Eiichiro Oda’s Decision to Go With Shonen Jump for One Piece was an Effort to Follow in Akira Toriyama’s Footsteps
It is no secret that the creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda looked up to Akira Toriyama and was heavily inspired by Dragon Ball. Toriyama has been a source of inspiration for mangakas and artists worldwide. The Dragon Ball series shaped the future of the anime with its dramatic action sequences, insane cliffhangers, and jaw-dropping transformations.
In an early interview from 2001, published in the One Piece Color Walk #1, Oda revealed that he was shocked by the way Toriyama drew the hands and armpits of the characters. Oda’s admiration for Toriyama was apparent and it seems this admiration pushed Oda to follow Toriyama’s footsteps.
The Reason Why Eiichiro Oda Wanted To Go With Shonen Jump
Way back in 2020, Oda collaborated with a Japanese boy band, Arashi. In the same year, Arashi sat down with Oda to interview him, revealing some fun facts about the author and the series for a TV show. Oda talked with the Arashi members, while Oda’s editor, Naito pulled out the original manuscript Chapter 1 from a secret vault within the Shueisha office.
As the interview continued, Oda revealed some cool facts. For starters, Oda talked about how One Piece got rejected for serialization three times before finally being published on Jump. Arashi questioned Oda why he didn’t go with Weekly Shonen Magazine or Weekly Shonen Sunday, and Oda’s response to the question was that he wanted to work with Jump because his idol, Akira Toriyama, worked there and he wanted to work in the same magazine as him.
Oda also explained his weekly schedule and admitted that there have been a few times when he missed deadlines. He claimed that the editor would come after him and be very mean when he failed to meet the deadline.
One Piece To End In 4-5 Years
In the first part of the interview, Arashi asked Oda if he had already decided how many years One Piece was going to last, to which Oda bluntly responded “4-5 years”. He was also asked if he had already planned out everything and Oda said “at this point, I’ve got no more doubts”. This implies that Oda had already prepared everything from the start to the end of the series.
Also Read: After One Piece, Wit Studio to Handle Another Remake for Detective Conan Author’s Yaiba
Although fans will be sad about the series reaching its inevitable end, it can’t be denied that One Piece had a good run. Nearing almost 30 years, One Piece has carried on valiantly, teasing the fans even today with the enigmatic treasure that is yet to be revealed.
