Summary:
- One Piece heads into another frustrating break streak just as Elbaph’s flashback reaches its climax.
- Oda’s health concerns and holiday pauses combine, leaving fans stuck with unanswered Elbaph cliffhangers.
- Here’s how the next four chapters of the One Piece manga will be released.
If you’ve been keeping up with the One Piece manga releases, then you likely know the increasing frustration surrounding frequent breaks. Following Chapter 1169’s release, Eiichiro Oda’s manga will head into another upcoming hiatus.
These frequent breaks have divided the fandom between being concerned for Oda’s health and impatience to see Elbaph’s story continue. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming hiatuses and the intense cliffhanger left by King Harald.
Table of Contents
Why One Piece Manga is Taking So Many Breaks?
You’re probably used to Oda’s usual schedule of taking a break every three chapters, but this upcoming stretch is especially rough. One Piece Chapter 1168 was released on December 7 and, much like Chapter 1098, contained several unfinished panels. This suggests the author may have been under heavy workload strain and needed additional rest to recover.
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On top of that, Weekly Shonen Jump’s holiday breaks make things worse. One Piece once again will go on break due to the end-of-year holidays, pushing the Elbaph story into 2026 after Chapter 1169. Even the anime will go on a three-month hiatus toward the end of December
One Piece Manga Upcoming Release Schedule
If you are following along with the next few weeks, the release calendar looks quite empty due to a mix of author breaks and holiday interruptions. Here’s the One Piece manga release schedule after Chapter 1168:
| Chapter | Release Date | Release Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter 1169 | December 21, 2025 | 12:00 AM JST |
| Chapter 1170 | January 4, 2026 | 12:00 AM JST |
| Chapter 1171 | January 18, 2026 | 12:00 AM JST |
| Chapter 1172 | January 25, 2026 | 12:00 AM JST |
What Happened in One Piece Chapter 1168?
One Piece Chapter 1168, titled “The Snow of Elbaph,” lays the groundwork for the clash of Loki and Harald. The chapter featured a flashback showing Harald mourning Ida, who died dreaming of a world where giants could adventure freely. It was revealed that fourteen years before the present timeline, Harald went to Mary Geoise to replace Shanks as a candidate for the Knights of God.
In an unexpected turn of events, Harald encountered Imu at the Empty Throne. While he had wanted to become a member of the World Government only for the welfare of his people, Imu forced a “Depths Covenant” upon him.
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This gave Harald immortality but deprived him of his free will. Harald wanted peace, but his body was forced to militarize Elbaph against his will. At the end of the chapter, Harald was seen chained to a pillar in Aurust Castle, summoning Loki and Jarul, setting the stage for the infamous ‘mass slaughter’ incident.
What Can You Expect From One Piece Chapter 1169?
We will receive a special treat to close out the year when the manga returns on December 21. Chapter 1169 will feature a new magazine cover and color spread. While a previous cover surprised us with Rocks D. Xebec’s cover, this one is expected to be a festive, holiday-themed illustration featuring Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates.
That being said, given his prominence in the arc, there’s always a strong possibility of Loki appearing. Cherish this final present from Oda now, because the wait until the next chapter will be long.
