One Piece Creator Celebrates Shanks’ Crew With New Sketch

Shanks has long been an important character in One Piece’s history, and fans have waited years to see the red-haired swashbuckler finally reunite with Monkey D. Luffy. While One Piece Film: Red did hint at Shanks and Luffy coming face-to-face, the latest film in the shonen franchise once again dodged the long-awaited reunion. As creator Eiichiro Oda works on the final saga of the series and brings back Shanks front and center, the legendary mangaka has shared new art of Luffy’s mentor and his trusty crew.

In the final saga, Shanks has yet to come into contact with Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, as the main pirates have their hands full fighting against the military and protecting Dr. Vegapunk from the navy’s plans of taking the mad scientist off the board. While Shanks might not be a part of this current battle, the manga is setting the stage for the red-haired pirate to play a major role as Luffy’s mentor is on the hunt for the One Piece treasure. While Monkey D. Luffy and his crewmates have long hunted for the treasure, Shanks isn’t the only one joining the treasure hunt as Crocodile, Mihawk, Buggy, and Cross Guild are looking to discover Gol D. Roger’s booty.

Shanks And Crew Celebrate Their Return

One Piece Film: Red didn’t just bring back Red-Haired Shanks but introduced a surprising new character to One Piece lore. Uta, initially billed as the “Ultimate Diva”, was revealed to be Shanks’ daughter and had a long history with Monkey D. Luffy. While Uta hasn’t had a role in the final saga as of yet, she might make an appearance at some point with Shanks’ return.

Shanks has had a big year not just thanks to One Piece’s anime and manga, but also thanks to the live-action adaptation on Netflix. Played by actor Peter Gadiot, Luffy’s mentor was able to make a splash when it came to new viewers as the Netflix show retold the earlier parts of the shonen series. 

What do you think of this new take on Shanks and his crew? Do you think that Shanks and Luffy will come face-to-face sooner rather than later in One Piece’s final saga? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Grand Line.