As the Elbaph arc continues in the manga One Piece, its pacing and character portrayals have once again become a focus of debate among fans. Recently, the X account “ディエゴッド教団” (@DiegodOrder) published a lengthy post addressed directly to creator Eiichiro Oda. The user sharply criticized the series’ recent direction before declaring, “I want to save you,” prompting both agreement and backlash.
The user first argued that the Elbaph arc frequently interrupts moments of rising tension with flashbacks or cuts to other scenes, disrupting the narrative’s momentum. Publication breaks, they added, make following the story feel even more fragmented. They also criticized the exaggerated comedy of Luffy’s Gear 5, or Nika form, arguing that eye-popping reactions and baseball-style antics undermine the atmosphere of battles. The post also questioned whether the unresolved storyline involving Whitebeard’s son had been forgotten.
The post went on to attack Oda’s socializing with entertainment celebrities, accusing him of neglecting his work and driving longtime supporters to become critics. These were the poster’s allegations: “The quality keeps dropping, yet you’re constantly partying with celebrities and showing it off. Even fans who have supported you for years are starting to think you don’t take your work seriously, and they’re turning against you!”
“While other veteran manga creators bring their legendary works to a decisive end and are celebrated as legends, are you really going to end up as ‘the tragic manga artist who dragged his series out so long that readers had already stopped caring by the time it finally ended’?”
After this barrage of criticism, however, the user took a more emotional turn: “But listen, Eiichiro Oda. Even so, I want to save you.” The poster still acknowledged Oda’s achievement in carrying Weekly Shonen Jump with One Piece for more than 25 years. They urged him to stop what they viewed as unnecessary delays and recapture the sense of adventure that once thrilled readers.
Some users agreed that recent chapters had problems. One commented, “There have definitely been more scenes lately that leave me confused, but I’m not ready to think about the series ending.” Another wrote, “People are criticizing it because they’re unhappy with how things are going, but that also shows how much they expect from it! I want to read a One Piece that gets me excited again!”
Others pushed back, arguing that the poster was overstepping into the creator’s artistic freedom. “It’s the author’s own creation. Outsiders should stop telling him what to do. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. How the story unfolds is up to the author,” one user wrote. Another defended the publication breaks: “Oda has sacrificed so much time with his family and so much of his private life for his work. What’s wrong with letting him take a little time off?”
Meanwhile, an article published by the Japanese website Hon no Tobira on August 31, 2026, offered another perspective. It noted that the Elbaph arc must juggle a large cast and plot threads established over many years. Waiting between weekly installments can make pacing problems feel more pronounced, while reading several chapters together in collected volumes may produce a different impression.
The article argued that when assessing an ongoing long-form story, readers may not yet be able to tell what a particular scene ultimately contributes. What initially feels like a detour could later prove to be important setup for a major development.
Conversely, if seemingly important ideas are never put to meaningful use, the story’s reputation could suffer after it concludes. The article therefore suggested distinguishing between whether the current chapters are enjoyable and how well the Elbaph arc works as a complete narrative.
As One Piece continues through its final saga, whether the Elbaph arc can answer these criticisms remains to be seen. Much will depend on how Oda brings its many developing storylines together.
via： コマトピ 本の扉 X@DiegodOrder