One Piece Announces Surprise Hiatus For Anime and Manga

One Piece is easily one of the most popular anime of all time. It is based on the equally successful manga series with over 500 million copies sold as of 2025. Unfortunately, consistent breaks and pacing issues seem to plague the popular franchise. Both the anime and manga recently announced an unexpected hiatus, causing widespread confusion among fans.

Many fans have begun to speculate on the series’ future. One of the most prevalent theories surrounding the hiatus focuses on the health of the series creator, Eiichiro Oda. He has had several health issues in recent years that have occasionally put the series on a brief hiatus. However, this theory is slightly unlikely due to the scheduled nature of the break.

Another prevalent theory concerns the pacing of the anime. Many fans speculate that the hiatus was enacted to prevent the anime from catching up to the manga. Yet, the series already went on a six-month hiatus for this very reason. If pacing really is the reason for the hiatus, it might be time for One Piece to switch to a seasonal format.

As of right now, the anime is scheduled for a two-week break, while the manga is only going on hiatus for a single week. The shorter break means that fans won’t have to wait long before their favorite anime returns, but it also calls the hiatus into further question.

Either way, fans can expect to be reading and watching new One Piece by the end of the month. Unless there’s another unexpected hiatus…

Related: Netflix One Piece Season 2 Unveils First Look at Loguetown