Hit manga series, One Piece which has been an instant hit the world over is seeing the release of its final chapter at a time when the series is celebrating its 25 anniversary, VOANews reported. The last chapter in the One Piece series which is all about a pirate hunting for treasure was released on July 25 in the manga magazine Shonen Jump, a weekly magazine published in Japan by Shueisha.

The popularity of One Piece can be gauged from the fact that more than a hundred volumes of the series have been sold since the series was first introduced way back in 1997. Since then, over 490 million copies of the series have been produced worldwide. The 100th volume which saw a release in France last year include 250,000 copies. As VOANews stated, those are the figures that you’d normally associate with the prestigious Prix Goncourt literature prize-winning titles.

“I’m going to start showing all the secrets of this world that I’ve kept hidden,” Author Eiichiro Oda posted on Twitter. “It will be fun. Please fasten your seatbelt!”

His feat also earned him a place in the Guinness World Record book where he is recognized for the most copies ever published for the same comic series and by the same author. Fans and publishers celebrated the 25th anniversary of the manga series the world over with a lot of pomp and splendor. The series not only turned out to be the most popular manga series ever, its pan world appeal is attributed to the plot which includes references to places as diverse as ancient Egypt and Venice to medieval Japan.

Further adding to the appeal and in no small measure are the vibrant characters themselves. The plot also revolves around other issues such as racism, slavery, geopolitics, mindless industrialization, and such. It’s something that people really care about, something that has also made the series all the more endearing to its fans. What is also great about the series is the manner in which it has managed to hold on to its appeal for more than a quarter of a century and is still among the most sought-after manga series. The story is all about the hero Luffy and his quest for the One Piece treasure along with other pirates.

Meanwhile, a Netflix series based on a story taken from the One Piece series is also due for release some time soon. While this is something that manga fans worldwide will no doubt be waiting for with bated breath, what also can’t be denied is that such ventures are fraught with a lot of risks. The Manga which is essentially Japanese in flavor may have won the hearts of many around the world though the Japanese culture still lacks the sort of influence that its western counterparts are able to wield.

Under the circumstances, it is going to be interesting to see if Netflix is able to make the screen adaptation of the series as popular as its print or digital iterations have turned out to be.

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