Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece is one of the most popular series and has been a fan favorite since 1997. The show features the far-fetched yet achievable dream of Monkey D. Luffy, who wants to become the King of the Pirates. On the surface, one would assume it is just another Shonen series that features the protagonist and his friends fighting the bad guys and achieving their goals.
However, the show is much deeper than that, as it showcases complex issues like discrimination, racism, hate, the importance of freedom, and what it means to follow your goals. All these elements are sewn together in a lively world with well-written characters that fans can relate to, and each arc is different from the other.
But what made the show so popular for 27 years is how Oda-Sensei has been the most consistent mangaka out there. As a result, he has something to say once he finally concludes his magnum opus.
Eiichiro Oda Sheds Light on What His Life Will Be After One Piece
Continuing a long-running series like One Piece requires more than skill and creativity, but more than that, it requires a never-yielding commitment that can take the work to places that other manga or anime titles have never seen.
Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus radiates all these qualities as he flaunts his storytelling skills and sends his audience on a rollercoaster of emotions. As a result, the series has been hailed as the King of Shonen.
With a story that is far from over, fans have at times wondered if they would get to see any other series like One Piece from the mangaka after they have concluded it with a fitting ending.
During an exclusive interview with Fuji TV in 2016 via The One Piece Podcast, the interviewer asked the author about the progress of his grand adventure.
Oda-Sensei mentioned that the show is about “65%” complete, but what followed the progress broke the hearts of the fans. He said,
I’d say about 65%. I need the courage to chip away at the ideas I come up with. It’s a race against time between my remaining lifespan and the end of the series (laughs). I’m not going to be able to make another long series after One Piece.
The percentage was back in 2016, and the series has been continuing ever since. As a result, a creator has mentioned when the series will wrap its story!
Nevertheless, the otaku community will not be ready for the accursed day, when the last chapter of Eiichiro Oda’s greatest comes to an end.
Eiichiro Oda’s Conditions to Not Interfere in One Piece Anime
Oda-Sensei’s magnum opus is such a brilliant piece of work that fans would often find themselves in a dilemma of which one to choose over the other. Thankfully, the anime stays true to the source material and appreciates the hard work of the mangaka.
However, in 2002, during an exclusive interview via Creative Talk, featuring Eiichiro Oda, Kounosuke Uda, the anime director from 1999 to 2006, and Shinji Shimizu, the producer of the anime. It was during this talk that he mentioned his two conditions. He said,
In the animation, I don’t really mind how any part is handled. So long as the people really think about the characters and love One Piece, then I think they can do anything.
Later, in the interview, the mangaka opened up about how he found the anime opening of his series more intriguing than the mangaka. He said,
Beyond how this or that part is, seeing a world where my own manga is moving and talking is what I enjoy. When the animation begins, the words ‘Original Creator Eiichiro Oda’ come up right? When I saw that I gave myself a round of applause.
Though Oda-Sensei genuinely enjoys the anime production of his work, he has utter faith in the director and producer of the show and how the series has grown so popular among the fans for so long.
One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
