One Piece began serializing in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1997 and has been on the rise in popularity throughout its run. Even after almost three decades, the series keeps getting more fans and has even surpassed 600 million copies in circulation, becoming the first-ever manga series to achieve this milestone. Although One Piece is incredibly popular in Japan, the series didn’t have as much recognition among the global audience. In order to make the series known worldwide, Eiichiro Oda, the series’ creator, agreed to a live-action series by Netflix, which ended up becoming a massive hit.
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More than two years after the successful first season, the series released its Season 2, which again received praise from both critics and fans alike. Following the live-action Season 2, Netflix released a special podcast series of six episodes, featuring Iñaki Godoy and Eiichiro Oda in the first episode. The duo discussed several behind-the-scenes moments, their favorite scenes, Oda’s plans for the future, and many other things.
One Piece Creator Wants Fans to Read The Manga Casually
During the conversation, Godoy asked Oda to pitch the series to someone who hasn’t read it yet. Oda responds, “One Piece may be a humongous story, but I love for people to enjoy the casual banter on the ship between the Straw Hats. Or the relationship with the people they meet on the various islands. It’s those little things that matter most to me.”
He continues, “So I hope you read it casually. I always tell people that Manga isn’t a big deal. It’s a way to kill time. I want to be the king of wasting time, so I hope people just read and watch it casually.”
One Piece has been ongoing for almost three decades, but the story is still far from over. The series entered its Final Saga in 2022 and is currently in the middle of its Elbaph Arc. The story still has a lot left to uncover and take the Straw Hat Pirates to Laugh Tale before the Final War begins. It’s often overwhelming for anyone to start reading a series as long as One Piece, which has almost 1200 chapters.
On the other hand, the live-action series removes a lot of segments, plot points, and condenses the story in such a way that multiple arcs can be adapted in just a few episodes. Despite that, it will take three seasons to adapt the Alabasta Saga, and the story will keep getting more intense. However, while the live-action remains faithful to the spirit of the series, the manga captures the true essence of the story.
While Oda wants fans to read the manga, he also hopes that fans only read it casually as a means of entertainment to kill time. The story explores many complex themes, but at its core, it’s still a journey following the Straw Hat Pirates and exploring their casual interactions and banter. The crew has some of the best dynamics in shonen as they trust each other, rely on one another in difficult times, and even make fun of each other, which makes the story all the more heartwarming.
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