One Piece creator hints at Luffy's possible death – Could the pirate king fall?

Time of India

a day ago

Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Final saga of One Piece
As One Piece arrives at its final saga, fans here and abroad are looking to answer one unthinkable question—Will Monkey D. Luffy die before it's all over?
One Piece holds the records as the most popular anime and manga franchise of all time.
It's a fun, swashbuckling adventure story that centers on the quest of Luffy, an impetuous young pirate whose body is made of rubber, to realize his dream and become Pirate King. As the story heads toward its possible conclusion, the chips are stacking up towards a more sinister fate.
Recent developments in the manga—as well as some hints from creator Eiichiro Oda—indicate that Luffy's life will begin to end, the brutal consequences of all the battles on his body having finally caught up with him.
Luffy's body is breaking down
From Enies Lobby to Marineford and Wano, Luffy has gone above and beyond – even above the limits of a human being – over and over again. His aggressive haki-infused combat style, coupled with high risk abilities such as Gear Second, Third, Fourth and now Gear Fifth, has taken a physical toll on his body.
Here's how to unpack it LET'S GO.
Gear Second overheats his body and rapidly drains his stamina.
He paid the price of 5 years of his life for being poisoned by Magellan while in Impel Down.
He used life-risking hormone injections from Ivankov to continue fighting in the war.
Back in Wano, Kaido actually threatened Luffy with death for trying to push himself back into Gear 5.
Oda has shown dozens of these red flags throughout One Piece's extensive story, and eager fans are just starting to make these posthumous connections.
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Undo
Luffy's lifespan may already be running out
When Luffy goes into Gear 5, his body takes on a cartoonish elastic form full of expressive punch. He's literally transforming into the 'Warrior of Liberation.' This shift presents a clear danger. Even Kaido, one of the strongest and most intimidating villains in the series, knew that Luffy was doing everything he could to stay alive, to get up and keep fighting.
At one point, Kaido even remarked,
You're just going to end up killing yourself if you continue like this!
To which Luffy only had this to say:
'Really, what's the worst that could happen?' 'We're all just bones in the ground at the end anyway!
Happiness has never been an option.
It's pretty obvious that Luffy knows the dangers, but the quest for his mission is greater than life itself.
Will Oda really kill off Luffy in the end?
Most fans are convinced that Luffy will come out the other side of this story alive—and they have pretty compelling reasons to think that.
Here's the deal. Here's why this matters.
Chopper, the Straw Hat doctor, has a dream of curing every disease. Saving Luffy from death would allow Chopper's goal to be fulfilled in perhaps the best possible way.
Whether or not Oda is planning adjournment to One Piece's end with an enormous celebration – an event that wouldn't feel justified without Luffy there to share in it – he has repeatedly stated his desire to have ONE PIECE come to a close.
In interviews over the years, Oda stated that the last panel of the manga is already decided and it's not one of sadness.
So even though Luffy's health is obviously no joking matter, we can at least carry the comfort of believing his story can still reach a brighter conclusion.
When is the next One Piece chapter releasing?
One Piece Chapter 1152 will officially be available for international readers on Sunday, June 22, 2025 through Manga Plus and Viz Media. In Japan, the chapter will be released on Monday, June 23 at 12AM JST.
With each chapter in the Final Saga, the stakes continue to grow. Luffy's fate might very well be up in the air and audiences around the globe are waiting with bated breath to see.
The concept of Luffy dying at One Piece's conclusion was a thing fans never could've seen coming years ago.
Yet as this series reaches its inevitable last chapter, the stakes have never been higher.
Will Luffy actually make it to Pirate King, and get to witness the changing world? Or will he meet the same end as the previous Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, who was executed before his vision came to fruition?
Whatever the answer, Eiichiro Oda has certainly taken One Piece into emotional territory like never before and fans from the US, UK, and all corners of the globe won't want to miss what comes next.
Luffy's strength, courage and heart have been the foundation of One Piece for more than two decades. Yet now, with death lurking around the corner, we are all painfully aware of what this story—and this character—has meant to millions.
Stay tuned, because One Piece's conclusion is shaping up to be anime's most heart-wrenching finale ever.