Eiichiro Oda Confirms the One Piece Chapter That Changes Everything
One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has already named the series’ most pivotal chapter, and manga editor Junya Fukuda has now backed him up—recounting their first phone call where Oda spotlighted the moment that anchors the entire saga.
File this under: Oda is three steps ahead of everyone. The One Piece creator has apparently flagged the most important chapter in the entire series, and it is not where you think. According to a recent X post from @sandman_AP, editor Junya Fukuda said that in his first phone call with Eiichiro Oda, Oda singled out the chapter where Shamrock makes his debut. And then Oda dropped a very Oda caveat.
"You won’t understand why this chapter matters unless you know what the One Piece treasure actually is."
So... the Shamrock chapter is the big one?
That’s what Oda told Fukuda, and Fukuda backed it up. The implication: the Shamrock introduction isn’t just a character reveal, it’s hiding a major breadcrumb about the core mystery. If you’ve been reading the Elbaph arc, that tracks.
Quick refresher on Shamrock: fans had been circling this guy for ages before he officially showed up in Elbaph. He was the supposed evil twin that had people accusing Shanks of being a secret villain. Once Shamrock actually entered the story, those accusations fell apart. He’s not just Shanks’ brother either; he’s the Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights. Oda’s comment pushes him even further up the importance chart, hinting that Shamrock’s first appearance has a direct link to the treasure waiting at Laugh Tale. That also nudges the Figarland family toward the center of the board.
Frustratingly (and very intentionally), Oda’s point is that we won’t be able to connect those dots until the treasure itself is revealed. Which means the answer is parked at the very end. The manga is already in the second phase of its final saga, so at least the runway is shortening.
What actually happens in the chapter (One Piece 1137)
The Shamrock debut lands inside a packed Elbaph installment. The first half is history and worldbuilding; the second half gets mean. Here’s the shape of it:
- Luffy, Nami, and Zoro poke around Aurust Castle.
- Road lays out the story of King Harald vs. Loki, a clash so brutal it killed almost 100 giants.
- Harald vows to change Elbaph’s reputation and turn it into a nation the world has to recognize.
- Then we pivot: Loki is pressured by Gunko and Shamrock to join the Holy Knights, a move that would hand the World Government leverage over Elbaph.
- Loki keeps saying no, and Gunko beats him down for it.
- Finally, Shamrock and Gunko drop the masks and reveal their identities, capping the chapter with the big 'oh, it’s them' moment.
Where the foreshadowing likely lives
Oda’s teasing that something in that chapter points straight at the treasure. Which clue? That’s the maddening part — it’s hard to pin down without the final answer key. Could be in the political angle with the Holy Knights and Elbaph’s status. Could be sitting in the Harald and Loki backstory. Could be the Figarland thread. Oda basically told us the puzzle piece is on the table; we just don’t know what picture it completes yet.
If you’ve got a theory on how Shamrock ties to Laugh Tale’s prize, I’m all ears.
One Piece manga is available to read on Viz Media.