Eiichiro Oda has created a standout franchise with One Piece, which is currently one of the highest-grossing series. Not only is the plot extremely engrossing, but fans of every genre like it due to its diverse range of characters.
The author himself is an icon in the manga community, with almost every younger creator looking up to him. Yet, Oda has always been criticized by different groups of people and sometimes by fandoms of other major Shonen series. Thus, he created the most foolproof way to counter this.
How Eiichiro Oda Went Against the Norm With One Piece
In an interview with Kohei Horikoshi, Eiichiro Oda discussed that back when One Piece had debuted, the expectations from protagonists were different than those of today. Characters who were outspoken and said whatever they thought were seen as disgraceful. Luffy is obviously the exact opposite of his era, so what made Oda pursue the less traveled road?
Eiichiro Oda explained:
When I was young, I was obsessed with counterculture. For example, it was popular for girls to have the tips of their hair curled inward, so I drew them curled outward instead.
Oda’s obsession with counterculture might seem funny, but that is one of the leading reasons why One Piece is so popular. The series often features characters who are normally frowned upon in real life. In fact, he even introduced the concept of Okamas in the series, something that is not so acceptable in Japanese society.
Luffy himself is so popular because he stands in complete contrast to One Piece‘s dark plot. If Luffy was a brooding character, his refreshing appeal would be lost, and he would mellow out due to the heavy background. Thus, Oda’s habit of going against the norm eventually helped One Piece thrive.
How Eiichiro Oda Handled Criticism with Counterculture
When asked why the author was so intent on being a contrarian, Eiichiro Oda simply answered:
I simply had to stand out. My art style used to be criticized as weird, so I never could’ve dreamed that people would later want to pursue a career in manga because of me.
Eiichiro Oda’s artstyle is extremely detailed, but at the same time, it might look cluttered to some. The amount of information packed in each panel becomes too much for people, especially for a newbie. So, in order to make up for his often misunderstood art style, Eiichiro Oda opted to excel in his manga by portraying the opposite of societal norms. This kept One Piece interesting, and it stood out among the plethora of Shonen manga.
Never in his wildest dreams did Eiichiro Oda think his series would become so popular. He honestly claimed that he never thought people would want to pursue being a mangaka just because Oda’s hard work in One Piece moved them.
You can read One Piece on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
