One Piece made its debut decades ago, and the franchise still has some years to go before it is done. After all, creator Eiichiro Oda has only just announced his final act, and the story could still sail on for a while with the finale. With over a 1,000 chapters to its name, One Piece has proven itself as one of manga’s most enduring series, but it turns out the story nearly ended a whole decade ago.
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It might be hard to believe, but Oda once told fans he considered ending One Piece about ten years ago. Back in 2012, the artist had to make a tough choice after seeing how his work schedule impacted his family. In an interview overseas, Oda admitted he became depressed in 2012 and wondered whether he should end One Piece after his daughter told Oda he was “too busy to spend enough time” with her.
During this timeframe, it seems Oda put in even more work to see his family regularly, and the actor admits things got better after his brood expanded. After sharing their concerns, Oda’s daughter rescued a chihuahua, and the pair became very close. This gave Oda some time back to dedicate to One Piece, and now, he is ready to explore the manga’s final act following its summer hiatus.
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As you can imagine, Oda is always busy with work, and that can definitely cause a strain on any family. His wife and kids have sacrificed plenty to help see Oda’s story to an end. Of course, all these hardships are a bit easier to swallow when you look at how big One Piece has become. The series is one of the biggest to ever come from Japan, and One Piece is the best-selling manga of all time. It is also one of the best-selling comics to date with sales outperforming even that of Batman. It is easy to see how loved Oda’s work has become over the years, and the fandom’s fervor is only growing in light of its
Are you surprised One Piece has gone on for as long as it has? How do you want to see the series end…? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.