I just want to put it out there why Ive always thought 1500 was the real endpoint. Its not anything Oda has said or implied. Its just the grand context of the story. The first time I ever talked about this with people was on Orojackson, believing that One Piece effectively is split into 3rds, not two halves.
I dont think theres any particular pattern like this, but its narrative relevance, but think about the things that have been accomplished in each of these "3rds":
1. The first 600 chapters really deals with introducing us to the entire world of One Piece. We know what the Yonko are. We know what Dragon is. We know what the Marines, Shichibukai and Gorosei are. The story touches on portions of this while slowly escalating the dangers the group faces.
2. The next 450 chapters deals usurping the Yonko throne. It starts with Fishman Island and the Sun Pirates and ends with Luffy as Sun God Nika defeating Kaido. It ends the Shichibukai system and shifts the Yonko one. The WG hidden ruler is teased here
3. The next 450 chapters (of which we are at 130 currently) will be about closing all major plotlines set up in the above. Remaining Yonko, Marines, Revolutionaries, WG.
When you frame it this way, you start to see why this "3rd part" needs to feel significant. It took a decade to close out Kaido, Big Mom, and their influence on the world. Now we are dealing with much larger entities an assumed similar timeframe. We are 2 arcs into it, and no closer to seeing any of these major factions losing, but we have been getting the much needed characterization to start closing things out. Which is why I think ~300 chapters is sufficient in getting us there, because Oda has been used the last 130 chapters very well.
So yes, 6 years ago I argued that we'd need 500 chapters because (at the time) Wano wasnt over, and Oda did not show us Vegapunk, Kuma, Shanks, Blackbeard, Marine, RA and WG plot that he's showing us now. We werent at Elbaph yet, now we are. There isnt much left. Maybe 2-3 islands at most, but 300 chapters is more than enough to cover what remains here and wrap everything up. A big war is coming, but its not going to be a short one.
I dont think theres any particular pattern like this, but its narrative relevance, but think about the things that have been accomplished in each of these "3rds":
1. The first 600 chapters really deals with introducing us to the entire world of One Piece. We know what the Yonko are. We know what Dragon is. We know what the Marines, Shichibukai and Gorosei are. The story touches on portions of this while slowly escalating the dangers the group faces.
2. The next 450 chapters deals usurping the Yonko throne. It starts with Fishman Island and the Sun Pirates and ends with Luffy as Sun God Nika defeating Kaido. It ends the Shichibukai system and shifts the Yonko one. The WG hidden ruler is teased here
3. The next 450 chapters (of which we are at 130 currently) will be about closing all major plotlines set up in the above. Remaining Yonko, Marines, Revolutionaries, WG.
When you frame it this way, you start to see why this "3rd part" needs to feel significant. It took a decade to close out Kaido, Big Mom, and their influence on the world. Now we are dealing with much larger entities an assumed similar timeframe. We are 2 arcs into it, and no closer to seeing any of these major factions losing, but we have been getting the much needed characterization to start closing things out. Which is why I think ~300 chapters is sufficient in getting us there, because Oda has been used the last 130 chapters very well.
So yes, 6 years ago I argued that we'd need 500 chapters because (at the time) Wano wasnt over, and Oda did not show us Vegapunk, Kuma, Shanks, Blackbeard, Marine, RA and WG plot that he's showing us now. We werent at Elbaph yet, now we are. There isnt much left. Maybe 2-3 islands at most, but 300 chapters is more than enough to cover what remains here and wrap everything up. A big war is coming, but its not going to be a short one.
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