One Piece’s Potential Elbaf Arc May Not Be Next, According to Oda’s Jump Festa ’24 Message

Despite recently concluding the Eggheard arc in the manga, there has been much discussion about what will happen in the next storyline set in Elbaf, the home of the Giants. However, it should be noted that Eiichiro Oda, the author, has deviated from his planned path before. Oda has previously stated that he believed an arc would end at a certain point, yet continued to expand upon it, as he mentioned at Jump Festa ’24.

During the event, Oda revealed that he has no control over the path Luffy takes in One Piece. He mentioned that the Straw Hats could potentially deviate from their planned route and possibly not even visit Elbaf. This led to speculation that Luffy may be attempting to save his grandfather, Monkey D. Garp. Additionally, fans have theorized about a highly anticipated confrontation between two characters, with some predicting that it could be a showdown between Blackbeard and Shanks.

Please note that this article contains spoilers for the series.

Why the Creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda, Won’t Be Venturing to Elbaf for the Next Arc: Insights from His Jump Festa ’24 Statements

The Straw Hats as vikings in the manga by Oda (Image via Shueisha).

At every Jump Festa event, author Eiichiro Oda consistently shares a statement. In the most recent statement, he mentioned that he could not prevent Luffy and his crew from straying from their original plans to travel to Elbaf and instead, take a different route in the upcoming arc. This has sparked various speculations, with some suggesting that the new storyline may revolve around Luffy’s attempts to rescue his grandfather Garp from the clutches of Blackbeard and his crew.

The fact that Luffy has a past with Blackbeard is significant, as it was Blackbeard who captured Luffy’s brother Ace and ultimately caused his death in the Marineford arc. This encounter may be seen as a personal challenge for Luffy, allowing him to seek revenge while also highlighting his emotional bond with Garp. This sets the stage for the first major confrontation between the Straw Hats and the Blackbeard Pirates in the series.

It has been speculated that Luffy may choose not to rescue Garp due to his initial reaction towards Ace. However, this was a different scenario for the protagonist. Having gained knowledge about what happened to Ace in Marineford, this could potentially have a significant impact on the upcoming arc.

Possible Clash Between Blackbeard and Shanks

Shanks and Blackbeard as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation).

Eiichiro Oda hinted at the possibility of a highly anticipated confrontation between two unnamed characters in the upcoming One Piece arc. This has sparked speculation among fans that it could be a showdown between Shanks and Blackbeard. The potential clash has been eagerly awaited by fans for quite some time, fueled by theories that Shanks may meet his demise at the hands of the notorious Yonko.

It is challenging to predict the exact timing of this inevitable clash, as the crews of Luffy, Shanks, and Blackbeard are all on a quest to obtain the One Piece. Undoubtedly, a battle between these two powerful characters would generate a great deal of excitement, as fans are eager to witness the full extent of their abilities.

Concluding Thoughts

It is highly likely that the next arc of One Piece will revolve around Elbaf, but Oda’s remarks at the Jump Festa ’24 may cause some uncertainty among fans. Nevertheless, such speculation remains unconfirmed at this time.

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