“It is not a good idea to make him too strong”: Eiichiro Oda Claims 1 Character Would’ve Ended One Piece in a Year if He Had Replaced Luffy as the Protagonist
The Fleet Admiral of the Marines, Akainu poses an unimaginable threat in One Piece despite making no official appearance since the Summit War. Akainu gained his position after a gruesome battle with his fellow admiral, Aokiji; a battle that was so intense that it split the climate of Punk Hazard evenly.
The Fleet Admiral is the highest position offered by the Marines, and Akainu is the most terrifying of the lot, but an old interview with Eiichiro Oda reveals that Akainu might be even more powerful than fans first believed. Given Akainu’s status and feats during the Summit War, few characters in One Piece could win against Akainu.
Akainu Would Be Too Strong As A Protagonist
There has been a common misconception among fans of One Piece for years that according to Oda, Akainu could find the One Piece within a year if he wanted to. However, Oda never said anything of the sort and this misconception stems from his original comment which was taken out of context by fans due to a mistranslation.
The original comment comes from an interview published in the Sound & Recording Magazine (via One Piece Fandom) in 2012 where Oda said that it’s not a good idea to make a protagonist too powerful. According to the source, he told Yautaka Nakata:
“So, when you create a protagonist in manga, it is not a good idea to make him too strong. For example, if Akainu became the protagonist, he is so strong that ONE PIECE would come to an end within a year.“
Oda used Akainu as an example, stating that One Piece wouldn’t last a year with a protagonist as immensely powerful as Akainu. The point Oda wanted to make wasn’t that Akainu would be able to complete the journey much faster than Luffy or that the One Piece is easy to find. Oda simply wanted to convey that the story would not be enjoyable with an overly strong protagonist like Akainu who would force his way through every obstacle.
Akainu Is Tied To His Desk Job
Currently, at the topmost position of the Navy hierarchy, no soul would want to cross Akainu. Although fans are excited to see him again, Akainu’s decision to become the Fleet Admiral has come to bite him back. It appears that his job has tied him to his desk rather than allowing him to fight pirates actively.
Though Akainu has been largely absent from the series, he looms as a threat over Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates. Despite getting stronger after defeating Kaido at Wano and overpowering Admiral Kizaru with ease, Akainu remains Luffy’s strongest enemy to date. Although Luffy has unlocked Gear 5, it is difficult to say how a rematch between the two will play out.
You can read One Piece on VIZ Media and stream the anime on Crunchyroll.
