plenty of other smaller plotlines. Assume that Wano does not resolve the above in any way (I am, none of these are related to Wano, save for maybe Moria/Sword?). Just try and account for the fact that Oda does not rush his characterization and plotlines. If Big Mom and Kaido, combined, are about to receive nearly 400 chapters of plot, combined with a myriad of other, smaller plotlines tied in (Doflamingo, Underworld, Strawhat Fleet, Vegapunk Teases, CP-0, now Rocks, etc etc), what does that say about Shanks and Blackbeard, who are infinitely more important characters than these 2? What does that say about the time Oda may spend building their final conflicts with each other or with Luffy?
Not only that, but Big Mom and Kaido's plots have been relatively isolated. We are now reaching a point in the story were a variety of other factions (Revolutionaries, Vegapunk, World Government, Marines) all need to be tied into the next two Yonko plotlines.
So if people are taking Oda's comments quite literally, how will he finish the remaining story in under 5 years? Barring the fact that Wano itself probably has another 2 years of arc content left (Oda does ~38 chapters per year and we've barely begun any sort of battle in this 70+ chapter arc), how will he then address the remainder in less than 3 years? This is something I've wanted to discuss with people seriously for a while.
In my opinion, there is still way too much to address. And realistically, if Oda does keeps at his average pace and does not rush, he can tie up the above plot points after Wano in like 8-10 years (so another 10-12 years from now). I have always thought of One Piece as potential 3rds. We are nearing the end of the 2nd 3rd now with Kaido/BM, but we still have so much left to address, that you could essentially consider it another 3rd of the manga once Wano is finished.
Forget the idea about the number of arcs after this too, lets say that Oda just jumps straight to Lodestar/Laughtale then the Final War (or whatever order), it still does not change the fact that the above list needs to be addressed. Like any Final Arc in most manga (Bleach before it was cut off, Naruto's final war), it will likely be the biggest arc the manga has done. And if Wano is clearly 120-150 chapters, the Final War itself will probably be longer than this. The man has yet to forget a significant detail in his manga, why would he start now?
This is clearly something Oda can't avoid without abruptly rushing/ending his story. Even if he fast tracks to the final arcs, much of the above still requires significant panel time. This is why I think One Piece will still be here for the long haul, as Oda is not one to rush major plot points with characters he's been building for nearly 2 decades.
Tldr: Regardless of how Oda addresses it (Multiple "smaller" arcs after Wano + Final War/or one giant Final War), Oda will be spending years, longer than he thinks imo, addressing a myriad of plot points that have nothing to do w/ BM or Kaido. Hell, these plot points are infinitely bigger than anything we've had in this manga thus far.
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