The manga "ONE PIECE" will go on hiatus from issue 18 to 20 (released on April 15) of the "Weekly Shonen Jump" (published by Shueisha), starting with today's release, April 1st. This break is due to author Eiichiro Oda's research and planning activities. Serialization will resume in issue 21, released on April 22.

The hiatus was announced on the official "ONE PIECE" X account, where a handwritten message from Mr. Oda was shared, stating, "I'm taking a break!" He further explained, "With recent concerns around Toriyama-sensei and others, I worried this might unduly worry everyone. It's not due to illness, but rather a matter of physical health. Please think of it as maintenance."

He added, "I also have to think about what 'ONE PIECE' really is! I'm busy. For those wondering about the backgrounds of characters appearing in the Egghead arc without knowing their past encounters, we're opening up free access to their previous appearances from April 1 to April 21 on 'Jump+' or 'Zeblack'. So, see you in three weeks! On 'Jump!!'"

"ONE PIECE" began serialization in "Weekly Shonen Jump" on July 22, 1997, and has since become a grand maritime adventure romance revolving around the legendary Pirate King Gol D. Roger's "One Piece," the ultimate treasure. The story follows Monkey D. Luffy, who becomes a rubber man after eating the Gum-Gum Fruit, as he gathers a crew and forms the "Straw Hat Pirates" in his quest to become the Pirate King.

With over 510 million copies in circulation worldwide, this popular series has also been adapted into a long-running TV anime since 1999. The anime film "ONE PIECE FILM RED," released in 2022, became a social phenomenon by surpassing 20.33 billion yen in domestic box office revenue.