Shanks will return in the final arc of One Piece.

As the prolific manga series reaches its conclusion, familiar characters are returning to the spotlight—including Shanks, Luffy's childhood friend and role model, who has made an appearance in the final arc's preview. Despite his importance to the series, Shanks's appearances are relatively few and far between. However, the new advertisement for the manga's final act suggests that he will make his return in upcoming chapters. The first chapter of the final arc will be released on July 25 after a month-long hiatus, marking the beginning of the end for the beloved, 1000+ chapter series.

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Shanks is the captain of the Red Hair Pirates—and Luffy's childhood role model. Shanks serves as the catalyst for Luffy's journey toward becoming the King of the Pirates. As a child, Luffy looked up to Shanks, and aspired to become a pirate like Shanks and his crew. Shanks is also responsible for gifting Luffy his iconic straw hat, with the understanding that it will be returned when the two meet again. However, Shanks and Luffy have not reunited in person since Luffy was just a child. It remains to be seen if and when Luffy will return his hat to its rightful owner, but there's no doubt that Shanks is a vital part of the series.

One Piece is the best-selling manga series of all time, having sold almost 500 million copies worldwide. Currently spanning over 1000 chapters, the series began in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997, with an anime adaptation following soon after in 1999. The series has been praised for its lovable characters, wacky humor, and engaging, action-packed storyline. Both the manga and anime are still ongoing, making One Piece one of the most prolific anime series ever made. After two and a half decades, One Piece has entered its final arc—which, according to series creator Eiichiro Oda, will be the most exciting part of all.

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The series follows the story of Monkey D. Luffy on his quest to become King of the Pirates. After eating a mysterious Devil Fruit that grants him special powers, Luffy has obtained the ability to bend and stretch his body like it is made out of rubber. Along with his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy sets out on the East Blue Sea to find the mythical lost treasure known as One Piece.

Oda's manga is available in English from publisher VIZ Media. The One Piece anime is currently streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Funimation, and Crunchyroll. A live-action series based on the manga is currently in production at Netflix.

Source: Twitter