In Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, a number of characters are shrouded in mystery, and the most popular name that resonates with this idea is the Captain of the Red-Hair Pirates, Shanks. When he was first introduced in the series, fans fell in love with him and wanted to see more of him.
However, very little of him was shown, and fans did not know much about him. Though the series was flawless, fans had one reason for criticism: they wanted to see more of the Yonko. Interestingly, from the Wano Arc, Oda-Sensei features more of him following Luffy’s victory against Kaido.
Sadly, that is bad news for the fans of the grand series because the manga artist of the series has commented on the regular appearances of Monkey D. Luffy’s mentor. Sadly, it is not exciting, as it means that Oda-Sensei will draw curtains on his magnum opus.
Shanks’ Regular Presence Is Bad News For One Piece Fans
Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus has featured a wide array of characters who have been absolute fan favorites, even the ones who have limited screen time in these 27 years. Shanks is a prime example of this notion, where he has led to some significant moments in the narrative that have made the viewers jump from their seats.
He has always maintained a neutral position, but after Monkey D. Luffy liberated Wano from the malicious clutches of Kaido, Akagami started to make moves that would surprise everyone in the OP verse. After the Wano Arc, Red Hair sent shockwaves around the community as he declared his intention to claim the One Piece.
His intentions still remain shrouded, with some fans theorizing that he will be a secret villain in the series. After all, he one-hit Eustass Kid and his crew with his Kamusari (Divine Departure). After the unfair rematch, the story has progressed a lot, with the Straw Hat Pirates now being on the Elbaph Arc, which happens to be one of the final sagas in the series.
With the final saga bringing Red Hair more into the spotlight, a fan page (@writingpanini) shared a quote from 1998 by Oda-Sensei, where he stated, “When Shanks appears frequently in manga, you can assume that One Piece has entered the final saga.”
It was only a matter of time before the series would come to an end, and fans were not ready for it, as they would take back their wish of watching less of the Emperor so that they could keep enjoying their favorite series for another 8 years or so.
Fans Are Not Ready For One Piece’s Ending
Oda-Sensei has always kept the One Piece community in a frenzy as he keeps dropping unclear hints on when Luffy’s grand adventure will finally come to an end. Since this quote has resurfaced on the fan page, the fandom is in a state of shock.
As a result, the comment section went into grief as they mentally and emotionally prepared themselves for the conclusion. They commented,
No way he said that a year into one piece and people think he doesn’t already have the endgame all planned
— Comb 𖥈 (@wildfireluffy) November 7, 2024
Oda might have Future sight for real. Unreal
— AsagoV (@asago_v) November 7, 2024
Iam excited and sad at the same time
— Nick gers (@rudyy_ni) November 7, 2024
he did say we only had like 3-5 years A COUPLE of years ago https://t.co/BEZotPpFkQ pic.twitter.com/YDoGIoQcoQ
— Mac ~ Choujin X brainrot 🙂↕️ (@watchOPnow) November 7, 2024
HOW IMPORTANT AND STRONG IS SHANKSSS ODAAAA WHAT YOU COOKING?! https://t.co/xMYCvV2Ufu
— Kiyo (@Kiyopon_24) November 7, 2024
Nevertheless, with the Shonen series being the final and last love letter for his fans, the manga author would give his all in the ending, which will surely break the internet. After all, he had mentioned how his final chapter would not only focus on the Straw Hats but also on real-life events.
One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll, and the manga can be read on VIZ Media.
