When Did the Wano Country Arc Start & When Is It Going to End in One Piece?

The Wano Country Arc is the thirty-first Arc in the series and the fourth Arc in the Four Emperors Saga of One Piece, following the Levely Arc. The Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance sets in motion their plan to recruit the Whitebeard Pirates and free Wano Country from the control of Kaido and his shogun. The Wano Country arc is by most standards one of the best – if not the best – One Piece arc and in this article, we are going to tell you when it started and when it is going to end.

The Wano Country Arc is the second half of the Wano Country Saga of One Piece. It officially began with Chapter 909 (Volume 90) of the One Piece manga, i.e., with Episode 890 of the One Piece anime. The main events have already happened, so we assume that the Arc is going to end in a few chapters, as far as the manga is concerned, while the anime still has some catching up to do, but not too much.

The rest of this article is going to focus on the Wano Country Arc of One Piece. We’re going to tell you how and when it started, what has happened during the arc, and also when it is supposed to end. We have to warn you that there will be a lot of spoilers in this article, so if you’re not fully up to date with the events of the series, be careful how you approach the text.

When did the Wano Country Arc start?

After the events of the Whole Cake Island Saga, which focused on the Charlotte family, the One Piece story entered the Wano Country Saga, which started with the Levely Arc. This arc ended with Chapter 908 and Episode 889, after which the story entered the Wano Country Arc. The Wano Country Arc thus began in Chapter 909 of the One Piece manga, titled “Seppuku”, which was first published on July 2, 2018. As for the anime, the Arc began in Episode 890, titled “Marco! The Keeper of Whitebeard’s Last Memento”, which premiered on June 23, 2019. So, what happened at the beginning?

On an island in the New World, the Guardians wait aboard their ship while Nekomamushi visits Marco, and tries, unsuccessfully, to convince him to join the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance. Whitebeard’s former right-hand man, who is busy tending to the villagers, explains to Nekomamushi that this island is the only legacy left by his spiritual father, and declares his intention to stay there to protect it from the threat of Edward Weeble.

According to Marco, the new Shichibukai is indeed threatening the peace of the island, as his mother, Miss Bakkin, knew Whitebeard and might attack his native island in search of his inheritance. Marco therefore refuses to go to the Land of Wa, but nevertheless asks Nekomamushi to deliver a message to Luffy.

Meanwhile, in Wano Country, half of the Straw Hat Pirates have adopted new names to avoid being noticed by Kaido or the Orochi shogun: Franky has become Franosuke the carpenter, Usopp has adopted the identity of a shopkeeper called Usohachi, and Robin now works as a geisha under the name O-Robi. Finally, Zoro is a ronin called Zorojuro; but he is wrongly accused of committing murders by a magistrate, who is the real culprit and uses him as a scapegoat.

In addition, he is accused of having stolen the Shuusui sword, a national treasure of Wano Country, which belonged to Ryuma. Before being executed, Zoro discovers the truth about the magistrate, whom he identifies as the assassin and kills him in cold blood. At sea, the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates, accompanied by Carrot, sails towards Wano Country.

After reading the news of the Reverie in the newspaper, they approach their destination but are unable to contact Kinemon and the others. On top of that, they fall prey to a terrible storm, which Nami says is a natural barrier to entering Wano Country. The current of the storm carries the Thousand Sunny to a waterfall, at the top of which is the entrance to Wano Country.

To climb it, Luffy grabs hold of huge carp coming up the waterfall, which works, but there’s a gigantic whirlpool waiting for them at the top. Using Luffy’s belly as a trampoline, Sanji evacuates with Nami, Carrot, Brook and Chopper, while Luffy and the Sunny are sucked, to their dismay, into the whirlpool.

Luffy wakes up on the beach of Kuri, a region of Wano Country, after being stranded there with the Thousand Sunny. However, he is surprised when a huge komainu emerges from the forest, followed by a gigantic baboon carrying a sword. As the two creatures begin to fight, two border guards from the Beasts Pirates appear. They are quickly incapacitated by Luffy, freeing a young girl they had captured, Tama.

The latter introduces herself to Luffy, and tames the baboon, which she names Hihimaru, thanks to her powers. After hiding the Sunny, Tama invites Luffy to her house to thank him. Once home, as a thank you, Tama cooks rice for Luffy, and drinks water from the river to quench her hunger and hide it from her benefactor.

However, Tama’s master returns home, and catches Luffy eating the rice. He then throws Luffy out of his house, and berates him, but is interrupted by Tama, who wants to defend her benefactor. However, the young girl fainted, prey to a terrible fever: the river from which she drank the water was contaminated by Kaido’s factories.

Her master then explains that Tama lives in this secluded village, abandoned by everyone because she is waiting for the arrival of a pirate called Ace. Meanwhile, elsewhere, the Supernova Basil Hawkins, who is now under the orders of the Hundred Beasts Pirates, learns that the border guards have been neutralized and decides to go to Kuri to take care of the situation himself.

Back at Amigasa Village, Luffy reveals to Tama and his master, Tenguyama Hitetsu, that Ace has died. He then decides to take Tama to a doctor, and disguises himself as a samurai to better go unnoticed. Against Hitetsu’s advice, Luffy also grabs the Nidai Kitetsu, and leaves the village on Komachiyo’s back.

Coming out of the forest, Luffy discovers that the Kuri region is indeed desert and arid. Continuing on his way, he encounters a ronin rescuing a woman from two men of Kaido. It’s actually Zoro, who ran away from the Flower Capital. However, their reunion is interrupted by Basil Hawkins and his men, who were looking for them.

After Hawkins predicts their chances of survival, which amount to 19%, the fight breaks out. However, Hawkins proves to be a formidable opponent, especially thanks to his Devil Fruit, the Wara Wara no Mi, and he inflicts wounds on Zoro. However, Tama’s condition worsens, causing Luffy and Zoro to flee on Komachiyo’s back. Fortunately, the woman saved earlier by Zoro, named Tsuru, invites them to take refuge in the village of Okobore, where they can treat Tama in her tea room… and what next? Well, you’ll just have to read the stories to find out!

How long is the Wano Country Arc in One Piece?

As you have probably deduced, the Wano Country Arc is still ongoing, although Oda himself has confirmed that the narration has reached its peak and that the series is entering its final saga. The Arc has been ongoing for more than four years in the manga and more than three years in the anime, and while the manga is certainly going to finish the Arc very soon, the anime might close off the arc sometime in 2023.

When is the Wano Country Arc going to end?

The exact date is not yet known, although from what we’ve heard from Oda, the Wano Country Arc is practically over. We don’t know which chapter is going to be the official ending of the arc, but we assume it won’t be long after the manga returns from a break. As for the anime series, it might be roughly a year before the anime concludes the Wano Country Arc.