Eiichiro Oda began One Piece serialization in 1997, and since 1999, the anime has been going on. For the past 25 years, there have been only a handful of anime franchises that posed a challenge to One Piece. The story flows at a steady pace and beautifully portrays the action-adventure genre. Monkey D. Luffy’s dream of becoming the King of Pirates has everyone rooting for him.
One Piece is loved by all irrespective of gender, but there is a particular aspect that Oda had in mind while drawing Luffy. The anime is filled with male and female characters, but initially, the mangaka wanted to go with the concept of a masculine world. Even Akira Toriyama was full of praise for one of the Big Three mangaka.
Eiichiro Oda Did Not Shy Away From A Masculine World
Eiichiro Oda has been one of the finest manga artists when it comes to storytelling. From Luffy coming out of a barrel to the Straw Hats leaving Egghead Island, the fans will never feel bored or think about skipping a portion. His magic prevents everyone from leaving, even though he bases his creation on a masculine world. During an interview with Akira Toriyama, the Dragon Ball creator asked him on what basis did Oda create Luffy.
Eiichiro Oda said,
Manliness. Dragon Ball has already done all the things that a child could possibly be happy about. (laugh) So, I used that as the basis to start from, so I didn’t go against it.
Toriyama replied that “a man’s world” gives a nice vibe to the action-adventure genre. Even though most people feel a little shy when it comes to a masculine world, they get habituated to it by the end. Everything is done for the audience, so if they are happy, then the manga artists are satisfied.
Masculine world might come out as a strong term, but Eiichiro Oda used the term “manliness” while mentioning Luffy. The protagonist always saw everyone as an equal, including Boa Hancock, Nami, Jewelry Bonney, etc. He never once projected his manliness upon other characters and always helped the ones in need. Oda used the word in the purest form, and being a genius, it is fair to say he tried to break stereotypes.
Monkey D. Luffy Has Different Scenarios To Prove His Manliness
Manliness does not only include brute strength. It features roles, behaviors, attributes, etc., too. Monkey D. Luffy, being Eiichiro Oda’s creation, portrayed all of these qualities when required. During the Alabasta arc, he constantly nagged Nefertari Vivi so that she could come out with her problems. She was suffering alone, and even though the Straw Hats knew it, they wanted her to confess it. The same happened with Nami in Coco Village.
Nami wanted to do everything on her own, but Arlong tricked her. When she opened up to her captain, the latter was ready to help her friend at all costs. Monkey D. Luffy has showcased his brute force on multiple occasions, but it came after there was some kind of emotional link. He never used his strength to make others suffer. Eiichiro Oda beautifully visualized “manliness.” People often confuse Luffy to be a clown, but that is just a part of his character to make everyone comfortable.
One Piece is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
