It’s Time To Admit One Piece’s Marineford Arc Will Be Beaten By The Upcoming Arc

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This article contains spoilers for One Piece’s Elbaf Arc.

Fans consistently rank the Marineford arc among the very best in One Piece, and for good reason – it’s a beloved story despite its heartbreaking conclusion. However, Marineford isn’t the only fantastic arc created by Oda. He’s delivered consistently strong storylines both before and after Marineford. In fact, Oda has stated that he believes a specific arc from the Post-Timeskip portion of the series will ultimately be his best work – and it’s not Marineford.

Marineford Is Regarded As One Piece’s Best Arc

  • It Marked the End Of One Piece’s First Part
  • It Made One Piece The Highest Selling Manga

Many One Piece fans consider the Marineford arc to be the series’ best, or at least among its highlights. This arc concluded the first major saga of One Piece and featured what is often considered one of the largest battles in the series. The events surrounding the capture of Portgas D. Ace perfectly set up the dramatic conflict of Marineford.

Stay alert! We might not survive today. — Sengoku to the Marines at Marineford

The battle at Marineford pitted the Marines and the Shichibukai against the Whitebeard Pirates, and was further complicated by the arrival of Luffy and other prisoners who had escaped from Impel Down. This arc is considered one of the greatest in One Piece due to its intense drama and surprising plot developments. Interestingly, the creator, Eiichiro Oda, didn’t anticipate it would become as beloved with fans. Here’s what Oda himself said about Marineford:

Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, says his biggest motivation for continuing the series is reaching the final story arc. He believes it will be far grander than the already popular Marineford arc, which he actually considered a relatively minor part of the overall story and was surprised by its success.

Oda Thinks The Great War Arc Will Be One Piece’s Best

Oda Believes The Final Segment Will Be The Greatest

The Marineford arc in One Piece is fantastic, but the upcoming Final Arc will be on a completely different scale. It’s shaping up to be an epic war that will define the entire One Piece world. Oda, the creator, wants One Piece to have the most incredible ending possible, and as the Final Saga unfolds, the story will only get better. The ultimate showdown between the Celestial Dragons, their forces, and the pirates will be the story’s high point.

As a child, I dreamed of creating a manga with an incredibly exciting climax. I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off! Now, after 25 years, we’re nearing the end of the Wano arc and everything is almost ready. You can jump into the story here if you’re new, because from this point forward… it’s going to be the grand adventure of ONE PIECE! I’m excited to reveal all the secrets of this world. It’s going to be a wild ride, so please stick with me! — Eiichiro Oda, Author of One Piece, 2022

The War Is Already Set Up

The events unfolding in Elbaf strongly suggest that a major war is about to begin, as foreshadowed by Oda. Both Gunko and Vegapunk have confirmed this – Gunko in Elbaf, and Vegapunk by revealing the conflict from the Void Century never truly ended. One Piece fans can expect a thrilling arc, and for now, the best thing to do is enjoy the unfolding story in Elbaf.

The newest chapter of One Piece, number 1163, will be released in two weeks, as usual on a Sunday. While it becomes available in Japan at midnight on Monday (JST), most fans around the world will be able to read it on October 26, 2025. You can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus.

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2025-10-22 15:04