One Piece Chapter 978 Delayed – Manga On Hiatus Due To COVID-19 Coronavirus

Over the past couple of weeks, most of the world has been put on lockdown due to the COVID 19 pandemic. First large social gatherings were prohibited, and now only essential places are open to flatten the curve. The world of anime and manga is no exception; workplaces of many production houses are being shut down, causing delays in many release schedules.

One Piece chapter 978, originally supposed to release on 20th April, will now be released on 27th April. This is because Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump is delaying the 21st issue of the magazine and will release a combined 21st & 22nd issue on 27th April.

One Piece’s current storyline is exploring the Wano arc. Luffy, clubbed with Law, Kidd and a rebellion army is on the verge of starting a war against the combined forces of Big Mom and Kaido. This war has been teased since Luffy first met Law at Punkhazard and teamed up with him to take down Kaido.

All the rebellion forces are ready, and even Jinbei has made it safely back to the Strawhats. On the other side, Kaido and Big Mom are currently in a giant banquet celebrating multiple occasions, one of which is their decision to join forces to find the One Piece.

This extended break between chapter 977 and 978 can be perceived as the silence before the storm that is the Battle on Onigashima.

Shueisha has also delayed the release of new manga volumes including Demon Slayer Volume 20, Boruto: Naruto Next Generation Volume 11 and many more. For the full list, click here!

About One Piece:

One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 22, 1997, and has been collected into 95 tankōbon volumes.

The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!

Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. With his diverse crew joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.