Buzz
At first sight, the 21,450-page One Piece compilation, featuring the immensely popular manga by Eiichiro Oda, stands as a publishing wonder. By some measures, it could be considered the largest book in the world. However, it lacks Oda's approval and isn't designed for reading. So, what exactly is it?
As reported by The Guardian, the tome, named ONEPIECE, serves as an art installation. Created by artist Ilan Manouach, it consists of printed digital manga pages bound into a single, impractical volume. This piece highlights the vast amount of content accessible to readers and its monetary value, which often overshadows its artistic merit.
The 'ONEPIECE' compilation is, in fact, an artistic installation. | Courtesy of JBE BooksAlthough this might appear to be a potential copyright violation, a representative from JBE Books clarified that since the book isn't designed for reading—trying to do so would damage its spine—there's no risk of legal disputes. The limited edition of 50 copies, each priced at approximately $1800, has already been completely sold out.
Determining whether ONEPIECE qualifies as the largest book ever published depends on how you define it. Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time exceeds 3000 pages but was divided into 13 separate volumes.
Since its debut in 1997, One Piece has grown into one of the most iconic manga series in history. The story follows Monkey D. Luffy, a pirate on a quest for treasure, and has been adapted into an anime with over 1000 episodes. A live-action adaptation by Netflix is currently in development.
