Should Eiichiro Oda take a break from drawing One Piece for a while?

Key Takeaways

• One Piece is a best-selling manga series, but Eiichiro Oda's health is deteriorating due to his dedication.
• Oda's health problems include gout, diabetes, and high blood pressure due to his tiring work schedule.
• While Oda recovers, fans can enjoy the remastered One Piece anime and other popular series currently in progress.

Over the past 10 years, one piece It has become the best-selling manga series of all time. The series has sold over 500 million copies, and sales will continue to grow. Not only did One Piece surpass Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, it also left Naruto and Bleach in the dust. Even newer titles like Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia couldn't compete with One Piece.

The biggest reason One Piece was able to succeed was because of Eiichiro Oda’s consistency. Unlike other series writers, Eiichiro Oda did his best to release chapters on time for fans to enjoy. But the results of his dedication to the craft are becoming clear. Oda's health is not good, so is it time for the One Piece author to also prioritize his health?

Oda's health problems stem from his work

It was recently confirmed that One Piece will be taking a break for two weeks due to Eiichiro Oda's health issues. ODa has previously taken a break from drawing manga, but this work is different from the rest because there was no prior announcement. Initial news only confirmed that the One Piece manga would be taking a two-week hiatus. The real reason was revealed a little later.

Earlier this year, Oda took another break to recover from eye surgery. Considering how much time he spent drawing and writing, it is not surprising that his eyesight was affected. Oda took another two-week break in October as he wanted to help produce One Piece Live Action.

Eiichiro Oda has expressed his desire to make One Piece Live Action something that fans will love, so it's no surprise that he put so much effort into it. With so much responsibility on his shoulders, Oda's health took the biggest hit. The biggest question is whether Eiichiro Oda will finally get his long break.

Time to focus on your health

Eiichiro Oda must put his health first

No one can question Eiichiro Oda's dedication to One Piece. The author spent decades creating a story that will be remembered long after his death. But if Oda wants to finish One Piece, he needs to take a step back. I think I need to rest a bit more and recover from drawing One Piece. Many cartoonists have publicly revealed that drawing comics takes a toll on both body and mind. Many of them took a break to get better. Hunter x Hunter writer Yoshiro Togashi has taken a break after suffering from health problems for a long time. In fact, he returned with a Hunter x Hunter drawing a few weeks ago.

From now on, I would like to refrain from wanting to write a lot. If I write what I want, ONE PIECE will never end. –Eiichiro Oda

There are also many reports of Oda suffering from blood sugar complications due to his busy work schedule. If you take a few months off to recover, no One Piece fan will complain about that. People's well-being always comes first. Fans should also remember that the industry has already lost two legends in the past few years. Berserk author Kentaro Miura passed away in 2021 due to poor health. Akira Toriyama, widely regarded as the most influential manga artist, passed away in 2024.

According to the reputable X (formerly Twitter) account, Eiichiro Oda suffers from gout, high blood pressure, and diabetes. He must report his blood pressure to his doctor every day, which is usually higher than normal. Although his doctors advised Oda of the risks, the author believes that ideal blood pressure levels vary from person to person.

Users also reported that Oda would not eat for days while working on the comic to avoid falling asleep. After eating, Oda eats a lot. This pattern has caused his health to deteriorate, and is unlikely to change anytime soon.

What can One Piece do until Oda recovers?

There are many good anime and manga to try.

• Fans can read other comics and anime
• Or maybe you pick up an old hobby

In general, One Piece fans were able to fill the void left by Oda's absence by simply watching the weekly anime. Unfortunately, the One Piece anime has also been discontinued and is scheduled to return in April 2025. However, the anime started airing a remastered version of the Fishman Island arc. The new version includes updated visuals, filters, and new music. Plus, the animation is faster-paced, so there's no unnecessary filler. One Piece fans can watch the remastered version.

If you can't watch the remastered version, One Piece fans can always watch other ongoing anime. Dragon Ball is back with Daima so this is something you can try. Dan Da Dan is another excellent animated series that will keep fans busy until Oda returns. When all is said and done, fans will hope that Oda takes his health seriously and takes some time off.

One Piece is available to stream on Crunchyroll.