One Piece Creator Gifts French President with Special Sketch

One Piece may take place in a world very different from our own, but it has found a home in communities all over the world. From Japan to Brazil and beyond, the seafaring series is made a niche for itself time and time again. Now, the creator of One Piece is sending love to one of the manga’s biggest fandoms, and Eiichiro Oda did so by sending a sketch to the president of France.

The whole thing came to light recently when Emmanuel Macron posted a picture to Twitter. It was there the French leader shared a sketch he was sent by Oda, and it turns out the manga creator penned the piece for One Piece‘s French fans.

“For those passionate about One Piece, I share with you this original drawing done by its author. Thank you, Eiichiro Oda,” Macron wrote.

This sketch comes not long after France opened its arms to the manga in a big way. One Piece has always done well in France, and according to a recent report, the manga’s first volume has officially sold more than one million copies overseas. This new figure has given One Piece more than 8% of France’s manga market, and more than 25 million copies have been sold since it was localized in 2013.

Of course, One Piece has sold far more than that globally. In fact, the manga is one of the best-selling manga series of all time. It has sold over 490 million copies to date amongst its 57 regions. The manga will surely sell over 500 million copies before it comes to a close, and Oda has assured One Piece fans he still has years left to go before Luffy’s adventure finishes.

What do you think of this presidential present from Oda? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.