One Piece Creator Pens Thoughtful Fan-Letter in Volume 100
The story of One Piece has been running for over twenty years, with the Shonen creator Eiichiro Oda working insanely hard throughout this entire time to help produce the story of Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates as they sail the Grand Line and battle against a cornucopia of colorful characters. To help in celebrating the one-hundredth volume of One Piece, which has astonishingly had over one thousand chapters to its name so far and is about to hit one thousand episodes of its anime series, Oda wrote a message to fans that captured his playful spirit and creativity.
The message from Eiichiro Oda, which is printed in the one-hundredth volume of One Piece reads as such:
"Looks like bad news about One Piece is being brought up on the Internet. I feel sorry for my fans if they are blamed at school because of this news. My little guardian spirits told me "No Worries" My big guardian spirit encouraged me, "Cheer up!" Then, they prepared delicious meals for me.
When I said, "I'm exhausted..." My guardians told me, "Get in the car!" They started the car and we arrived at a hot spring. When I said "I have a cold," they said, "It's not a cold!" They took me to a hospital and I got hospitalized. It's me who receives people's attention, but actually, I have had uncomfortable feelings numerous times while standing by famous people.
Without these cheerful guardian spirits, I'm sure I would have collapsed long ago. Is it okay if I show my appreciation to them at this milestone of Volume 100? Thank you so much for all your support! This is Volume 100! Please enjoy!"
In reference to the "guardians" and the "famous people", Oda is apparently referencing his family, fans, and the Straw Hat Pirates themselves. With the prolific mangaka noting that he plans to end the series within the next five years, the creator of One Piece has definitely earned his place as one of the biggest mangakas that the world has ever known.
What do you think of Oda's letter to the fans to help celebrate this major milestone for the story of the Straw Hat Pirates? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Grand Line.