ONE PIECE has officially surpassed 600 million copies in circulation worldwide with the release of Volume 114 on March 4.
According to published figures, the series has now reached over 600 million copies globally, including more than 450 million in Japan and over 150 million overseas. The milestone marks an increase of 90 million copies in approximately three years and seven months. The series previously crossed 510 million copies with Volume 103 in August 2022.
Alongside the sales milestone, creator Eiichiro Oda has launched a special project centered on one of the series’ biggest mysteries. Or rather, the main one.
Oda, who has long stated that the true meaning of “ONE PIECE” was decided when serialization began in 1997, has for the first time written down the secret of “What is ONE PIECE?” and the truth about protagonist Monkey D. Luffy on a single sheet of paper.
The sheet was torn in half. The upper part holds the phrase “What is ONE PIECE and Monkey D. Luffy.” It was reproduced at full size and published as a newspaper advertisement in the March 4 morning editions of Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun.
The lower part, which has the actual answer, has been sealed inside a treasure chest and sunk to the ocean floor. It is scheduled to be recovered and revealed only after the manga concludes.
Footage released as part of the project was produced under supervision from researchers involved in Japan’s Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) and JAMSTEC, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. The installation, filming process, and environmental impact were reviewed to ensure marine ecosystem protection, and the submerged materials are intended to be retrieved.
Also launching March 4 is the second global character popularity poll, “WT100” (World Top 100). The first poll was held in 2021 to commemorate the manga’s 1,000th chapter. The new edition marks the first worldwide poll in roughly five years.
Voting is open to 1,560 characters and is available globally through the official WT100 website, the ONE PIECE BASE app, and physical ballots included with Volume 114 and select print editions of Weekly Shonen Jump and Saikyo Jump. Regional weekly Top 5 rankings will be published every Monday beginning March 16. Final results will be announced at “ONE PIECE DAY ’26” in August 2026. Top-ranked characters will receive newly drawn illustrations by Oda and are expected to be featured across anime, games, and merchandise.
The ONE PIECE anime, based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga, is set to resume weekly episodes this April with the start of the Elbaph arc. In addition, the plan from 2026 onward will be to have up to 26 episodes per year, with each episode adapting one manga chapter.
The franchise has the upcoming remake by WIT Studio, as well as the 2nd season of the live-action series, which revealed Season 3 is coming soon with Season 2 set for March 10, 2026.
Source: ONE PIECE Official X
© Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha
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