Wano Country Saga

A samurai nation rises to shatter the chains of tyranny in a bloody dawn.

The Wano Country Saga is a major story arc in One Piece. It follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hats, as they journey to the isolated nation of Wano. The saga involves their struggle against the tyrannical rule of Kaido, one of the Four Emperors. The story builds toward a massive conflict known as the Raid on Onigashima, where an alliance of pirates, samurai, and minks fights to liberate the country.

Lore & Background

The saga explores themes of lineage and destiny, focusing on the return of a figure prophesied to bring joy to the world.

Reader's Guide

The saga begins with the Straw Hats arriving in Wano, only to be separated and scattered across its diverse regions. Luffy is captured by Kaido, while Zoro, Sanji, and others navigate the treacherous landscapes of Kuri and other provinces, reuniting with the exiled samurai Kin'emon and his allies. They form an unlikely alliance with the Mink Tribe to overthrow the Beast Pirates and the corrupt Shogun Orochi. The narrative builds toward the Raid on Onigashima, a massive assault where hundreds of allies storm Kaido's fortress during a massive festival.

The battle is brutal and chaotic, featuring one-on-one duels between top-tier fighters, including Luffy against Kaido and Zoro against King. The conflict escalates as Big Mom joins the fray, turning the island into a war zone. Ultimately, the alliance succeeds in defeating both Emperors, liberating Wano from decades of oppression. Kurozumi Orochi is executed by his own people's hand, and Kaido falls into the sea after a climactic battle that reveals Luffy's awakened Devil Fruit power.

The saga concludes with Wano reopening its borders to the world, setting the stage for the final journey toward Laugh Tale.

Did You Know?

The manga has been serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump since July 1997.
By March 2026, One Piece had over 600 million copies in circulation worldwide, making it the best-selling manga series ever.
The series set the Guinness World Record for 'most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author' in 2015 and 2022.
One Piece was the best-selling manga for 11 consecutive years (2008–2018).
The anime series by Toei Animation premiered in October 1999.