After 28 years, the next installment of One Piece finally takes Luffy to the end of the Grand Line.

Eiichiro Oda one piece continued Serialized in Shueisha Weekly Shonen Jump for 28 consecutive years.The journey officially began in July 1997. Luffy's Journey saw Luffy go on an adventure to claim a huge treasure, the Treasure. one piece And become the pirate king. Undoubtedly, it is a wonderful journey, and one that the author has brilliantly embodied over the past 28 years.

In 2022, Eiichiro Oda's One Piece officially entered the Final Saga, marking the beginning of its final leg. Over the past four years, the Final Saga has continued to pick up the pace, increasing the intensity and making the final part of the story more exciting than ever. With the latest release of the One Piece manga currently in issues 22-23 of Shueisha Weekly Shonen Jump, One Piece is approaching the end of its Elbaf arc at a blindingly fast pace. Luffy's journey to the end of the Grand Line following the end of Elbaf.This is something the author himself publicly teased through his comments at Jump Festa 2026 at the end of December.

Eiichiro Oda's Jump Festa message confirms that the next arc will take the Straw Hats to the final island

Image courtesy of Toei Animation

one piece The Elbaph Arc has been a really great ride so far for all fans of the series. This story began in Episode 1125 of Episode 41 of Weekly Shonen Jump. one piece2024. Since then, the intensity has continued to increase, delivering a dazzling and delightful twist. It goes without saying that the Elbaf Arc is now close to its end, as the final battle against Nero or Imu officially begins in Chapter 1180 of the manga, which was officially released on April 19, 2026.

Given that this arc will now end in the next few months, One Piece will officially mark the beginning of the third arc in the Final Saga that Eiichiro Oda hyped himself up for at Jump Festa 2026. According to Oda himself, Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates will head to an island where only the Pirate King has previously set foot. Taking this route means the crew will officially reach the end of the Grand Line this year.

“We are heading to ‘that island’ that only the Pirate King could go to!!? A man with a flame mark also appears. Characters who have never had a chance to meet finally meet. Two people meet, and those two meet.” — One Piece author Eiichiro Oda at Jump Festa 2026

As evidenced by Oda's own remarks at Jump Festa 2026, the Straw Hats will be taking a very significant step towards acquiring One Piece this year following the conclusion of the Elbaph Arc. At the same time, this also means that the crew will be heading to one of the two most important islands in the entire story. Considering that Oda has made it very clear that the Straw Hats will reach where only the Pirate King has tread, there are only two possibilities for the next issue after Elbaf ends. The first of these two issues is Laugh Tale. one piece This is the moment. The second option is for the Straw Hat Pirates to reach Lodestar Island, one of the most important places in the world. one piece overhead.

Why Lodestar Island is likely to be the next issue of One Piece

Considering that the Straw Hat Pirates do not currently have the final Lord Poneglyph, the war against the World Government has not officially begun, and the introduction of the man with the burn scar has not yet occurred in the story, it is becoming more and more likely that the next arc will not be Lordstar Island, and that this arc meets the requirements and meets the criteria based on Oda's input.

It all started 13 years ago, when we landed at a destination in the final log pose that no one had reached before…a place called Lordstar Island! But when we disembarked we were dizzy with what we would discover…we realized it wasn't the last island! — Gold D. Roger, One Piece Episode 966

Lodestar Island was first mentioned in chapter 966 of Gol D. Roger's manga. According to Roger himself, this island is at the very end of the Grand Line and is the last island accessible via Rogue Forge. Roger officially arrived on Lodestar 39 years ago, one year before the events of God Valley. There he learned everything he could about the existence of the Poneglyph, the secret message engraved on it, and the existence of the final island hidden somewhere in the world of One Piece. The existence of this last island is what led Roger to claim it. one piece And become the pirate king.

So far, Luffy and the Straw Hats have not come close to obtaining One Piece, despite having three Road Poneglyphs. At the same time, the fact that the burn-scarred man did not appear means that the final poneglyph will remain a mystery for some time. Essentially, this means that it's Lodestar Island that will take up most of the focus after Elbaph.

The narrative significance of the One Piece Lordstar Arc after the ending of Elbaf

Lodestar Island one piece This would be very important, especially considering the fact that Eiichiro Oda himself exaggerated this part of the story to consist of two important components. The first component is the introduction of the Man with the Burn Scar. This person's whereabouts are currently unknown, but it is clear that he is directly connected to Lordstar Island and holds the key to the final Lord Poneglyph. People like Blackbeard, Kid, and Law were also looking for this man, but his identity is still unknown, as is his whereabouts.

At the same time, Eiichiro Oda's remarks made it clear that 2026 will be the year of the reunion. Many characters – friends and foes – will meet and come face to face once again, meaning the crew's quest for the Lodestar will see them join many other characters such as the Blackbeard Pirates, the Redhead Pirates and even the Cross Guild. At the same time, revolutionary forces will also be on the move, opening up the possibility of the most incredibly intense reunion. No matter how fans view it, One Piece is set to become more exciting as it gets closer to the end.

All chapters of the One Piece manga can be read at Manga Plus.