Yes, and it seems the best anime tend to be around fifty episodes or shorter. I think elongating a series only helps with the merchandising prospects. Although One Piece usually gets ratings of around five percent and Japan is an aging country. Either the kids there really like it or there are a ridiculous amount of otaku. Or most likely both.
That's how most shonen are. They start out with a good premise, then they introduce new concepts and the plot becomes convoluted beyond comprehension, and you regret the dozens of hours you spent watching the hundreds of episodes.