ONE PIECE novel ZORO, a prequel focusing on the swordsman’s life before he joined the Straw Hat crew, has secured the number one position on Oricon’s Monthly Light Novel Ranking for July 2026. Published by Shueisha on July 3, the volume moved 47,965 copies during the tracking period of June 29 to August 2, marking a strong debut for the project penned by Jun Esaka with illustrations by Nakamaru.
Esaka, who previously collaborated on the One Piece: Heroines series, captures a pivotal era of the franchise's lore. The success of this release highlights the continued dominance of the One Piece brand in print media, even as the franchise expands into diverse literary formats.
Following the leader, the sixth volume of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s Heaven Official's Blessing claimed second place with 24,807 copies sold. The third position was held by the ninth volume of Too Many Losing Heroines! (Make Heroine ga Ooisugiru!), which moved 18,785 copies. The latter, an award-winning series by Takibi Amamori and Imigimuru, continues to maintain its momentum in the market following the premiere of its anime adaptation in 2024.
