Every successful manga lies a great plot-- a plot that can always engage the reader no matter how long the story may be. The author cannot stray away from that engaging plot, nor should the author go off-topic with the story, just like an essay. As long as it has a solid point, it is generally accepted as a decent essay. For manga, the same rule applies, except the author has to constantly create an effective and engaging story that can keep the fans to read their work. This, I think, is the hardest job for a manga author. If they can't maintain that consistency, then it would be best to think of a conclusion for the story.
Even the popular mainstream battle mangas have some trouble with their story, such as Naruto and Bleach. Ever since I had started reading Naruto, I thought Kishimoto did a nice job with his plot--A neophyte ninja tries to become the next Hokage. But as the story progresses, it seems that Kishimoto has hit a dead end. Yes, the plot still stays put, but because he introduces entirely new characters in the book--the Hokage's from each village and their assistants--one might be curious as to how Kishimoto would conclude this rather grand story that was once only a story about a boy who wanted to become the next Hokage. It seems he is straying away from that plot, and instead introducing immaterial characters and make them fight against Akatsuki. So does Naruto become the next Hokage? That's all we readers want to know. But instead, he delays the conclusion and squeezes in minor fights that have almost nothing to do with the entire Naruto saga.
In Tite Kubo's Bleach, the reader sees that the 13 captains are unable to defeat Aizen and the Arrancar Army. No matter how much strength the Gotei 13 use, it is no match against Aizen. Nothing can stop him. Perhaps this might be a truth that can, in fact, mildly irk a few fans. Can't Aizen be destroyed after all the Gotei 13 has done? Can't he be destroyed after Kurosaki transformed into that deadly hollow and obtained godlike powers? If not, what happens, Kubo? How are you willing to conclude this manga? In fact, he just recently started off with part 2 of Bleach. Can't the story end already?
Admittedly, thinking of a conclusion to a grand story is a very hard thing to do, especially if it is popular. But the more the author does not delay the conclusion--introduce new characters, make it so it would be impossible to defeat the villain--the more ease he/she would have in thinking of a conclusion. Without these characters, the author wouldn't have to think about what each character would do in the end. The author would have less things to think about and possibly think of a more straightforward conclusion, like Deathnote.
Another example is The Prince of Tennis. It is already enough when Ryoma and Tezuka win the championships, while Tezuka goes to Germany. Why should the author make a Prince of Tennis 2, a.k.a, Shin Tennis no Oujisama. He just introduces so many new tennis players that the reader gets confused as to who is who.
Furthermore, Piano no Mori has been in Morning Magazine every other week, since the author is at a dead end, thinking of how he could progress the story in an acceptable fashion. At this point, it can be a good idea to best think about a conclusion. What will Kai Ichinose do? That is the question.
Although most authors would not want to end their work that they have been working on for so long, there comes a time where it needs to end. Nothing lasts forever, even in art. Akira Toriyama successfully ended Dragon Ball Z, and Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata successfully ended Deathnote and currently are working on Bakuman. Manga artists should carefully consider what should go on the book and if it would be purposeful or not.
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