Eiichiro Oda has portrayed almost every feeling there is in his One Piece story. Be it fear, excitement, sadness, happiness, or anger, the One Piece storyline has covered it all. However, there is one feeling that Oda doesn’t want to draw in his magnum opus. And that is the feeling of romance.
Oda has strict rules regarding romance in his manga and he may never change those. However, this doesn’t mean that he has not introduced the emotion of love in the series. Characters like Senor Pink, Sanji, Pudding, Hancock, and many more have expressed the feeling of love.
Even the doctor of the Straw Hat Pirates, Tony Tony Chopper was assumed by fans to have fallen in love when Oda released Chapter 900. When A fan asked Oda about Chopper’s love interest, and whether he would fall in love ever, Oda talked about the character who would be the perfect fit for Chopper’s love interest.
Eiichiro Oda Talks About Chopper’s Love Interest
SBS Volume 90 of One Piece which was posted by the Library of Ohara, revealed Oda’s opinion about Chopper’s love life and whether or not he would have a love interest in the story. Oda explained that because Chopper is part human and part reindeer if he’d ever want to date someone, it would be Milky, who is also a reindeer from the Mink tribe.
Oda stated:
“He hasn’t met anyone yet, but being part human and part reindeer, the one he’d want to date is Milky-chan from the mink tribe. But if one day Chopper falls deeply in love, not even I would be able to stop him. Why is that? Because “LOVE IS ALWAYS A HURRICANE”!!”
Milky is one of the guardians from the Mink tribe and if Chopper ever falls in love, even Oda would not be able to stop him. However, given previous instances, it is exceedingly doubtful that Oda will establish a love interest for any of the Straw Hat Pirates, let alone Chopper.
Eiichiro Oda’s Rule Against Love Interests in One Piece
In 2009, Eiichiro Oda talked about his intentions to introduce love interests or romance in One Piece. This was later translated and shared by @sandman_AP on X(Formerly Twitter). Oda stated that he won’t draw romance because One Piece is a manga for boys(Shonen) and if the female fans of One Piece want to see romance in a story, they should read Shoujo manga.
Oda stated:
“I don’t draw romance because OP is a manga for boys,” Oda said. “Female fans ask me to draw romance, but if they want to read it, they should read shoujo manga, and it’s not my job. I don’t care how many women love Luffy, but I don’t think its good if they love each other.”
Oda has stated that he has been asked multiple times to draw the romance dynamic, especially between the Straw Hat Pirates, but he believes that romance would complicate the plot of One Piece and his fans wouldn’t want to read it anymore. As the series has entered its final saga, it is now too late for Oda to introduce love interests or romance in the story.
You can watch One Piece on Crunchyroll.
