Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece is one of the most popular Shonen series in anime history and has been airing since 2005. Part of the show’s popularity is how the story emphasizes the themes of adventure and freedom using Monkey D. Luffy, who is on a journey to fulfill his dream of becoming the Pirate King.
With complex storylines and well-written characters, fans are deeply attached to the characters that have showcased intriguing personalities. However, some fans have claimed that Oda-Sensei might have been focusing on something deeper than showcasing the adventure of Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate Crew.
Recently, a fan theory has emerged on the same, stating that the Shonen series might have a deeper and darker meaning to its core than just inspiring its global audience.
Is Eiichiro Oda’s Magnum Opus a Cryptic Statement to the World?
Hitting the shelves in 1997, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece became an instant hit and a fan-favorite series that received an anime adaptation, but only after a couple of years, that is, in 1999. Oda-Sensei decided to make his Shonen series stand out from its rivals and the other series during that period.
He emphasized the themes of adventure, excitement, and a gripping story that would make its viewers get lost in his vast and imaginative world. At the core of the show are Luffy and his pirate crew, the very epitome of adventure, freedom, and the human spirit.
For instance, during the Arlong Park saga, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji defeated Arlong and his Fishmen crew to free Nami and the people of Cocoyasi Village from their torment. Teaching its viewers that despite the odds against them, freedom is something worth fighting for.
Eiichiro Oda loves to reinforce these feelings for his viewers to uplift their spirits and cherish their bonds. A fan has come up with a theory in r/OnePiece, where they have stated that the show might be following a dark path like Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan, and chances are that One Piece was never about the treasure.
Instead, they emphasize that the series is taking shots at the United Nations, as the show will end in 2025, which also marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. This dark theory adds to the pile of fan theories that revolve around the show.
Oda-san did not hesitate to showcase how the world government is full of corrupt people like the Celestial Dragons. Moreover, themes of selfishness, slavery, discrimination, and racism are often showcased in the series.
While it can be daunting for some viewers, it adds to the narrative and shows how the world is not ready when Eiichiro Oda decides to write the final panel of One Piece with events that have taken place in the real world.
Hajime Isayama Had Already Decided on the Ending of Attack on Titan
Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan ended on a great note that cemented it as one of the greatest stories to be ever told. The storyline was a rollercoaster of emotions because the audience felt all sorts of emotions while bidding goodbye to Eren Jaeger after the finale was released in 2023.
However, the mangaka has one regret- he would do anything to change the finale of his greatest work. While other manga artists planned the ending of the series according to the flow of the story, Isayama decided on it in the initial stages of Attack on Titan.
While talking to The New York Times, Hajime Isayama explained that he does not particularly hate the ending but decided that an ending so early into the story led to the loss of other potential plotlines that could have been explored. He said,
It would have been nice if I could have changed the ending. Writing manga is supposed to be freeing. But if I was completely free, then I should have been able to change the ending. I could have changed it and said I wanted to go in a different direction.
Although the given ending was picture-perfect, Eren Jaeger causing the rumbling shocked everyone. The show ended on a high note, where initially all the fans of the show thought that Eren Jaeger was the villain.
However, everyone’s opinion changed after Mikasa Ackerman killed him, as they learned that he did everything for his friends.
One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
Attack on Titan can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
