“That’s why Luffy… it’s the most troublesome thing”: Eiichiro Oda’s Befitting Response Would Silence One Major Criticism Against One Piece
One of the major criticisms about One Piece is its slow pace, which can often discourage new fans from watching the show. Coupled with the fact that One Piece has over a thousand episodes, it is no wonder that some anime fans decide to abandon the series after a while.
However, Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, may have the perfect explanation for the series’ pacing. One Piece‘s story has been gradually unfolding for over the last twenty-five years and it’s still nowhere near the end.
While many have come to appreciate the long yet rewarding journey, there have been some who wished the series would pick up the pace. But, according to Oda, the pacing of One Piece may be beyond even his control.
Characters of One Piece Often Feel Like They Are Alive
In an interview Yasutaka Nakata, published in the Sound & Recording Magazine (via Screen Rant) in 2012, Eiichiro Oda states that the characters of One Piece often feel like they are alive, and act as they please. Thus, it can be difficult to control a character and them into action simply for the sake of the plot.
Nakata asked Oda whether it felt like the world of One Piece was moving in his head and he was drawing it, Oda responded:
“That’s right. Characters work on their own, and the reader knows that too, and when I force a character to move for the sake of the story, they point out, “There’s no way this character would do this.” That’s why Luffy… It’s the most troublesome thing. If I don’t interpose various episodes and put the brakes on, the boss will be defeated right away. The characters are alive.“
This is undoubtedly a testament to the strong characterization of the characters, major and minor alike. Oda simply draws the story as it progresses realistically, which is why the setup leading to the climax of each arc feels so satisfying. One Piece’s pacing actually works in the series’ favor, although it might disappoint some fans.
Eiichiro Oda Has To Put Brakes On Monkey D. Luffy
Allowing characters to behave organically sounds ideal but with a series teeming with ridiculously powerful characters like One Piece, it may be difficult to control the pace of the action when a fight has an obvious victor.
In the same interview, Oda reveals that he has a really difficult time controlling Luffy, the protagonist of the series and according to Oda, the most bothersome character. Slowing down the narrative has considerably become much more difficult since Luffy has grown stronger and is on his way to climbing up to the top of the pirate world.
Moreover, the number of opponents he can fight seriously decreases with every arc, considering that Luffy often has to fight a subordinate before fighting the final boss in every arc. In Whole Cake Arc, Luffy struggles against Cracker before fighting Katakuri, which shows that speeding through the initial battles would render them meaningless. Hence, One Piece makes it work at its current pace.
One Piece is available to read via VIZ Media. The series can be read by the fans for free on the Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus app.
