One Piece Chapter 1187 Release Date Confirmed After Weekly Shonen Jump Return

One Piece has officially returned to Weekly Shonen Jump after a lengthy stretch away, with the series coming back on June 28, 2026 through Chapter 1186. The next installment, One Piece Chapter 1187, is scheduled for release in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #32 on July 5, 2026 at 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time.

Chapter 1187 is poised to feel like a turning point, too. The Esperia flashback is now behind the story, and the narrative is back where it matters most: the ongoing showdown in Elbaf. This time around, the King of the World, Nerona Imu, is expected to take center stage, with Luffy entering the fray at last.

Quick scan: what to watch for in Chapter 1187

• One Piece returned to Weekly Shonen Jump on June 28, 2026 with Chapter 1186.
• One Piece Chapter 1187 releases July 5, 2026 in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #32 at 11:00 AM EST.
• The Esperia flashback arc is officially over, with the story focused again on the battle in Elbaf.
• Nerona Imu is set to be active in the chapter, while Luffy joins the conflict.
• Sanji may be pulled into action against Saint Killingham’s Rain God Zaza MMA.
• Zoro may move toward the port of the Western Village to stop Saint Sommers from kidnapping Elbaf’s children.

Chapter 1187 marks the start of Luffy’s biggest fight yet

Nerona Imu was first formally introduced in One Piece Chapter 906 on June 4, 2018, appearing in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #27. For years, fans have been waiting for the moment Luffy and Imu finally meet head-on, and that confrontation began with Chapter 1186.

That’s why Chapter 1187 carries so much weight: Luffy and Imu have exchanged blows for the first time. The previous chapter ended with Luffy punching Imu across the face, sending him flying, and then ordering him to leave Elbaf for good. Still, that was essentially an opening strike—the real fight is expected to fully ignite in the July 5 release.

Fans should be ready to see Luffy immediately lean into Gear 5 once the proper battle begins. The goal here is simple: keeping pace with Nerona Imu on an equal footing. That said, Chapter 1187 could also swing the other way, showing Imu landing destructive attacks on Luffy as well.

There’s an additional complication driving the intensity. Luffy and Loki are currently teaming up against Imu, meaning the King of the World may have to go all-in rather than hold back. If Imu finally reveals more of what he can do, Chapter 1187 should become a major lore delivery moment—one that may expose deeper truths as the fight escalates.

“Thou canst obey or die! Nika, Nidhoggr, this battle will divide the world!” — Nerona Imu prepares to wipe out both his enemies, One Piece Chapter #1177

Luffy also has an open spot in his crew, and the story has already set up three main candidates as potential replacements after Elbaf ends. Chapter 1187 may not resolve that immediately, but the groundwork is clearly part of the bigger picture moving out of this arc.

Sanji’s showdown with Rain God Zaza could get bigger in the new chapter

Even with Luffy versus Imu as the headline, Chapter 1187 is likely to juggle other threats tied to the Elbaf conflict. One of the biggest is the Rain God Zaza MMA, created by Saint Killingham in One Piece Chapter 1182 on May 10, 2026, during Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #24.

This MMA was ordered to abduct the children of the Elbaf Giants, with the intent of making them subservient and forcing them into the World Government’s ranks as slave soldiers. That plan is not supposed to succeed—and the character positioned to stop it is Sanji, the Straw Hat Pirates’ cook. In Chapter 1183, Sanji was shown moving toward Rain God Zaza, and his confrontation is expected to be central soon after.

“We were born in a place so high, it’s above all the rain clouds. Water coming down from the sky? It’s a mysterious terror! After the people of D and Nika, it was the most common boogeyman they warned us about…that in the lower world, there’s a monster called the Rain God that dumps water on top of your head!” — Saint Killingham explains Zaza, One Piece Chapter #1182

There’s a useful wrinkle for Sanji here: he’s easily charmed by women. That means Zaza could potentially charm him rather quickly, especially considering Sanji’s track record with other women, including Viola and Pudding. With that in mind, it’s possible Sanji might “win” Rain God Zaza’s loyalty and push the MMA to switch sides.

If that happens, it would throw an extra wrench into the Celestial Dragons’ plans in Elbaf. Chapter 1187 could still place Sanji directly opposite Zaza, but a more dramatic twist is also on the table—such as pairing Zaza and Sanji together against the Celestial Dragons. Either way, the story is clearly building toward the moment when the children are finally safe, before the final phase of Elbaf’s battles gets underway.

Zoro and Super Sommers may finally meet in Chapter 1187

While Sanji closes in on Saint Killingham and the Rain God Zaza MMA, Zoro has his own mission running in parallel. In One Piece Chapter 1182, Zoro was shown heading toward the port of the Western Village, where Saint Sommers had prepared a ship intended to kidnap Elbaf’s children.

That means Zoro’s assignment is straightforward: stop Sommers before the kidnapping can complete, and take him down. Since Sommers has been empowered by an Omen, the confrontation won’t be easy, and Chapter 1187 could be where the momentum shifts toward an actual clash.

If Zoro reaches Sommers’ location in the new chapter, a direct fight could finally begin. The timing also fits the way One Piece typically structures its action—before Luffy’s main battles fully take over, other smaller engagements are usually wrapped up through setup and escalation.

What the chapter’s focus may look like

In practical terms, Chapter 1187 is likely to spend more time on Sanji and Zoro rather than only on Luffy versus Imu. A build-up for the big showdown is still expected, but the majority of attention may shift to the Wings of the Pirate King, the Rain God Zaza situation, and the fate of Elbaf’s children.

Looking ahead, the series may also continue for one additional week before entering another break. After a long stretch, the author is aiming to deliver three chapters in a row, and fans are clearly bracing for a strong run out of Elbaf. The hope is that the arc ends this stretch with momentum intact, keeping excitement high for One Piece Chapter 1188 as well.

All the new One Piece manga chapters by Eiichiro Oda are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.